RAM AGM: Environment Report

Environment Report – RAM 2008

Building on the rambling season of 2007, this past year the Ramblers Association has further established itself as an active non-governmental voluntary organisation on the environmental front.

RAM has spoken out on issues of encroaching development in the countryside, the stamping ground of this Association. Building permits outside the development zone, blots on the visual landscape and misguided designs for roads where no road should go, have all been on the agenda this past twelve months.

At times in league with other NGOs, and at times individually, Ramblers has not let the environmental challenges of the year go by without comment, plea or good counsel. The Rambler year started with an objection to the eyesore framework of a structure on the ridge at Dwejra in Gozo, a permit which had already been refused by the Malta Environment and Planning Authority several times until overturned.

This was followed in April by an objection filed against towering development at Mistra Ridge which, while not so much an expansion of existing footprint, will bring visual pollution to the skyline in this area of high scenic beauty.

Another shock we received during the year was the news of proposed villas… an extension to the Mellieha Bay Hotel building development, in an area designated by the environment section within MEPA as ecologically sensitive. Ramblers duly filed an objection.

In June Ramblers expressed our strong objection to pre-election gimmickry of government’s quiet consent to sanction illegal occupation of public land on the coast at Armier which was taken up by illegal “boathouses” - as they are called.

In the heat of July the Association did not hesitate to hold a protest walk at Fomm ir-Rih over irreversible damage being done to this site blessed, but only on paper, with Natura 2000 protected status.

In this area a military road to the pebble beach (public property) was closed at first to vehicles - then even the approach on foot was illegally denied. Reinstating this constitutional right of way to the public is an ongoing battle. It has been a landmark campaign for RAM over the past year.

Our Honorary President produced an extensive White Paper highlighting the placing of Malta at the bottom of the EU environment league. In this document it is noted that “The rural landscape is gradually disappearing with illegal structures mushrooming all over the Maltese islands from Delimara to Ras il-Wardija in Gozo.”

In August, Ramblers joined other bona fide environment organisations, namely Nature Trust, Din L’Art Helwa, BirdLife, Light Pollution Awareness Group, Friends of the Earth Malta, Gaia Foundation and Flimkien ghall Ambjent Ahjar in requesting that MEPA place updates to development proposals for Ta Cenc online in keeping with the minimum requirement of public consultation procedures.

September saw concern expressed by the Ramblers Association toward the changes at Hagar Qim while it is acknowledged that some – but by no means all - of these changes may be necessary to prolong the heritage of the prehistoric stones.

A plea was also made to incorporate historical military features present on the Smart City site into the overall design. On a wider front RAM expressed its worry over the extent of impact such a massive development would have on energy requirements – the association’s nod to Climate Change which is increasingly becoming an over-arching issue where environment is concerned.

Ramblers did find it in its heart to comment positively when a MEPA decision to uphold public access at St Thomas Bay hit the news although from feedback we had on this there is always much more going on behind the scenes than meets the eye. We realise that the good efforts of some conscientious individuals in the environmental section inside MEPA are often quashed at board level. These mute elements still deserve our support and encouragement to fight a system which still appears to be smeared with corruption in one form or another.

RAM also sent its comments on Local Council reform at this point.

In November RAM united with the Nature Group in opposition to a possible future decision which would destroy the landscape at Ghadira. One of the alternatives being proposed here would degrade the ridge behind Danish Village. Of course the route to Cirkewwa is a major artery and RAM understands the importance of good roads – but please: no more roads ploughing through the little environment we have left.

In the new year, RAM issued its first media release for 2009 in which praise was showered on those responsible for cleaning up the countryside and pulling down rubble walls over the legal height. More continuous and extended action is required in this area especially in relation to illegal scrapyards springing up all over the countryside.

Our comments were also sent to MEPA on a quarry extension at Santa Katerina which is set to eat into more pristine agricultural fields when recycling of stone for building has long been advised.

So it has been an active year. We expect the path ahead to be no less interesting as the Ramblers Association forges ahead to do what it can in defense of the urban and rural surroundings on which the leisure sport of rambling depends.

AGM 2009: PRO Report

PRO Report – AGM 7 Feb 2009

Having heard the President’s and the Secretary’s address you might be wondering what else the Pro could say. Well, I am wondering myself. So, please, bear with me for some repetitions

As you could see from the reports you have listened to, most of our Public Relations exercises are in truth carried out by the President and the Secretary, by their several appearances on tv, participation in radio programmes, contributions to the press, the Secretary’s Newsletters, and their participation in endless meetings with the authorities, independent bodies and other NGOs. Their two voices make our opinions and objectives heard in all quarters.

We have indeed issued no less than 17 press releases; and I say ‘we’ because in drawing them up I have been greatly helped by Anne, Romano and Alex. We have taken a position, on our own steam, or in coalition with other NGOs on topics ranging from:

Squatters, in particular those at Armier Bay
Fomm ir-Rih, access to the bay and the ruin of the natural landscape there
Blocked pathways and lack of access to shoreline, as in the case of the Munxar gate
The Bungalows, proposed for Marfa Ridge
The development at Mistra Heights
Ta’ Cenc, Access to new plans
Hondoq ir-Rummien
Ulysses Lodge, Ramla l-Hamra
Riviera Martinique
Ghadira road,
MEPA reform
Smart City
Direct Action taken by Parl Secretaries Jason Azzopardi and Chris Said on the reform of Local Councils
The Catchment of rain water
Fort Cambridge and
The extension to the museum of St John’s cathedral
And the one on Hagar Qim taken care of by Louis

Some of you will have remarked that a couple of these topics are not quite within our remit. True, and the effort not to stretch ourselves given our limited resources, human and others, is a continuous one. But we do feel the need to express solidarity with other NGOs on issues which are of national interest.

There is also no doubt that few of you will have read all these press releases; and this is no fault of yours. Some of our Press releases are uploaded on the online version of the newspapers a few hours after we send them. but then they are not printed in the next day’s edition.

It has to be said also that not all newspapers publish all our Press Releases; indeed some of them seem even rather reluctant to publish them. At times we could be blamed for issuing rather long statements when editors want declarations of only some 200 words – and, well, in 200 words one can hardly develop an argument. Besides, when printed, 200 words fill up three centimetres of a column and nobody notices them.

This insistence for brevity is even greater with radio; and let’s not talk about tv.
So, as you see, Public Relations, from this point of view, are not always easy.

Besides Press Releases we also had an article published in Pocket Malta, the magazine distributed to tourists and another one is in the pipeline for one of the Sunday magazines.

A major activity last year for the environmental education of the young, was the competition among Primary schools who had to prepare two walks within the boundaries of their local council. A panel of 4 committee members visited the 13 participating schools, 3 of them in Gozo, Prizes, in books, given to 5 schools amounted to 1400 euro.

As part of our PR drive we are now trying to create sub-committees for our two main educational institutions, the University and MCAST.

Our main public relations exercise remains, however, our Walks Programme. Our Walk Planners and Walk leaders, Romano in particular, dedicate hours to the planning of each walk, and then have to prepare the write-ups and upload the photos on our blogs.

And yet, the persons we rely on most to sustain our PR efforts are you, our members: who spread around the word about how enjoyable and instructive our walks are, how important our aims and objectives, when you support our efforts with contributions to the press with articles, letters and even with comments on online versions. All this is very much appreciated and gives us great encouragement.

Thank you for your attention and much more for your support.

4th February 2009 Bahrija and Mtahleb Walk

Although on a Wednesday, some seventy members turned up for another successful walk in beautiful winter weather.

Walk Leader: Gunther.

Photos courtesy Marcel Pisani

Descending towards Wied tal-Bahrija

View of Rdum tal-Vigarju & environs from Bahrija

Globigerina Limestone - erosion

Having a rest on our way towards Mtahleb

Ancient quarries

Mtahleb hamlet & its chapel

Wied ir-Rum

Walking on the ridge

Typical cave settlements

Fresh water crab – il-Qabru

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Membership Form

Saturday 31st January: Madliena Fort

Walk leader: Gunther Jacobs

Some photos below, courtesy of Marcel Pisani

Panoramic view from Fort Madliena

Fort Madliena: its highest point

Fort Madliena: the excavated ditch

Ras il-Qrejten & its watch tower (aka ta' Qalet Marku)

Fort Madliena: its most recent extension

Crossing over a 100-year–old wooden bridge

Having a rest whilst listening to the explanation

Inside the ditch

Sunday 18th January Walk

Three Coastal Towers, Two Wayside Chapels, One Redoubt (Scenic, Cultural, Historical ) – Salina / Bahar ic-Caghaq / Maghtab

A group of sixty ramblers turned up for today’s walk. From our meeting place we headed towards Salina. After passing by the Perellos Redoubt (also known as Ximenes Redoubt) and its nearby well-conserved fougasse, we started heading (through country lanes) towards the first watch tower, it-Torri tal-Ghallis. From there we headed inland, towards Maghtab, where we had a short rest near the rural chapel dedicated to Santa Marija.

After approximately 30 minutes we reached Qalet Marku, where we visited the next watch tower, known as it-Torri ta’ Qalet Marku or it-Torri ta’ Qrejten.

From there, we again crossed the Coast Road and headed inland, passing through country lanes towards the outskirts of Bahar ic-Caghaq, until we reached the (once rural) chapel dedicated to San Gwann l-Evangelista, where we had another short rest.

From there we crossed the Coast Road back to the seaward side, where we followed a relatively difficult path to reach the ex-caravan site, and continued via the coastline till we reached our last watch tower, it-Torri tal-Madliena. Another fougasse is located here, just a few metres away from the tower.

This last watch tower marked the end of today’s walk.

Distance : 12 km

Time: 4 hours ( 0830 – 1230 )

Walk leader: Simon

A track of our walk, courtesy of Sandro Bugeja

And some photos below.

Near the Perellos Redoubt

Our secretary

The fougasse at Salina

Approaching Ghallis Tower

Torri ta' l-Ghallis

Torri ta' Qalet Marku

Kappella ta' San Gwann l-Evangelista

Fougasse near Madliena Tower

Madliena Tower

The salt pans at Bahar ic-Chaghaq

January 8, 2009: Walk Ghar Lapsi - Fawwara - Girgenti

Walk Leader: Gunther

Some photos below, contributed by Marcel Pisani