Trees and woodlands are known to be restricted in the Maltese Islands; these have been recognised as meriting protection, both for their biological and cultural importance. For this reason, various trees and woodlands are protected through various national designations for their antiquity, rarity, ecological and cultural importance. Below is some information on these designations, namely on Tree Protection Areas, Tree Protection Orders and the List of Historical Trees.
Tree Protection Areas
The need for the Environment and Resources Authority (ERA) to set up an inventory of Tree Protection Areas (TPAs) stems from the Trees and Woodland Protection Regulations (S.L. 549.123), which aims at protecting the trees and woodlands of the Maltese Islands, particularly native species and communities.
In accordance with the said regulation, there are a number of criteria that make sites eligible for designation. Such criteria, as specified in S.L. 549.123, are included below:
a. | Maltese characteristic woodland communities; |
b. | trees or woodland communities which are rare, threatened, endangered or that have a reduced or restricted distribution in Malta; |
c. | trees and woodlands habitats critical to the survival, reproduction and recovery of endangered, threatened, vulnerable, endemic or otherwise important flora and fauna species; |
d. | trees or woodland communities of scientific, ecological, aesthetic, historical, cultural, arboricultural, silvicultural, agricultural, educational or landscape interest; |
e. | prominent landmark trees; |
f. | historical trees listed in the List of Historical Trees having an Antiquarian Importance Order (S.L. 445.02)​​; |
g. | ex-situ, live collections of rare, threatened or endangered specimens. |
ERA, as part of its commitment to set up inventories of important trees and woodlands in Malta, has designated 30 TPAs in 2011 through G.N. 473 of 2011. In 2017, ERA designated 30 additional TPAs through G.N. 316 of 2017. In Malta, there are approximately 60 native tree species, of which 66% are rare or endangered. Through the declaration of these TPAs, these trees and woodlands are being given the well-deserved protection for our and future generations. The total number of TPAs over the Maltese Islands is 60 (5.8km2), of which 48 are in Malta, 10 are in Gozo and 2 are in Comino.
Some of the areas protect individual trees and groups of trees of value, such as the old olive trees in Ħal Lija, as well as other areas to ensure the protection of rare and threatened trees, which have a restricted native distribution in Malta. Examples of the latter include the dwarf fan palm at Tal-Merħla and the mock privet at Ta’ Xuxa in the Buskett area. Species that are not native but have other relevant important considerations are also included, such as the ficus tree, which is a landmark in the area known as ‘It-Tliet Siġriet’ in Tas-Sliema. Trees within a TPA are protected from activities and operations that may have an adverse impact on them, such as development.
Site code | Tree Protection Areas - Declared in 2017 | Map |
---|---|---|
TPA025MT | Wied Żembaq (limiti ta’ B​irżebbuġa) – boundary of this site amends that of the site declared in 2011​ | Link​ |
TPA026MT | Bruka (Tamarix africana) fl-Imtaħleb (limiti tar-Rabat) | Link |
TPA027MT | Il-bruk (Tamarix africana) fir-Ramla tat-Torri (limiti tal-Marfa) | Link |
TPA028MT | Il-ġenista l-bajda (Retana monosperma) fl-inħawi tal-Verdala (limiti tar-Rabat) | Link |
TPA029MT | Il-ħarruba (Ceratonia siliqua) fl-inħawi tax-Xemxija (limiti ta’ San Pawl il-Baħar) | Link |
TPA030MT | Il-fikus (Ficus nitida) fl-inħawi tat-Tlett Siġriet (limiti ta’ Tas-Sliema) | Link |
TPA031MT | Il-ġummara (Chamaerops humilis) f’Tal-Merħla (limiti tal-Imtaħleb) | Link |
TPA032MT | Il-maklura (Maclura pomifera) fil-Ä onna ta’ Spencer (limiti tal-Marsa) | Link |
TPA033MT | Iċ-ċewsa l-ħadra (Broussonetia papyrifera) u l-maklura (Maclura pomifera) fiċ-Ċimiterju tal-Addolorata (limiti tal-Marsa) | Link |
TPA034MT | L-olivastru (Phillyrea latifolia) fil-Buskett (limiti tar-Rabat) | Link |
TPA035MT | L-olivastru (Phillyrea latifolia) f’San Martin (limiti ta’ San Pawl il-Baħar) | Link |
TPA036MT | Il-ġenisti s-sofor (Spartium junceum) fil-Palazz tal-Inkwiżitur (limiti tas-Siġġiewi) | Link |
TPA037MT | L-ulmu Ingliż (Ulmus procera) fi Triq Burmarrad (limiti ta’ Burmarrad) | Link |
TPA038MT | L-ulmu Ingliż (Ulmus procera) f’Wied Għajn Mula (limiti ta’ Burmarrad) | Link |
TPA039MT | Il-ballut (Quercus ilex) f’Palazzo Parisio (limiti tan-Naxxar) | Link |
TPA040MT | Iż-żinżel (Ziziphus zizyphus) fl-Imtaħleb (limiti tar-Rabat) | Link |
TPA041MT | Iż-żinżel (Ziziphus zizyphus) f’Wied l-Isperanza (limiti tal-Mosta) | Link |
TPA042MT | Masġar tar-rand (Laurus nobilis) f’Wied is-Sir (limiti tal-Mosta) | Link |
TPA043MT | Masġar tal-għadib (Vitex agnus-castus) f’Rdum Majjiesa (limiti tal-Mellieħa) | Link |
TPA044MT | Masġar ta’ żebbuġ antik (Olea europaea) f’Wied Ħal Lija (limiti ta’ Ħal Lija) | Link |
TPA045MT | Å»ebbuÄ¡ (Olea europaea), żnuber (Pinus halepensis) u ballut (Quercus ilex) Ä¡ol-Ä nien ta’ Villa Frere (limiti Tal-Pietà ) | Link |
TPA046MT | Ä nibru (Juniperus phoenicea) fil-Ballut tal-Wardija (limiti ta’ San Pawl il-Baħar) | Link |
TPA047MT | Difla (Nerium oleander) f’Ħarq il-Ħammiem (limiti ta’ Pembroke) | Link |
TPA048MT | Żebbuġa (Olea europaea) u ħarrub (Ceratonia siliqua) f’Tas-Santi, Binġemma (limiti tar-Rabat) | Link |
TPA004GX | Żebbuġa (Olea europaea) fit-Triq Stivala (limiti taż-Żebbuġ) | Link |
TPA005GX | Siġra tal-għadib (Vitex agnus-castus) f’Wied tal-Pergla (limiti tax-Xagħra) | Link |
TPA006GX | Luq (Populus alba) f’Wied tal-Lunzjata (limiti f’Ta’ Kerċem) | Link |
TPA007GX | Masġar tal-luq (Populus alba) f’Wied Sara (limiti tar-Rabat) | Link |
TPA008GX | Makkja f’Wied Mġarr ix-Xini (limiti ta’ Għajnsielem) | Link |
TPA009GX | MasÄ¡ar taż-żebbuÄ¡ (Olea europaea) Ä¡ol-Ä nien Ta’ Blankas (limiti tax-Xewkija) | Link |
TPA010GX | Ä ummara (Chamaerops humilis) fi Triq SkapuÄ‹Ä‹ina (limiti taż-Å»ebbuÄ¡) | Link |
​​​​​​
Site code | Tree Protection Areas - Declared in 2011 | Map |
---|---|---|
TPA001MT | Ä nien il-Kbir, il-Buskett u Wied il-Girgenti | Link |
TPA002MT | Iċ-Ċagħaq (limiti tal-Imġarr) | Link |
TPA003MT | IÄ‹-ÄŠimiterju tal-Addolorata | Link |
TPA004MT | Il-ballut tal-Imġiebaħ (limiti tal-Mellieħa) | Link |
TPA005MT | Il-ballut tal-Wardija (limiti ta’ San Pawl il-Baħar) | Link |
TPA006MT | Il-Maqluba (limiti tal-Qrendi) | Link |
TPA007MT | Il-Wied tal-Fiddien (limiti tar-Rabat) | Link |
TPA008MT | L-inħawi tan-Nigret (limiti tan-Naxxar) | Link |
TPA009MT | Iż-żebbuġ tal-Bidnija (limiti tal-Mosta) | Link |
TPA010MT | L-inħawi tal-Imtaħleb (limiti tar-Rabat) | Link |
TPA011MT | Ta’ Baldu/l-Inħawi ta’ Wied Ħażrun (limiti tar-Rabat) | Link |
TPA012MT | Ta’ Bloq – Għar Ħanżir (limiti ta’ Ħal Qormi u s-Siġġiewi) | Link |
TPA013MT | Tal-Virgi (limiti ta’ Marsaskala) | Link |
TPA014MT | Ta’ San Blas (limiti tar-Rabat u Ħaż-Żebbuġ) | Link |
TPA015MT | Triq il-Wied tal-Imsida | Link |
TPA016MT | Wied Għollieqa (limiti ta’ San Ä wann u l-Imsida) | Link |
TPA017MT | Wied il-Faħam (limiti ta’ Ħal Għargħur) | Link |
TPA018MT | Wied il-Għasel (limiti tal-Mosta) | Link |
TPA019MT | Wied il-Ħut (limiti tar-Rabat) | Link |
TPA020MT | L-inħawi tal-Wied il-Miżieb (limiti tal-Mellieħa) | Link |
TPA021MT | Wied ir-Rum (limiti tar-Rabat) | Link |
TPA022MT | Wied Moqbol (limiti taż-Żurrieq) | Link |
TPA023MT | Wied Qirda (limiti tas-Siġġiewi) | Link |
TPA024MT | Wied tal-Baħrija (limiti tar-Rabat) | Link |
TPA025MT | Wied Żembaq (limiti ta’ Birżebbuġa) – boundary of this site has been amended by that declared in 2017 | Link |
TPA001GX | Għajn Barrani (limiti tax-Xagħra) | Link |
TPA002GX | Il-Qattara (limiti ta’ San Lawrenz) | Link |
TPA003GX | Wied Binġemma (limiti tan-Nadur) | Link |
TPA001KM | Il-Ħażina (Kemmuna) | Link |
TPA002KM | Il-Qala ta’ Santa Marija (Kemmuna) | Link |

Tree Preservation Orders
Further to the abovementioned TPAs, and through the provisions of the Development Planning Act (Cap. 552), the following are sites that were designated as ‘Trees Preservation Orders’:
Tree Preservation Order | Government Notice |
---|---|
Carob, almond trees and undergrowth at Wied Blandun, il-Fgura | Link |
Ta' Blankas olive grove, ix-Xewkija | Link |
Semi-natural woodland dominated by Aleppo pine at Kennedy Grove, is-Salini (limiti ta' San Pawl il-Baħar) | Link |
Canary Island palm, Norfolk Island palm trees and buffer zone at Triq Gilardu, San Pawl il-Baħar | Link |
List of Historical Trees having an Antiquarian Importance
Through the provisions of the List of Historical Trees having an Antiquarian Importance Order (S.L. 445.02), the following trees were designated as ‘Historical Trees having an Antiquarian Importance’:
- Il-Ballut tal-Wardija (ballut antik);
- Il-Wied tal-Imġiebaħ, il-Mellieħa (ballut antik);
- Il-Bidnija, il-Wardija (żebbuġ antik);
- Il-Buskett (siġar antiki);
- Il-Ä¡onna ta’ San Anton (siÄ¡ar antiki);
- Il-ġonna tal-Mall, il-Furjana (siġar antiki).
For further information contact ERA on [email protected] or on +356 2292 3500​​.​
Other links​
ERA webpages
Legislation
- S.L. 549.123 – Trees & Woodlands Protection Regulations
- S.L. 445.02 – List of Historical Trees having an Antiquarian Importance OrderÂ
- G.N. 316 of 2017 – Declaration of Tree Protection Areas
- G.N. 473 of 2011 – Declaration of Tree Protection Areas
- G.N. 269 of 1933 – List of Historical Trees having an Antiquarian Importance Order
​
Press release
Maps
- TPAs declared in 2011 & 2017 – Maltese Islands
- TPAs declared in 2017 – Malta
- TPAs declared in 2017 – Gozo​
- TPAs declared in 2011 – Maltese Islands
Posters
Poster | Maltese version | English version |
---|---|---|
Maltese trees | Link | Link |
Il-Ballut tal-Wardija | Link | Link |
Wied il-Miżieb | Link | Link |
Sandarac gum tree | Link | Link |