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. |
The 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 are now 60, 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.
Name of Tree Protection Area – Declared in 2017 |
Map |
Wied Żembaq (limiti ta’ Birżebbuġa) – boundary of this site amends that of the site declared in 2011 |
Link |
Bruka (Tamarix africana) fl-Imtaħleb (limiti tar-Rabat) |
Link |
Il-bruk (Tamarix africana) fir-Ramla tat-Torri (limiti tal-Marfa) |
Link |
Il-ġenista l-bajda (Retana monosperma) fl-inħawi tal-Verdala (limiti tar-Rabat) |
Link |
Il-ħarruba (Ceratonia siliqua) fl-inħawi tax-Xemxija (limiti ta’ San Pawl il-Baħar) |
Link |
Il-fikus (Ficus nitida) fl-inħawi tat-Tlett Siġriet (limiti ta’ Tas-Sliema) |
Link |
Il-ġummara (Chamaerops humilis) f’Tal-Merħla (limiti tal-Imtaħleb) |
Link |
Il-maklura (Maclura pomifera) fil-Ġonna ta’ Spencer (limiti tal-Marsa) |
Link |
Iċ-ċewsa l-ħadra (Broussonetia papyrifera) u l-maklura (Maclura pomifera) fiċ-Ċimiterju tal-Addolorata (limiti tal-Marsa) |
Link |
L-olivastru (Phillyrea latifolia) fil-Buskett (limiti tar-Rabat) |
Link |
L-olivastru (Phillyrea latifolia) f’San Martin (limiti ta’ San Pawl il-Baħar) |
Link |
Il-ġenisti s-sofor (Spartium junceum) fil-Palazz tal-Inkwiżitur (limiti tas-Siġġiewi) |
Link |
L-ulmu Ingliż (Ulmus procera) fi Triq Burmarrad (limiti ta’ Burmarrad) |
Link |
L-ulmu Ingliż (Ulmus procera) f’Wied Għajn Mula (limiti ta’ Burmarrad) |
Link |
Il-ballut (Quercus ilex) f’Palazzo Parisio (limiti tan-Naxxar) |
Link |
Iż-żinżel (Ziziphus zizyphus) fl-Imtaħleb (limiti tar-Rabat) |
Link |
Iż-żinżel (Ziziphus zizyphus) f’Wied l-Isperanza (limiti tal-Mosta) |
Link |
Masġar tar-rand (Laurus nobilis) f’Wied is-Sir (limiti tal-Mosta) |
Link |
Masġar tal-għadib (Vitex agnus-castus) f’Rdum Majjiesa (limiti tal-Mellieħa) |
Link |
Masġar ta’ żebbuġ antik (Olea europaea) f’Wied Ħal Lija (limiti ta’ Ħal Lija) |
Link |
Żebbuġ (Olea europaea), żnuber (Pinus halepensis) u ballut (Quercus ilex) ġol-Ġnien ta’ Villa Frere (limiti Tal-Pietà) |
Link |
Ġnibru (Juniperus phoenicea) fil-Ballut tal-Wardija (limiti ta’ San Pawl il-Baħar) |
Link |
Difla (Nerium oleander) f’Ħarq il-Ħammiem (limiti ta’ Pembroke) |
Link |
Żebbuġa (Olea europaea) u ħarrub (Ceratonia siliqua) f’Tas-Santi, Binġemma (limiti tar-Rabat) |
Link |
Żebbuġa (Olea europaea) fit-Triq Stivala (limiti taż-Żebbuġ) |
Link |
Siġra tal-għadib (Vitex agnus-castus) f’Wied tal-Pergla (limiti tax-Xagħra) |
Link |
Luq (Populus alba) f’Wied tal-Lunzjata (limiti f’Ta’ Kerċem) |
Link |
Masġar tal-luq (Populus alba) f’Wied Sara (limiti tar-Rabat) |
Link |
Makkja f’Wied Mġarr ix-Xini (limiti ta’ Għajnsielem) |
Link |
Masġar taż-żebbuġ (Olea europaea) ġol-Ġnien Ta’ Blankas (limiti tax-Xewkija) |
Link |
Ġummara (Chamaerops humilis) fi Triq Skapuċċina (limiti taż-Żebbuġ) |
Link |
Name of Tree Protection Area – Declared in 2011 |
Map |
Ġnien il-Kbir, il-Buskett u Wied il-Girgenti |
Link |
Iċ-Ċagħaq (limiti tal-Imġarr) |
Link |
Iċ-Ċimiterju tal-Addolorata |
Link |
Il-Ballut tal-Imġiebaħ (limiti tal-Mellieħa) |
Link |
Il-Ballut tal-Wardija (limiti ta’ San Pawl il-Baħar) |
Link |
Il-Maqluba (limiti tal-Qrendi) |
Link |
Il-Wied tal-Fiddien (limiti tar-Rabat) |
Link |
L-Inħawi tan-Nigret (limiti tan-Naxxar) |
Link |
Iż-Żebbuġ tal-Bidnija (limiti tal-Mosta) |
Link |
L-Inħawi tal-Imtaħleb (limiti tar-Rabat) |
Link |
Ta’ Baldu/L-Inħawi ta’ Wied Ħażrun (limiti tar-Rabat) |
Link |
Ta’ Bloq – Għar Ħanżir (limiti ta’ Ħal Qormi u s-Siġġiewi) |
Link |
Tal-Virgi (limiti ta’ Marsaskala) |
Link |
Ta’ San Blas (limiti tar-Rabat u Ħaż-Żebbuġ) |
Link |
Triq il-Wied tal-Imsida |
Link |
Wied Għollieqa (limiti ta’ San Ġwann u l-Imsida) |
Link |
Wied il-Faħam (limiti ta’ Ħal Għargħur) |
Link |
Wied il-Għasel (limiti tal-Mosta) |
Link |
Wied il-Ħut (limiti tar-Rabat) |
Link |
L-Inħawi tal-Wied il-Miżieb (limiti tal-Mellieħa) |
Link |
Wied ir-Rum (limiti tar-Rabat) |
Link |
Wied Moqbol (limiti taż-Żurrieq) |
Link |
Wied Qirda (limiti tas-Siġġiewi) |
Link |
Wied tal-Baħrija (limiti tar-Rabat) |
Link |
Wied Żembaq (limiti ta’ Birżebbuġa) – boundary of this site has been amended by that declared in 2017 |
Link |
Għajn Barrani (limiti tax-Xagħra) |
Link |
Il-Qattara (limiti ta’ San Lawrenz) |
Link |
Wied Binġemma (limiti tan-Nadur) |
Link |
Il-Ħażina (Kemmuna) |
Link |
Il-Qala ta’ Santa Marija (Kemmuna) |
Link |

il-Buskett
For further information contact ERA on info@era.org.mt or on +356 2292 3500.
___
Other Links
ERA Webpages
Legislation
Press Releases
Maps
Posters
|