For nearly two decades, Wied Fulija in Żurrieq served as one of Malta’s primary landfills, operating between 1979 and 1996. The site once held approximately 1.85 billion kilograms of waste, covering an area of 91,000m². Today, it looks very different.
Following extensive rehabilitation efforts, the site has been converted into a green space that is now open to the public. The project involved stabilising the two waste mounds, which were shaped at a safer angle without increasing their height. A combination of subsoil, topsoil, and geocell material was used to seal the waste and create a foundation for new vegetation.
A total of 43,000 trees and shrubs were planted, including native and endemic species such as:
- Maltese Everlasting (Helichrysum melitense)
- Olive-leaved Germander (Teucrium fruticans)
- Golden Samphire (Limbarda crithmoides)
A pathway between the mounds, equipped with benches and lined with trees, now allows visitors to walk through the area and take in cliffside views of Filfla.
The site is part of Natura 2000, a network of protected areas across Europe, and is designated both as a Special Area of Conservation and a Special Protection Area.
Several ecological elements were included in the site’s rehabilitation:
- Beehives have been installed in collaboration with the Malta Beekeepers’ Association to support the endemic Maltese honey bee (Apis mellifera ruttneri).
- In collaboration with BirdLife Malta, nest boxes have been placed along the cliffs in hopes of attracting Scopoli’s Shearwater (Calonectris diomedea) to nest.
While the area remains shaped by its past as a landfill, the changes at Wied Fulija highlight how neglected sites can be adapted for public use and ecological benefit. The space now offers visitors a chance to explore a part of Malta's landscape that was once inaccessible, while also supporting native flora and fauna.
Have you ever been?