As the majority of the island’s population seeks shelter from the Covid-19 storm by staying in their homes, works on Attard’s controversial Central Link project continue, with reports on the chopping of several trees along the section of road between Mriehel bypass and San Anton Gardens coming to light yesterday.

The project sparked controversy last year, with local experts speaking out against the loss of mature trees in the initial plans, and over a thousand people taking to the streets in protest last summer.

Now, it would seem that the virtually empty roads making up the normally busy area have enabled workers to speed up progress on the €55 million project, with the island’s restrictions to limit the spread of coronavirus allowing the roads agency to benefit from reduced traffic.

As the project continues to draw criticism from environmental activists and the general public, yesterday’s news prompted one local artist to create a powerful poster, which he posted to social media with an impassioned message. “I made this poster in response to today's news about the continued senseless cutting of trees. I wish I could be in Malta to print it out and post it on every tree they are about to cut down,” writes Ed Dingli, a designer and illustrator who is currently based in the UK.

It’s certainly thought-provoking, and sheds light on an issue that’s faded into the background against the ever-changing landscape of the global pandemic.

With so many of us taking to the countryside for solitary walks in these troubled times, the striking poster hits us right in the feels – what do you think of the continued tree chopping in Attard?