The subject of trees getting the chop to make way for development has been a hot topic on the islands as of late. Just a few weeks ago, Sasha Vella and a team of activists created a Facebook group titled For Our Trees to protest Attard's Central Link project, organising a protest which was attended by over a thousand people. And now, following the news that more trees will be getting the axe in Santa Lucija, locals are once again mobilising and speaking out.

The new group

Save Santa Lucija Open Spaces Network (SSLOSN) is a group set up by a number of Santa Lucija residents, past and present, with the objective to preserve the open spaces in the town and its surroundings.

The group aims to tackle the following issues among others: to stop the destruction of at least 3,500 square metre of irreplaceable public woodland surrounding the town’s popular jogging track as well as working proactively for the proper upkeep and maintenance of Santa Lucija’s streets and public spaces.

The planned vigil

A tree vigil organised by the group is happening tonight at 8pm: locals will be meeting up near the Santa Lucija church. The vigil is being organised by SSLOSN and Extinction Rebellion (XR) Malta, who invite the public to join in solidarity. 

The Santa Lucija tree sitch

A few days ago, it was announced that 300 trees were scheduled to be cut down in Santa Lucija, to make way for a tunnel underpass. Trees earmarked for destruction were marked with a green sprayed cross. Olive trees found within the jogging track were aggressively pruned, and while these might stand a chance of being spared, those marked with the green cross will be chopped.

Reportedly, the plans will see a total of 547 mature trees uprooted, with 262 being transplanted. However, as Raffaella Zammit told us when speaking about the Central Link Project a while back, the fate of these transplanted trees is highly doubtful, as it takes a long time for trees to become adjusted to a new habitat.

What do you think of the Santa Lucija plan?