Tree ‘butchering’ at Mosta Dome sparks public outcry

The works started on Monday morning with the approval of the Mosta Local Council and the Environment and Resources Authority (ERA).

BirdLife pointed out the crucial timing, as thousand of birds are currently seeking refuge in the trees during the night.

“This is the only roosting site for White Wagtails outside of Valletta and the idea of removing them is wrong, whilst the timing is even worse”, the NGO said.

Instead of the ficus trees slated for removal, the Mosta local council plans to plant various Judas and Ballut trees.

Later on Monday, ERA said that the ficus trees will be transplanted to Mosta’s Santa Margerita area.

The authority claimed roosting birds were versatile to find alternative trees as winter has not set in yet.

“There are instances where trees in the urban environment are required to be removed to implement urban regeneration projects, tackle damage caused by the roots of some tree species and allow the use of public open spaces in a more practical way”, ERA said in a statement.