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Handing over of forestry seedlings to Minister for Food, Agriculture and Fisheries
PR1470
24/09/1996
24/09/1996
| In late 1995, the Honorary Consul General of Malta in Cyprus | conveyed to the Cypriot Ministry of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environment, a request by the Maltese Government for granting a quantity of plants. This request was kindly accepted and in April of this year a container containing 1500 forestry seelings of Mediterranean species arrived in Malta. The seedling consist of 500 cypress, 300 Aleppro pines, 100 carobs, 200 oaks and 200 palms were brought to this nursery. (The 200 Tetraclinis seedlings were taken over by the Environment Department). |
| As can be seen the plants are quite healthy and ready for planting | in our afforestation sites during this autumn/winter. it is planned that a substantial part of this consignment will be used at our Ghar Lapsi and Ghajn Tuffieha camp afforestation projects, while the rest will be utilised in urban plantations. this help, extended by the Cypriot Government is appreciated more, knowing that Cyprus has an on going extensive re-afforestation programme. The professional way forestry is tackled by Cyprus is well known in the Mediterranean. Infact the forestry College of Cyprus each year trains a good number of students mostly from the Mediterranean basin. A number of Maltese students availed themselves of this facility through a scholarship system. We hope that courses orientated also to nursery staff as part of a re-training programme could be devised by Cyprus. We have in mind courses of four to six weeks duration targeted to forestry nursery foremen and propagators. We are interested in this type of programmes since the Department wishes to upgrade its output through more knowledgeable members of its staff. |
| In its own way, Malta can offer Cypriot students wishing to study | agriculture at Diploma, at graduate and post graduate level. The Institute of Agriculture of the Malta University would welcome foreign students because these enrich the student body. The Maltese government is aware of this fact and so Cypriot students are invited to avail themselves of the various scholarships, including those sponsored by the Commonwealth and by the European Union. |
| There are quite a number of problems trees have to face, foremost | of which is destruction by fire. This phenomenon found in practically all Mediterranean countries is not new for both Cyprus and Malta. This makes tree planting an on going process not only to make up for trees lost by fire but also to make up for tree losses caused by previous generations. Cyprus has a long tradition of forestry and together with Malta forms part of a Mediterranean network on the study of fires in forests. The information collected and exchanged between countries through FAO is a practical step in the right direction. |
| Protecting trees and woodlands through legislation is an essential | tool in our flight for the preservation of essential elements of our flora and indirectly of our fauna. The Department of Agriculture together with the Department for Protection of the Environment have drawn up a draft Fire Protection Act which will be presented to Parliament in due course. I am informed that the Cypriot forestry Act was one of the foreign forestry legal instruments consulted during the preparation of our draft legislation. |
| Co-operation between Malta and Cyprus in this field lays the way | for further co-operations in the agricultural sector, in particular in the preparation for the entry of both islands in the European Union. |
| I must congratulate Mr. John M. Louisides, the Honorary Consul | General for Malta in Cyprus for the award just given to him by the President of Malta in recognition for his hard work in maintaining the best of relations between both countries and in fostering co-operation in many fields. |
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