Verdala Palace rehabilitation project
Malta
Overlooking one of the most verdant landscapes in the Maltese Islands, the Verdala Palace is a 16th century building currently serving as the summer residence of the President of Malta. It is located at Buskett - a richly wooded area dominated by Aleppo pine trees, most of which were planted during the British Period at the time of the Governor Sir Arthur Borton (1878-1884).
Nowadays the plantation has established into a semi-natural, self-regenerating woodland and its high conservation value has contributed towards the area being protected and designated as a Natura 2000 site.
The President’s Office and The Ministry for Sustainable Development, the Environment and Climate Change, jointly developed the project to rehabilitate and preserve an existing woodland area of approximately 6.8 hectares through:
- The planting of native trees and undergrowth vegetation
- The removal of invasive alien plant species
- The re-introduction of the locally extinct Moon Spider Orchid
- The improvement of waste management facilities
The local community will be engaged through the Scout Association of Malta, which will be involved in the management of the project and the implementation of the proposed sustainable conservation measures.
Project Partners
