The action consists of the implementation of linear ecological connections typical of High Nature Value Farmland through the restoration and “re-stitching” of around 1,5 km of dilapidated rubble walls (in Maltese “ħitan tas-sejjieħ”) and the planting of 10 km of wildflower strips along the borders of agricultural plots and adjacent to existing rubble walls. The areas of intervention are located in the North Region of Malta: Ghadira and Chadwick Lakes. The main objective is to increase biodiversity in rural areas by involving farms in the construction, management and maintenance of green infrastructures (supported by the signature of land stewardship agreements – Action A3) enhancing ecosystem services provision without loss in terms of productivity. Indeed, rubble walls, in addition to delimit fields and farms, enhance agricultural production and rainwater drainage and reduce soil erosion due to wind and rain. Moreover, these structures are declared as protected in Malta “in view of their historical and architectural importance, their exceptional beauty, their affording to habitat for flora and fauna, and their vital importance in the conservation of the soil and of water” (“Rubble Walls and Rural Structures Conservation and Management Regulations”).
Deliverable
- D1 Starting technical report
- D2 Mid-term technical report
- D3 Final technical report