A tree is just a tree, right? Unless, of course, it’s more than that. Across the world, trees and all things associated with them have become big news.

Deforestation, logging (legal and illegal), the increasing destruction of the Amazon, the importance of carbon capture and biodiversity as well as the immense potential of trees in climate change continue clogging the headlines.

International movements and major tree-based projects such as the Trillion Trees or the Indian Chipko activists or the Green Belt Movement, in Kenya have also captured ‘tree’ headlines for a variety of reasons. They have been one important strand in the crucial environmental movement.

Internationally, as well as here in Malta, trees have become a litmus test of attitudes to the environment and to ‘development’ more broadly. For the majority, trees are a vital part of a healthy environment and of social well-being.

For a minority, trees are seen as an obstacle or a nuisance in the drive for ‘development’ or for road infrastructure.

Sadly, trees in Malta make the headlines for all the wrong reasons.

Last November, activists protesting the removal of mature trees in Mosta square were subjected to police intervention with one being handcuffed and arrested.

Last week, demonstrators tied black ribbons to mature trees along the road to Marsalforn in protest against planned roadworks that will see the uprooting of some 200 trees.

This comes just weeks after the Environment and Resources Authority gave the green light to the Gozo ministry to uproot the trees along the road between Victoria and Marsalforn to make way for the new road project. Social media reaction to both events was overwhelmingly supportive of the protests.

As part of the broader community response to the decision, Din l-Art Ħelwa Għawdex organised an activity to highlight the issue before it is too late. The protests highlight the growing public concern, even alarm, at the continuing behaviour of the authorities that appear to be easily willing to sacrifice trees for any projects.

We know that our trees are an incredible natural resource – they provide us with oxygen to breathe, they absorb pollution, cool our neighbourhoods, help reduce flooding, provide nesting and habitats for birds and invertebrates.

Our politicians go to great lengths to convince us of their ‘green’ credentials, they regale us with promises of tree planting and replanting, but they display utter disregard for trees that ‘get in the way’.  Ensuring that we get from traffic jam to traffic jam with the minimum time in between appears to be their main mission, with trees seemingly sacrificed for convenience. The hypocrisy of political circles is glaring, with lip service paid to environmental stewardship while concrete jungles rise from the ashes of our heritage and agricultural land is sacrificed.

And were that not enough, we continue seeing excessive tree pruning all over Malta and absurd complaints about bird droppings on cars to justify the removal of trees.

NGOs and activists deserve our support and praise for their invaluable work in attempting to highlight the fact that trees are essential for our lives.

Their work becomes all the more important given the manifest failure of those officially mandated to do so.