Dozens of saplings planted in Ta’ Qali last year as part of a massive afforestation campaign are dead or missing, raising wider questions about whether the planting project is being maintained.

A reader flagged the example of 88 trees planted in October 2018 as part of the 34U campaign, a 15-year-old initiative spanning multiple government administrations.

Many of the trees in the batch of 88 were dedicated to loved ones and included a plaque after donors in a private company raised €900 to sponsor them.

But two years on, the majority of the saplings are dead, leaving only the memorial plaques and rows of bare wooden posts that had been designed to help the trees grow.

Times of Malta visited the site and counted at least 54 posts with dead or missing trees and a further 37 that appeared to be in a poor state.

The reader who sent in the photos, who wished to remain anonymous, said they had been assured the trees would be maintained.

“Despite assurances that they would be cared for, most of them are either missing or dead,” he said.

“Now, the notes we left are just tied to bare posts. I find it shocking that people who put their hard-earned money into projects like this are treated with such disrespect.”

The 34U campaign was launched in 2005 by then prime minister Lawrence Gonzi, to help create more areas of woodland in Malta and involved five sites in Delimara, Xrobb l-Għagin, Ta’ Qali National Park, Salina/Kennedy Grove and Mellieħa.

Times of Malta has been contacted about other trees planted under the project that went missing.

Under the current administration, the 34U campaign falls under the responsibility of Ambjent Malta, which is in turn the responsibility of the Environment Ministry.

However, Ambjent Malta said that the specific site falls under the remit of Parks Malta, a body set up to maintain and embellish national parks and run by the Tourism Ministry.

“In Ambjent Malta sites and as part of the 34U scheme, Ambjent Malta’s obligations are to maintain and replace any missing trees as and when notified,” an environment ministry spokesperson said.

“However, in this instance, Ambjent Malta were not informed of such occurrence. Nonetheless, Ambjent Malta will make the necessary coordination with Parks Malta to ascertain that the respective trees are maintained and replaced as necessary.”

She said that if the trees had to be replanted elsewhere, due to any other works, the sponsors would be notified.