A number of trees uprooted at the St Aloysius College sports ground in Birkirkara due to ongoing upgrading works will be transplanted or replaced tenfold, the college head has pledged.

It is not known how many have been removed so far.

“We will replace the trees that could not be transplanted by replacing 10 trees for each one,” Fr Jimmy Bartolo, the college rector, told Times of Malta.

“Some trees will be replaced at the sports complex and others outside the college.”

Last year, St Aloysius College and Vassallo Group, through its subsidiary Learning Works Limited, reached an agreement regarding the renovation, modernisation and expansion of the college’s sports complex.

The sports facilities, which were built around 25 years ago, are located across the main college entrance and consist of an 11-a-side FIFA-approved synthetic football pitch, a six-lane athletics track, a physiotherapy room and two outdoor tennis courts, among others.

The new sports complex will include a new football ground, a swimming pool, various gymnasia, a new sports science centre and underground parking. Planning permits were issued in February.

Last week, residents flagged their concern after several mature trees were uprooted.

Fr Bartolo confirmed that a number of trees had been uprooted due to the ongoing works at the sports complex, according to planning permits.

“I can confirm that all olive trees have already been transplanted to the Jesuit retreat house, at Mount St Joseph, in Mosta, and that other trees are in the process of being transplanted within the college grounds,” he said when contacted.

Olive trees transplanted to the Jesuit Retreat House Mount St Joseph in Mosta.

A few ficus trees were unable to be transplanted, he added, because their roots were very invasive and could damage services and floor tiles if too close to the buildings.

“We, therefore, contacted the Environment Landscapes Consortium (ELC) to ask them to plant these trees in open public spaces, as has been the case with other ficus trees that were transplanted from college grounds to other open spaces during the past years,” he said.

“Apart from the ficus trees,” the rector noted, “we had a handful of cypress trees that had to be removed. I am informed that these trees could not be transplanted because of the way their roots system grows.”

To compensate for the trees which could not be transplanted, he said the college will be teaming up with the contractor to plant 10 trees for every one lost.

The details of where to plant the trees have not yet been decided but the intention will be to give them to Parks Malta.

He said the respect for the environment and trees has always been high on the agenda of St Aloysius College. Between 2002 and 2007, the college planted around 10,000 indigenous trees at Kennedy Grove, in Salina, and in other places managed by Parks Malta.

He said another 2,000 trees were planted at the Mount St Joseph retreat house between 2008 and 2013.

“Since 2016, the college has created a nursery, managed by teachers and students and which has grown around 2,000 indigenous trees, apart from donating trees to the University of Malta, Majjistral and other private residents,” the rector said.