A project announced in 2016 for a 'mini-Buskett' in the centre of Malta is still in its infancy, according to information given in Parliament on Wednesday.

Jason Azzopardi, shadow minister for the environment, asked minister Jose' Herrera what had become of the project announced on June 3, 2016. At the time, the minister had said that Malta was crying out for trees and this would be a 'self-sustainable park – large enough for wildlife to settle again'.

Dr Azzopardi also asked where the project would be sited. 

In his reply, Dr Herrera said that Ambjent Malta had identified a site between  Naxxar and Mosta consisting of parts of  Wied il-Għasel, Wied Santa Katerina and Wied Għajn Riħana. This site hosted a range of flora and fauna but had lost much of its characteristics and needed to be rehabilitated. 

The project would include the restoration of the valleys to better handle stormwater and avoid flooding of neighbouring fields, restoration of rubble walls, scientific monitoring of the valleys, removal of invasive trees, and the planting of some 3,000 indigenous trees to promote biodiversity.

Dr Herrera said a lot of administrative work had been done to date, including an application for EU funds. Tender documents were being prepared and work on the valleys was expected to start at the end of next year.