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| Nature Trust (Malta) | |
|---|---|
| Name | Nature Trust (Malta) |
| Formation | 1960s |
| Type | Non-governmental organization |
| Headquarters | Malta |
| Region served | Malta |
| Leader title | Chairperson |
Nature Trust (Malta) is a Maltese non-governmental organisation focused on conservation, habitat restoration, species protection and environmental education across Malta, Gozo and Comino. Founded in the 1960s, it operates alongside national and international bodies to implement policy, research and advocacy related to ecological integrity and biodiversity. The Trust collaborates with universities, ministries and NGOs to advance projects on bird migration, marine conservation and terrestrial habitat management.
Nature Trust (Malta) traces origins to conservation movements contemporaneous with the rise of the RSPB and the establishment of protected areas like Għadira Nature Reserve and Bingemma reserves. Early activities paralleled campaigns by BirdLife International, WWF, Greenpeace and local groups responding to development pressures at Golden Bay, Mellieħa and Marsaxlokk. The Trust participated in consultations surrounding Malta's accession to the European Union and implemented measures compatible with the Habitats Directive and the Birds Directive. It collaborated with institutions such as the University of Malta, the Mediterranean Institute for Nature and Anthropos, and the Environment and Resources Authority (Malta), while engaging with regional bodies including the Ramsar Convention, the UNEP/MAP, and the Bern Convention. Over decades the Trust has worked in concert with civic groups active during events like the protests against developments at Ramla l-Ħamra, the establishment of the Mġarr ix-Xini protected landscape, and heritage campaigns linked to Mellieħa Bay.
The organisation’s mission aligns with international frameworks such as the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Sustainable Development Goals. Objectives include protection of migratory and resident species, safeguarding coastal wetlands like Selmun and Wied il-Għasri, restoring degraded habitats, and promoting evidence-based policy influenced by research from the Institute of Applied Sciences and the Academy of Maltese Sciences. The Trust seeks to influence legislation in coordination with the Parliament of Malta committees and to support implementation of directives overseen by the European Commission DG Environment and the Council of Europe.
The Trust is governed by a board of trustees drawn from experts linked to the University of Malta, conservation NGOs such as BirdLife Malta and international partners including the European Environmental Bureau. Its organisational structure features project managers, field officers, and volunteers who coordinate with agencies like the Archaeological Heritage Directorate and the Planning Authority (Malta). The Trust has formal Memoranda of Understanding with institutions such as the Malta Trusts Foundation and has liaised with ministries including the Ministry for the Environment, Climate Change and Planning and the Ministry for Gozo. Governance incorporates advisory input from specialists affiliated with bodies like the International Union for Conservation of Nature and the Mediterranean Action Plan.
Key programmes include wetland restoration at sites associated with the Ramsar list and coastal dune rehabilitation near Ghadira and White Rocks. Species-specific work has targeted seabirds frequenting Comino, passerines migrating along the Central Mediterranean Flyway, and endemic flora of the Xlendi cliffs and Dwejra karst systems. Projects address threats from invasive species such as those noted in studies by the Mediterranean Plant Conservation Unit and control initiatives connected to the European Alien Species Information Network. The Trust has partnered on marine initiatives with organisations like the Malta Maritime Authority, the Fisheries and Aquaculture Research Centre, and regional programmes coordinated by the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean. It has also engaged in habitat connectivity schemes inspired by networks such as Natura 2000.
Research programmes harness collaborations with the University of Oxford, the University of Cambridge, and the University of Palermo on avian ecology, migration and ringing studies; partnerships have extended to laboratories at the Marine Biology Station and the National Museum of Natural History (Malta). Monitoring employs protocols from the European Bird Census Council and data contribute to inventories used by the European Environment Agency. The Trust contributes records to international databases maintained by EBird, GBIF, and the Living Planet Index teams, and collaborates with genetic research groups such as those at the Natural History Museum, London for taxonomic assessments. Long-term surveys inform national reporting to the Convention on Migratory Species and feed into policy fora like meetings of the Habitat Committee under the European Commission.
Educational outreach includes school programmes linked to curricula at the University of Malta Faculty of Science, public lectures hosted at venues such as the Auberge de Provence, and citizen science initiatives promoted via networks like iNaturalist and RSPB affiliates. The Trust organises guided walks at heritage and nature sites including Għajn Tuffieħa, Blue Grotto, and Ta' Qali parks, and collaborates with cultural organisations like the Heritage Malta and the National Book Council for interdisciplinary events. Campaigns have engaged political constituencies represented in the House of Representatives (Malta) and municipal councils in Rabat, Malta and Victoria, Gozo.
Funding sources include grants from the European Regional Development Fund, project funding from the LIFE Programme, philanthropic donations from foundations such as the Aga Khan Foundation and coordination with multilateral donors including UNDP and UNESCO. The Trust forms partnerships with NGOs like WWF Mediterranean, Conservation International, OceanCare, and local actors such as Din L-Art Helwa and Friends of the Earth Malta. Corporate collaborations have involved enterprises in the maritime, tourism and renewable sectors, coordinated with regulators like the Malta Financial Services Authority for compliance in philanthropic vehicles. Subscription-based support and volunteer contributions complement institutional grants from bodies like the European Investment Bank and cultural funding from the Arts Council Malta.
Category:Environmental organisations based in Malta Category:Nature conservation in Malta