Majestic tree next to St John’s Co-Cathedral faces the chop

One of the majestic trees on the side of the parvis of St John’s Co-Cathedral, home to hundreds of roosting birds, is facing the chop.

The predicament comes four years after the St John’s Cathedral Foundation was granted a permit to erect a subterranean substation beneath one of the protected trees. The removal of the tree still requires an environmental permit, which is pending a decision by the Environment and Resources Authority.

The decision to locate the substation under one of the trees followed previous attempts by the foundation to place it elsewhere. However, these attempts were thwarted by the discovery of shelters in the area. Subsequent studies indicated that the area beneath the tree was the only feasible location.

Ecological importance of the tree cluster

The cluster of ficus trees in front of the cathedral and on its side near the Great Siege monument forms one of the largest roosting sites for the White Wagtail (Zakak Abjad) in Malta.

The roost has remained stable over the years, hosting between 10,000 and 14,000 wagtails daily. However, in 2024, a record-breaking 16,182 wagtails were counted – the highest number ever recorded at the site.

Mature trees over 50 years old, like the ficus trees in question, are legally protected when located in “urban, public open spaces.”  However, they can still be uprooted if compensatory trees are grown elsewhere.

Discovery of shelters led to relocation of substation

Contacted by MaltaToday the Cathedral Foundation’s CEO Tonio Mallia acknowledged that the permit issued in 2021 “includes the removal of one tree on St John’s Street, as clearly indicated in approved drawings.”

However, Mallia explained that there was no other location where the substation required for the cathedral museum could be placed.

He noted that the permit for the new museum, issued in 2016, foresaw the development of a subterranean substation at the corner of St John’s Street and Merchant Street.

However, a network of shelters was discovered n this precise location. These shelters extend below the museum building at the corner of the two roads, with tunnels connecting Merchant Street to Republic Street.

“Therefore, it became evident that this location was not adequate for the proposed substation. The shelters in question have since been taken over by Heritage Malta,” Mallia said.

Subsequently, studies were carried out to find a new location for the substation. “The only location found to be adequate and free from existing subterranean structures was further down St John’s Street, closer to the parvis,” Mallia told MaltaToday.

A planning application was then submitted to request shifting the underground electrical substation to the new site and this was approved in 2021.

The permit has yet to be implemented. However, in a sign that works are now imminent, the Foundation has submitted an application for an environmental permit from ERA for intervention on protected trees in the area. So far, the only document attached to the application identifies a site in Ta’ Qali for transplanting the ficus tree.

BirdLife calls for stronger remedial measures

Contacted by MaltaToday, BirdLife conservation officer Nicholas Barbara underlined the ecological importance of the tree while acknowledging that the Cathedral Foundation “has attempted to seek other alternatives.”

To mitigate the impact on roosting birds, he insisted that no works should be carried out between October and April, when White Wagtails winter in Malta and use these trees as a roosting area.

Moreover, Barbara noted that the proposed remediation in the environmental permit request “does nothing to compensate for the loss of the roosting potential of this area.”

Instead, he proposed integrating new trees into the area and ensuring “stronger legal protection” of the tree cluster from ERA’s side.

“Additionally, one could also channel appropriate resources into educating the public and using the Foundation’s building as a vector to raise awareness and appreciation for this unique phenomenon, which is truly part of Valletta’s natural heritage.”