Nature Trust photo showing tracks on sensitive and protected flora in the area.
Nature Trust (Malta) is concerned about recent reports from its members and the public about the degradation of Buskett and Baħrija's important valley systems, both of which are highly protected sites on a national and international level.
The NGO said it had recently received reports and photographs depicting degradation at Wied il-Luq, limits of Buskett, where fresh tractor tracks could be seen on the sensitive valley bed, which is home to restricted watercourse vegetation communities, including species such as the Blue Speedwell Veronica anagallis-aquatica, and the Compact Galingale Cyperus longus.
"A patch of Cyperus longus has been completely wiped out. Educational activities planned on site were rendered impossible due to damage to the path adjacent to the watercourse," Nature Trust said.
Other tracks can also be seen on sensitive and protected flora in the area, particularly on a patch inhabited by the Stinking Iris Iris foetidissima, a species of wild Iris only found in the Maltese Islands.
The valley bed is also populated by Malta's only amphibian, the Painted Frog, which is protected by law. Because of a lack of law enforcement, people are also still seen collecting tadpoles in jars.
"As for the Baħrija valley, rubble and fresh tracks indicate that illegal activity has been taking place at the exact location of the habitat of the Maltese Freshwater Crab. Part of the stream alongside a rubble wall has been filled with soil and no water streams run through this protected site any longer. Furthermore, reeds found close to the area have been cut down and burnt. The reeds used to form a canopy over small pool where freshwater crabs had been observed over a number of years," Nature Trust said.