Mosta tree debacle is about more than just the trees, psychologist lobby states

The intense debate and controversy surrounding this week's foiled removal of Mosta's Ficus trees was more than just about the trees themselves, the Malta Chamber of Psychologists (MCP) said. 

In a statement, the MCP noted that the reaction was of no surprise when one considers a worldwide increase in people's sensitivity to environmental degradation. This is coupled with concrete statistics highlighting the decreasing number of trees in Malta, as, "Maltese participants being most to profess that they find it difficult to access nature and green spaces compared to the other 26 EU Member States (European Commission, 2023)."

Apart from their ecological roles, trees also have an important impact on individuals' psychology, the group added. "Trees are a home for nature, and a daily connection with nature is critical for our mental well-being."

This, MCP stated, is especially important in the wake of soaring mental health issues in society. "The presence of trees helps to reduce stress and improves mood and mental health," MCP explained.

Trees' impact on communities was also noted as a crucial factor in this week's debacle. In fact, the group said that trees' presence facilitates socialising, which can also reduce loneliness. "It is not only the birds who would have lost their home in the Mosta square, but one could often see older adults spending time together under the shelter of these trees."

Additionally, the MCP appealed to the public to prioritise spending time in green areas. The group noted that many people have extremely busy lives these days, with little time left over to take proper care of their physical and emotional well-being. Understanding the advantages of greenery might be a good place to start.

The psychologist lobby also spoke about the phenomenon of "motive attribution asymmetry". "This," MCP explained, "is the phenomenon by which we tend to demonise the group with opposing views to ours. We generally attribute sinister intentions to those who think differently from us."

The group stressed that open dialogue is crucial in order to resolve issues amicably and objectively.

"Although at times we may find it difficult to explain the actions of others, recognising our biases and how to reduce them can contribute to reducing human conflict," MCP concluded.