English Version :
New walking trails, educational tours, and information signs
The Environment and Resources Authority (ERA) is supporting the San Lawrenz Local Council to continue improving the visitor experience of the Dwejra Interpretation Centre and its surrounding coastal nature reserves.
Kevin Mercieca, the ERA’s Acting CEO and Noel Formosa, mayor of San Lawrenz, signed an agreement to consolidate the two entities’ ongoing collaboration for the next two years, in the presence of Minister for the Environment, Energy and Enterprise Miriam Dalli and Minister for Gozo Clint Camilleri.
Minister Dalli thanked the authority and the local council for their continued commitment to this nature park in Gozo, one of the most-visited open spaces on the island.
“While we can no longer admire the world-renowned Azure Window, Dwejra remains one of the most scenic, immersive natural sites in our country, with its treasure trove of endemic flora and fauna, rich marine life, geology, and history. This agreement will help residents and tourists better appreciate the value of this area, whilst increasing our efforts to preserve it for future generations”, said Minister Miriam Dalli.
Minister for Gozo Clint Camilleri stated that “Dwejra is still known for its natural beauty. The beautiful sea and the picturesque, sublime, and magnificent cliffs attract myriads of people throughout the year. This is why an agreement like the one being signed today is essential in order to continue to enhance the visitors’ experience who choose to visit this wonderful place”.
San Lawrenz Local Council has been managing this Interpretation Centre on behalf of ERA since 2013. Through the new 2022-2024 agreement, ERA will provide the support needed for the local council to continue improving this centre by organising educational tours, hosting training sessions, installing marine litter bins, setting up new exhibits and collecting environmental data about this area’s unique ecological heritage.
In addition to this agreement, ERA is also working with Ambjent Malta to install new and updated information signs. The Authority is also defining three short walking trails that will be signposted with colour-coded directions so that visitors can easily walk around the area without damaging its biodiversity. The walking trails will take
visitors to the area’s landmarks, whilst presenting them with information about important species they can spot along the way.
Dwejra is a protected area under the Environment Protection Act and a Special Area of Conservation under the EU Habitats Directive, forming part of the Natura 2000 Network. Parts of the site also benefit from additional protection as a Special Protection Area since it is an important breeding site for seabirds along its cliffs. This nature park also includes the Fungus Rock Nature Reserve and the Dwejra/Qawra Bird Sanctuary. Dwejra is also protected by law as an Area of High Landscape Value, an Area of Ecological Importance, and a Site of Scientific Importance.
For more information, visit www.era.org.mt or www.localgovernment.gov.mt/en/lc/SanLawrenz.
Maltese Version :
Ftehim bejn l-ERA u l-Kunsill Lokali ta’ San Lawrenz għal titjib fis-servizzi lill-viżitaturi fid-Dwejra
Rotot ta’ mixjiet ġodda, żjarat edukattivi u tabelli t’informazzjoni
L-Awtorità għall-Ambjent u r-Riżorsi (ERA) qed tassisti lill-Kunsill Lokali ta’ San Lawrenz biex itejjeb l- esperjenza tal-viżitaturi fiċ-Ċentru t’Interpretazzjoni fid-Dwejra u r-riservi naturali max-xatt ta’ dawn l-inħawi.
L-Aġent Kap Eżekuttiv tal-ERA Kevin Mercieca u s-Sindku ta’ San Lawrenz Noel Formosa ffirmaw ftehim li se jsaħħaħ il-kollaborazzjoni bejn dawn iż-żewġt entitajiet għas-sentejn li ġejjin. Il-ftehim ġie ffirmat fil-preżenza tal-Ministru għall-Ambjent, l-Enerġija u l-Intrapriża Miriam Dalli u l-Ministru għal Għawdex Clint Camilleri.
Il-Ministru Dalli rringrazzjat lill-ERA u lill-Kunsill Lokali għall-impenn tagħhom lejn dan il-park naturali f’Għawdex, li huwa fost l-aktar spazji miftuħa popolari f’Għawdex.
“Filwaqt li ma nistgħux aktar nammiraw it-Tieqa, id-Dwejra xorta tibqa’ fost l-aktar siti b’xenarji mill-isbaħ f’pajjiżna, b’ambjent mdawwar bi flora u fawna endemiċi, diversità ta’ ħajja marittima, ġeoloġija u storja mill- isbaħ. Għalhekk b’dan il-ftehim se nkunu qed ngħinu lit-turisti u r-residenti japprezzaw aktar il-valur li għandu dan is-sit, filwaqt li nkomplu nżidu l-impenn tagħna biex inħarsuh għal ġenerazzjonijiet futuri,” qalet il-Ministru Miriam Dalli.
Il-Ministru għal Għawdex Clint Camilleri stqarr li, “Id-Dwejra għadha magħrufa għas-sbuħija naturali tagħha. Il- baħar mill-isbaħ, l-irdumijiet pittoreski, li jattiraw diversi persuni matul is-sena kollha. Huwa għalhekk li ftehim bħal dan huwa essenzjali sabiex inkomplu ntejbu l-esperjenza tal-viżitaturi li jagħżlu li jżuru dan il-post meraviljuż.”
Il-Kunsill Lokali ta’ San Lawrenz ilu jieħu ħsieb iċ-Ċentru t’Interpretazzjoni f’isem l-ERA mill-2013. Issa b’dan il-ftehim, l-ERA se tipprovdi lill-Kunsill Lokali l-assistenza meħtieġa biex tkompli ttejjeb dan iċ-ċentru billi torganizza żjarat edukattivi, tospita sessjonijiet ta’ taħriġ, u tinstalla marine litter bins, filwaqt li ttella’ wirjiet u tiġbor tagħrif ambjentali dwar il-wirt ekoloġiku ta’ din iż-żona.
Parallel ma’ dan il-ftehim, l-ERA u Ambjent Malta qed jinstallaw ukoll tabelli ta’ informazzjoni ġodda f’din iż- żona. L-awtorità qed tniedi wkoll tliet rotot ta’ mixjiet qosra, li se jkunu mmarkati b’tabelli b’kuluri differenti, biex il-viżitaturi faċilment ikunu jistgħu jgawdu din iż-żona mingħajr ma jaffettwaw il-bijodiversità ta’ dan l-
ambjent. Dawn il-mixjiet se jgħaddu lill-viżitaturi minn postijiet ta’ interess f’dawn l-akwati, filwaqt li jipprovdu tabelli t’informazzjoni dwar speċi importanti li jinsabu f’dawn iż-żoni.
Id-Dwejra hija żona protetta li taqa’ taħt l-Att tal-Protezzjoni Ambjentali u Żona Speċjali ta’ Konservazzjoni taħt id-Direttiva tal-Abitat tal-UE, li tifforma parti min-Network ta’ Natura 2000. Partijiet minn dan is-sit jibbenefikaw ukoll minn żoni oħra protetti bħala Żoni Speċjali Protetti, hekk kif dan is-sit huwa ta’ importanza għall-għasafar tal-baħar li jbejtu fl-akwati tal-irdum. Dan il-park naturali jinkludi wkoll ir-Riserva Naturali tal- Ġebla tal-Ġeneral u s-Santwarju tal-Għasafar tad-Dwejra/Qawra. Id-Dwejra hija wkoll protetta bil-liġi bħala Żona tal-Pajsaġġ b’Valur Għoli, Żona Importanti Ekoloġika u Sit Xjentifiku Importanti.
Għal aktar tagħrif żur www.era.org.mt jew www.localgovernment.gov.mt/en/lc/SanLawrenz.