Ambjent Malta maintains its commitment to increased environmental awareness
The Buskett Educational Centre, a hub of environmental awareness for families, school children and other visitors to the Buskett Woodlands, was opened by Minister for the Environment, Energy and Enterprise Miriam Dalli on Tuesday morning.
Through this €240,000 investment, Ambjent Malta transformed the disused agrarian rooms at the principal entrance to the woodlands into a new building to host seed-planting experiences and other environment education activities.
While meeting children from the St Nicholas College summer school Rabat, who were visiting the Buskett Woodlands on Tuesday, Minister Miriam Dalli noted the creation of this centre in one of Malta’s most beautiful Natura 2000 sites continues to emphasise the importance of environmental education as a catalyst for a more sustainable future.
“Thousands of families and school children visit Buskett to be closer to nature, to take in the greenery and fresh air. Ambjent Malta’s educational centre at this location will remind these visitors that we all have a crucial role to play in our shared effort to protect the environment. It will be a source of knowledge about these woodlands’ biodiversity, while raising awareness on sustainable practices that we can adopt in our daily lives to aspire for a greener tomorrow,” the Minister said.
Minister Dalli thanked the Ambjent Malta team who planned and completed this new educational centre and encouraged them to continue investing in environmental awareness with more innovative activities at Buskett and other green open spaces, in coming years.
The Buskett Educational Centre was designed to blend in the historical, verdant surroundings of the woodlands, using Maltese stone and traditional architectural features. It includes a multi-functional hall, an office for the team that will be running the centre’s activities, and sanitary facilities. It was also equipped with security cameras, wi-fi internet and air conditioning, for the comfort and security of visitors.
Ambjent Malta Environmental Projects Director Josianne Muscat explained that through this centre, Ambjent Malta aims to bring together various stakeholders, including, schools, communities, and businesses, to help create a shared responsibility towards the environment. The centre’s focus will be on environmental education and seed planting activities, especially for children.
“As school children engage in such activities, they develop a deep connection with nature, understanding the importance of preserving the Earth’s resources and protecting its fragile ecosystems. As they grow into adulthood, they will carry forward their environmental values and practices, influencing their communities, workplaces, and policy decisions,” Muscat said.
The Buskett Educational Centre is open to the public every day, from 8:30am to 1pm between June and September, and from 8:30am to 3pm between October and May.
Ċentru t’edukazzjoni ambjentali ġdid fil-Buskett
Ambjent Malta tkompli taħdem biex tqajjem aktar kuxjenza dwar l-ambjent
Iċ-Ċentru Edukattiv tal-Buskett, post ġdid t’għarfien ambjentali għall-familji, studenti u viżitaturi li jżuru l-Buskett, ġie inawgurat mill-Ministru għall-Ambjent, l-Enerġija u l-Intrapriża Miriam Dalli, nhar it-Tlieta filgħodu.
B’investiment ta’ €240,000, Ambjent Malta trasformat kmamar agrarji li kien ilhom snin twal mitluqa fid-daħla prinċipali tal-Buskett f’ċentru għall-attivitajiet edukattivi dwar żergħa ta’ siġar u xtieli, u attivitajiet ambjentali oħra.
Waqt li grupp ta’ tfal mill-iskola sajf tal-Kulleġġ San Nikola tar-Rabat kienu qed iżuru l-Buskett, il-Ministru Miriam Dalli nnutat li dan iċ-ċentru, li jinsab f’wieħed mill-isbaħ siti ta’ Natura 2000 f’Malta, qed ikompli juri kemm l-edukazzjoni ambjentali hija kruċjali għall-futur aktar sostenibbli.
“Għal eluf ta’ familji u tfal tal-iskola, il-Buskett huwa post fejn jistgħu jkunu qrib aktar in-natura, f’ambjent imħaddar u arja friska. Iċ-Ċentru Edukattiv ta’ Ambjent Malta se jkun qed ifakkar lill-viżitaturi li kulħadd għandu rwol importanti biex flimkien nipproteġu l-ambjent ta’ madwarna. Dan iċ-ċentru se jkun ukoll sors ta’ għarfien dwar il-bijodiversità li tinsab f’dan il-masġar, filwaqt li jqajjem kuxjenza dwar prattiċi sostenibbli li lkoll kemm aħna nistgħu nadottaw fil-ħajja ta’ kuljum, għall-futur aktar sostenibbli,” qalet il-Ministru.
Il-Ministru Dalli rringrazzjat lit-tim ta’ Ambjent Malta li ħadem sabiex lesta dan iċ-ċentru edukattiv ġdid u ħeġġithom biex fis-snin li ġejjin ikomplu jinvestu fl-għarfien ambjentali, b’iżjed attivitajiet innovattivi fil-Buskett u fi spazji ħodor miftuħa oħrajn.
Iċ-Ċentru Edukattiv tal-Buskett kien iddisinjat b’mod li jikkumplimenta l-ambjent storiku u s-siġar li jsebbħu dan il-masġar. Dan sar bl-użu tal-ġebla Maltija, b’karatteristiċi arkitettoniċi tradizzjonali. Din il-binja tinkludi sala għall-attivitajiet differenti, uffiċċju għat-tim li se jmexxi l-attivitajiet fiċ-ċentru u faċilitajiet sanitarji. Hija wkoll mgħammra b’kameras tas-sigurtà, wifi u arja kkundizzjonata, għall-kumdità u s-sigurtà tal-viżitaturi.
Id-Direttur tal-Proġetti Ambjentali ta’ Ambjent Malta Josianne Muscat spjegat li permezz ta’ dan iċ-ċentru, Ambjent Malta għandha l-għan li tlaqqa’ flimkien diversi individwi u gruppi, fosthom, skejjel, komunitajiet lokali u negozji, biex tqajjem aktar kuxjenza dwar ir-responsabbiltà li kulħadd għandu lejn l-ambjent. L-enfasi taċ-ċentru se tkun fuq l-edukazzjoni ambjentali u attivitajiet ta’ tħawwil taż-żrieragħ, speċjalment għat-tfal.
“Hekk kif it-tfal tal-iskola jieħdu sehem f’attivitajiet bħal dawn, ikunu qed jiżviluppaw relazzjoni aktar b’saħħitha man-natura filwaqt li jifhmu l-importanza li jippreservaw ir-riżorsi tad-dinja u jipproteġu l-ekosistemi tagħha. Meta jikbru fl-età, iġorru magħhom dawn il-valuri u prattiċi ambjentali u bihom jinfluwenzaw il-komunitajiet, il-postijiet tax-xogħol u d-deċiżjonijiet tagħhom,” qalet Muscat.
Iċ-Ċentru Edukattiv tal-Buskett huwa miftuħ għall-pubbliku kuljum, mit-8:30 ta’ filgħodu sas-1 ta’ waranofsinhar bejn Ġunju u Settembru, u mit-8:30 ta’ filgħodu sat-3 ta’ waranofsinhar bejn Ottubru u Mejju.