Building on the rambling season of 2007, this past year the Ramblers Association has further established itself as an active non-governmental voluntary organisation on the environmental front.

RAM has spoken out on issues of encroaching development in the countryside, the stamping ground of this Association. Building permits outside the development zone, blots on the visual landscape and misguided designs for roads where no road should go, have all been on the agenda this past twelve months.

At times in league with other NGOs, and at times individually, Ramblers has not let the environmental challenges of the year go by without comment, plea or good counsel. The Rambler year started with an objection to the eyesore framework of a structure on the ridge at Dwejra in Gozo, a permit which had already been refused by the Malta Environment and Planning Authority several times until overturned.

This was followed in April by an objection filed against towering development at Mistra Ridge which, while not so much an expansion of existing footprint, will bring visual pollution to the skyline in this area of high scenic beauty.

Another shock we received during the year was the news of proposed villas… an extension to the Mellieha Bay Hotel building development, in an area designated by the environment section within MEPA as ecologically sensitive. Ramblers duly filed an objection.

In June Ramblers expressed our strong objection to pre-election gimmickry of government’s quiet consent to sanction illegal occupation of public land on the coast at Armier which was taken up by illegal “boathouses” – as they are called. In the heat of July the Association did not hesitate to hold a protest walk at Fomm ir-Rih over irreversible damage being done to this site blessed, but only on paper, with Natura 2000 protected status.

In this area a military road to the pebble beach (public property) was closed at first to vehicles – then even the approach on foot was illegally denied. Reinstating this constitutional right of way to the public is an ongoing battle. It has been a landmark campaign for RAM over the past year.

Our Honorary President produced an extensive White Paper highlighting the placing of Malta at the bottom of the EU environment league. In this document it is noted that “The rural landscape is gradually disappearing with illegal structures mushrooming all over the Maltese islands from Delimara to Ras il-Wardija in Gozo.”

The Ramblers Association