The Rural Development Programme 2014­-2020 which will eventually be submitted to the European Commission for funding, was discussed at a public consultation earlier this month.

The synopsis presented contains positive ideas. The full report was not available being ‘a long and detailed document’ and ‘not easy to use for public consultation’. This greatly hindered more in­depth suggestions and comments.

Could it not have been uploaded on the department’s website?

The synopsis is based on the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of rural development based on five themes, with objectives and activities for funding.

Theme 1 deals with water, wastes and energy.

Can water be managed in the absence of a national water policy? The present fragmented ‘management’ reveals a ministry digging a tunnel to channel rain water directly to the sea. Another purifying sewage water and dumping it in the sea. A corporation managing and distributing potable water while a secretariat is trying to plug holes and mend cracks in water reservoirs and cisterns.

Such lack of coordination and waste of financial resources, most of which are coming from the EU, does not augur well.

This was also pointed out by the representative of the Malta Water Association during the public consultation, adding that lack of access to the original draft report restricts discussions.

Activities suggest investment “in water management, abstraction…” Does this mean that abstraction will be funded when this is being tackled by another ministry trying to control and regulate it?

Theme 2 deals with Maltese quality produce, highlighting the need for quality assurance, poor enforcement of regulations and support for adding value as the major opportunities. The GMOs Pandora’s Box that farmers and consumers are being offered and possibly swallowing and the ever-increasing public rejection of GMOs can be capitalised upon by the farming community. Not only was this not even referred to but a farmer’s representative was heard saying that farmers cannot do without GMOs!

Theme 3 refers to sustainable livestock.

A positive item under activities to be funded is the support “for activities that reduce livestock farms’ impact on the climate and environment”. This can perhaps address the issue of past EU funds used to build such livestock farms on sensitive water table areas, rendering the water so nutrient rich and unusable.

Theme 4 deals with landscape and the environment.

The objectives are great and the wording is even nicer. But this is another subject where fragmentation reigns supreme.

Landscaping is under the responsibility of the Ministry for Transport where the main driving force is devoid of any ecological input.

Mepa is the competent authority (on paper) under the responsibility of the Prime Minister’s Office. It is no secret that Mepa has rarely raised a finger to protect any tree and often turns a blind eye to all mutilation, uprooting, chemically-killed trees and introduction of alien species.

Local councils, under the responsibility of the Ministry of Tourism, go on a rampage ‘pruning’ trees with no questions asked.

The reply to my question as to who will be the regulator in such landscaping was no reply at all, sending shivers down my spine. The sanest political, technical, administrative, ecological, economical, legal way forward is that the regulator has to be the Minister for the Environment. This will ensure that there will not be any cow itch trees, fountain grass, flame trees et al or turf growing in rural areas. And EU funds will be used in line with EU obligations, not as has happened in the past.

The funding of “new skills and knowledge (that) will be required in terms of landscape management, ecological understanding, conservation and practical skills” is a good idea if well managed and executed professionally.

The maintenance and restoration of rubble walls brought a rumble of disappointments by many who have been waiting for five and more years to restore the breach in their rubble walls. Breaches in rubble walls contribute to soil erosion, which fills valleys, and eventually is carried out to sea. Cannot photos and videos record such breaches to allow their immediate restoration and then farmers be reimbursed by the RDP?

A one day’s wait, especially during the rainy season, is too long for this fragile environment, resulting in ecological and additional expenses.

The wider rural economy and quality of life are addressed under theme 5.

Among the objectives listed is the development of bed-and-breakfast business, which is also a good objective.

However, if its implementation does not encompass the ecological impact it can be bizarre in such a small island State, the more so when experts and representatives involved in such activity omit biodiversity experts and the Ministry for the Environment, whether by conviction or for convenience.

The unnumbered delivery section outlines other actions, including ‘valley management/landscape management partnerships’ and a ‘rural resource hub’.

The first is urgently necessary even from an ecological point of view but, God forbid, if this is executed on the lines of past years without any holistic professional input but just by bulldozing earth to temporarily please the eye and inflict ecological damage.

The ‘rural resource hub’ is also welcome and can fill the void and neglect so conspicuous during the last decade.

The once beneficial government experimental farm has, during the last years, been used more by domestic cats, dogs and pets.

The once experimental farm can help educate, train, give technical knowledge advice and hands-on experience to all stakeholders in rural development.

These are but a few reflections and suggestions on the abridged consultation document, without having access to the original draft and keeping in mind that “precise details may well change over the next year, as discussions and agreement are still being developed in Brussels”.

Unfortunately, the economic bias of such a report completely dwarfs the sensitive ecological obligations. The outline nonetheless contains important and useful points that can contribute to rural development and Maltese biodiversity with some dotting of the I’s and crossing of the T’s.

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http://alfredbaldacchino.wordpress.com

Alfred Baldacchino is a former assistant director at Mepa’s environment directorate.

An effort to refurbish the historic water tower pump house in downtown Oregon is moving ahead thanks to a resident who’s spearheading the project.

Randy Glysch moved to Oregon in June and has been working with village officials and contacting landscaping businesses about donations for the first phase of what could ultimately become a restoration of both the water tower and pump house.

He plans to begin landscaping the pump house grounds on Janesville Street next spring. At the same time, Glysch would like to replace the small building’s windows and front door.

“We’re on this parallel track of fixing up the building and doing the landscaping,” he said.

Glysch said he’s contacted several local businesses – Kopke’s Greenhouse, Winterland Nurseries, The Flower Factory and Moyer’s Landscaping – and all were willing to help with donations of plants and shrubs.

“I’m amazed and humbled by how willing people are to provide stuff and help with the project,” he said. “Basically the landscaping is being donated – the whole thing. Sometimes it just takes asking people.”

Glysch has also talked with contractors about the pump house building, which was constructed in 1899 but has been neglected for years. In addition to needing a door and new windows – which will probably have to be custom built, Glysch said – the building also needs new tuckpointing.

The village has $3,300 set aside in a Water Tower Restoration fund, which Glysch said could serve as matching funds for a couple of grants he plans to apply for.

The application for a Dane County Cultural Affairs Commission grant is due in February. Oregon Historic Preservation Commission member Julia Meyers had previously applied for the grant but was unsuccessful.

Glysch has also been in touch with an official from the Bryant Foundation in Stoughton. He said the foundation typically funds only projects related to the Stoughton community, but with a nudge from Historic

Preservation Commission chairman Arlan Kay, the foundation did send Glysch an application.

“Funding is always a huge issue, and the water tower is in need of funding,” Kay noted.

Glysch said the Bryant Foundation is done accepting applications for 2013, “so we’ll submit a grant right after the first of the year.”

He also sent a letter to businesses located near the pump house to see if they’d like to make a contribution and met with the Oregon Area Senior Center, which agreed to place a donation box in the building.

“They put a nice little article in their newsletter, as well,” he said.

Glysch established the Friends of the Historic Oregon Water Tower earlier this fall and is accepting tax-deductible donations for the project through the village. He said donations can be sent to Oregon Village Hall, 117 Spring St., and will be maintained in the Preserve the Water Tower fund.

He plans to go back in January or February with a final landscaping plan for the Historic Preservation Commission’s approval, and “probably also some final plans on the windows and the door and tuckpointing.”

In an interview with the Observer on Sunday, Glysch said was “just blown away” at how his ideas were received at Moyer’s Landscaping.

He said one of the owners, Jeff Moyers, took his draft design for the landscaping “and is going to help create a very professional plan for it.” Moyers also talked about donating plants and the edging around the plants, he said.

Glysch has also applied to serve on Oregon’s Historic Preservation Commission. That appointment was on the Village Board’s meeting agenda for Monday, as was the commission’s recommendation that the board support the grants Glysch intends to submit for funding.

“If the water tower pump house wouldn’t have come along, I still would be interested in the commission,” he said. “I live in an old house, and it’s something I like and am interested in. And I’m interested in the community, as well.”

Glysch said he learned about the pump house and water tower by reading articles written by the late Joan Gefke, who served for many years on the Historic Preservation Commission.

“After I read about all the people who tried do something with this before me, I’m sort of humbled to try to carry on what they started,” he said.