Ambassador profile

Organisation profile

• 80 % locals
• approximately 20% of visitors from abroad

The site is a peninsular in the North-East of Malta. It’s a wild, rocky area with sheer cliffs and crumbling limestone shores. This spectacular location overlooks the Mediterranean to Gozo and Comino.
The site is important for its garrigue vegetation, typical of Malta, which includes plants such as Wild Thyme (Thymbra capitata), Mediterranean Heath (Erica multiflora) and Maltese Spurge (Euphorbia melitensis). There are a number of orchid species which grow on the site, including the Bumble Bee Orchid (Ophrys bombyliflora), the Scented Bug Orchid (Orchis fragrans) and the Maltese Pyramid Orchid (Anacamptis urvilleana). Reptiles include chameleons and skinks, while many species of butterflies flourish here.
Rdum tal-Madonna is also home to internationally  important numbers of the unique Yelkouan Shearwater (Puffinus yelkouan). The larger sized Cory’s Shearwater (Calonectris diomedea) also breeds in small numbers alongside the Yelkouans. Resident species include Malta’s national bird, The Blue Rock Thrush (Monticola solitarius) and the Spectacled Warbler (Sylvia conspicillata). Short-toed Larks (Calandrella brachydactyla) breed on the site and wintering birds include Black Redstart (Phoenicurus ochruros). During migration, the site is important as a resting ground for the many species that pass through the islands.

Stakeholder success stories

Background: The site is the focus of a high profile project in Malta called the EU LIFE Yelkouan Shearwater Project. Malta has around 10% of the world’s population of Yelkouan Shearwaters (Puffinus yelkouan) and is important for seabirds at an international level. The project aims to reverse the decline of these seabirds and also to improve the project site of Rdum tal-Madonna (L’Ahrax tal Mellieha) for wildlife and for people. The designation of Marine IBAS and ultimately SPAs is a key goal.
The project launch was in March 2007 so we are still in the process of identifying our key stakeholders and seeking meetings with them.

Official Project Launch with all partners and stakeholders outlining the importance of the site to Malta and on an international platform.

The aims and objectives of the Yelkouan Shearwater Project were outlined along with the key threats to the birds and the actions that will be taken to address these. This official visit included Local and Central government authorities, media organisations, political party leaders, national and international NGOs.

Intensive Public Relations campaign highlighting the national and international importance of the birds and the site

The campaign included printed and electronic media coverage, TV and radio slots, launch of website, inauguration of official project sign.

Guided walk and talk with over 150 members of the Ramblers’ Association.

Activities and products for the communication of Natura 2000

 

✓Workshops

✓Action plan meetings

✓Exhibition

✓Guided visits

✓Other: (All literature in Maltese and English)

• Project leaflet for general public
• Project dossier for decision makers
• Project sign
• Project panels for exhibitions
• Project website
• Project video, longer version to be done later in project
• Walks on site (Site Warden and Project Manager)
• Talks to interest groups
• Direct communication to visitors on site
• Press releases (4 completed to date) Aim of one monthly on average.
• Feature articles (papers) (3 completed to date) Aim of one quarterly on average
• Magazine articles (5 to date) Aim of one bimonthly on average
• Website articles (3 to date) Aim of one bimonthly on averge
• TV features (4 completed to date) Aim of one bimonthly on average
• TV programmes – several short features to date, more planned
• Radio programmes – (1 to date) to be investigated
• International media

Planned:

• Improvement to partner websites planned
• Link to project website on every partner website
• Link to project website on other LIFE project websites
• Link to project website on associated organisations websites

 

✓At least once per month

 

✓Yes

• Boat based observation
• Assisting with monitoring work to assess population sizes and breeding success rates for the Yelkouan colony
• Site based work including biodiversity monitoring work, repair of rubble walls, communication with visitors etc

 

✓Posters

✓Leaflets

✓Magazines / periodicals

✓Guides / maps

✓Other: Website

 

✓General public

✓Stakeholders

✓Local community

✓Site visitors

✓Other: Media

✓Other: Fishermen

✓Other: Pleasure boat owners and private boat owners

✓Other: Recreational visitors

 

✓No, but we do have a dedicated strategy for the EU LIFE Yelkouan Shearwater Project which is focused on this site.

 

✓Yes

 

We are part of the BirdLIfe International Partnership.

Minimising human impact on the designated habitats and species, in particular Yelkouan shearwaters. This involves:

• Managing access
• Reducing disturbance through noise and light
• Preventing dumping
• Waste management etc.

Hunting and trapping also takes place on site which can result in damage to the designated site interest.

Natura 2000 criteria are critical to the management of the site. They will be at the heart of the management plan which is in the process of being developed as part of the EU LIFE Yelkouan Shearwater Project. This plan will develop the conservation objectives for the Natura 2000 interest on the site and will outline the objectives, monitoring regime and targets. The Malta Environment and Planning Authority are fully involved in the development of the management plan in their role as the competent authority.

The site management objectives are still being developed, but these are likely to be:

• Effective waste management (to prevent rats which eat shearwater chicks on site) – target recreational vistors especially campers
• Effective access management (to prevent trampling, dumping, disturbance, illegal camping, off roading) – target recreational visitors especially campers and visitors in vehicles.
• Effective surveys and monitoring of key plant and animal communities (SAC/SPA designated interest)
• Setting of conservation objectives for key plant and animal communities (SAC/SPA designated interest)
• Establishing the conservation status of key plant and animal communities and reversing declines esp. among the Yelkouan shearwater population
• Management of conflicts among key stakeholder groups esp recreation
• Management of illegal hunting and trapping
• Effective visitor communication

The site was only designated in 2007 and until the launch of the Yelkouan Shearwater Project, had virtually no site management at all apart from a draft plan for the sand dunes habitat with some work in this area. The most important feature of the site is that it supports approximately a third of the breeding population of Yelkouan Shearwaters in Malta. The Maltese Islands themselves support around 10% of the world’s population so conservation efforts in Malta are important at an international level.
The birds are threatened by a variety of factors including rats (which predate eggs and chicks), inappropriate building and development, light and noise pollution, dumping, human disturbance, hunting, habitat loss etc. Over the last 25 years there has been a noticeable decline in the breeding population of this species.
Apart from the seabird colonies, the site is important for its variety of habitats (listed above). These are threatened by recreational use, particularly camping, but also absailing, rock climbing, off roading, biking, trial bikes, walkers, bird trappers and hunters. Trapping in particular affects the vegetation of the site as areas of garrigue are completely clered (by burning or treatment with pesticides) to provide clear areas of ground for bird catching areas. Large numbers of concrete and iron structures (for holding decoy birds) are also placed into the ground as part of this activity. Hunting and trapping hides are illegal structures which also affect the vegetation and both pastimes obviously affect the bird interest of the site.
Site Management work is at the very beginning on this site with stakeholders being identified.

• MEPA (Malta Environment and Planning Authority)
• Project partners (AFM, MCFS, MMA, NMNH, BLM, RSPB, SPEA)
• Absailers
• Campers
• Picnickers / BBQs
• Local residents
• Tourism authorities
• Local council
• Police
• Local hotels & campsite owner
• Yachters / boaters
• Fishermen
• Trappers / hunters
• Other NGOs
• Church (there is a chapel on site)

• A site warden has been employed to undertake monitoring and site management work, including visitor communication and management.
• Stakeholders have been identified.
• A draft management plan is being drawn up, starting with the collection of background information.

We are still at the beginning of the process.

Euro 997,220 for the project as a whole. The site management work is just a part of the overall project but it is difficult to extract a figure for site management only.

The EU LIFE Yelkouan Shearwater Project is 50% funded by the EU LIFE Nature Fund. Additional funds come from the project partners, with contributions from HSBC and MEPA.