An assessment of the changing landscape in an island state

Abstract

Malta, an island state of 315.59 km2 is situated at the centre of the Mediterranean basin. The high population density of 1274 persons/ km2 which increases drastically with the arrival of over 1 million tourists annually, induces considerable demands on the local limited resources. Issues related to the conservation of archaeological sites, the protection of endemic endangered species, the exodus of the farming community, the rejuvenation of the tourism sector and building development are among the most debatable points in land-use conflicts. The footprint of new development has altered the landscape considerably, and the built up area has increased from 4.5% in the mid- 1960s to 23 % by 2001. Rural areas, and even geomorphologically and ecologically sensitive sites such as valley systems, are considered potential areas for building development. A number of valleys have been terraced and the main water channel surfaced over, in order to construct residential units and commercial areas, thus increasing the risk of flooding and mass movement In view of future sustainable landscapes, this paper discusses causes of the changing landscape pat- terns, and proposes possible planning procedures that may be applied to safeguard the cultural and natural landscapes and which nevertheless respect the needs of a changing Maltese society. The elaborate mosaic of the landscape pattern requires a holistic management plan that takes into consideration all the variables that influence the state of the environment. Specific case studies illustrate that various factors influence the landscape to a varying degree. Hence to safeguard the heterogeneous characteristics of the built environment and the bio-physical aspects of the territory one should discuss the landscape as a system.