Precious landscape worth conserving : a study of the processes that are changing Zurrieq's rural landscape

Abstract

Sequent occupance of different colonizers and generations plays an important role in modifying the original Maltese landscape. This helped in changing large parts of the natural Maltese rural landscape into a cultural one. The following dissertation is an analysis of the main processes that have and are still modifying Zurrieq's rural cultural landscape. Both visible and invisible land use problems were identified and analyzed by means of field surveys, bibliographic research, interviews with farmers and another interview with Frank Salt real estate agent. The main results indicate that urban sprawl, agricultural land ownership and land fragmentation are the main issues that are shaping land use in the Zurrieq rural area. Proper planning and the integration of rural issues in political agendas seem to be the main key to manage Zurrieq's rural landscape in a sustainable way.