A land-cover appraisal of the St. George's Bay area; with emphasis on the impact of development on the habitats and biota

Abstract

This project is aimed at assessing the impacts of land development in the St. George's Bay (St. Julian's) coastal area. This has been achieved mainly through observation of vegetation and the direct effects of various uses made of the land in this particular locality as well as through interviews with Planning Authority personnel and a review of the history of development in the region. St. George's Bay lies on the North East coast of Malta and is an important coastal zone. It flanks the floristically significant valley habitat of Wied Harq Hammiem. The valley has a high ecological value not only because it maintains a number of rare and endemic species but also because within it one finds the largest freshwater pool on the islands, within the underground cave Chark El Hamiem, a site of scientific importance. The vegetation analysis of the valley habitat was carried out through identification of plant species during field visits and from photographs taken during these visits. A species list of the valley was also reviewed. The result of the impact of various types of human activity were observed and recorded through photography. Land cover and land use in the area was analysed through comparison of aerial photographs obtained from the Planning Authority. Review of literature regarding the history of the area revealed the transformation of St. George's Bay from an obscure fishing annex to grog shop hub to holiday resort Mecca generally pulled along by a similar pattern of development within the larger settlement of St. Julian's. The vegetation analysis of the valley manifested the insistence of certain rare and endemic species. The number of alien and potentially environmentally harmful species, however, was seen to be alarmingly on the increase. Disturbance caused mainly by human activities was manifested in the number and biomass of opportunistic species present in the area. Whilst the St. George's Bay littoral area has suffered a considerable amount of harm mainly through the double-edged influence of tourism on the development of this easily .accessible coastal region, with proper measures it could still be protected from further damage. The rehabilitation of the valley and other small areas of natural environment surrounding the area and the serious control of certain activities could lead to the preservation of these zones as sites of natural beauty and value providing a breath of fresh air within this highly developed coastal zone.