Foresta 2000

🌳🌧️ International Day of Forests Walk – Foresta 2000 🌧️🌳

Despite the challenging weather, we decided to go ahead with our International Day of Forests walk, and it turned out to be a truly special experience.

Sometimes it’s not an easy decision to proceed in uncertain conditions, but we believe that nature is worth exploring in every kind of weather. Rain, wind, or sunshine, each brings something unique to discover.

We explored Foresta2000 in a way that few get to experience. We learned about plants, discovered rare mushrooms and flowers, and enjoyed the calm, fresh atmosphere that only comes after rain.

And just as we began our walk… the rain stopped 🌿

A big thank you to those enthusiasts who joined us! We believe these walks not only bring you closer to nature but also help build a sense of community.

Keep an eye on our next events and join us next time!

Photos by Vera Tokmakova.

🌱 From seed to sapling – How we protect native flora

It all starts with a careful analysis of the flora in our nature reserves — surveying what grows where, in what quantity, and deciding which plants are best suited to each habitat. We also think ahead: how can new plants thrive in new areas without harming existing ones? 🌿

At the right time, our botanical expert sets out to find native plants and safely collect seeds or vegetative parts for propagation in other reserves.

Most of our seeds come from Foresta 2000, a rich mix of habitats that acts as a natural nursery for garrigue, steppe, and even freshwater species. 🌾💧

Seeds are stored until autumn, when the first rains arrive — the perfect moment to sow and give these future plants the best start in life.

💚 Every seed is a step toward saving and restoring Malta’s unique ecosystems.

📸Inaki Leunda & Vera Tokmakova

Soft-Winged Flower Beetle (Malachius bipustulatus) – Tiny but Mighty! 🐞💐

Spring is buzzing with activity, and the Soft-Winged Flower Beetle is playing a key role! These small, metallic green beetles with red-tipped wing covers may be tiny, but they are vital pollinators, feeding on flower pollen and nectar while helping plants reproduce.

🐞 Fun Fact: When disturbed, these beetles release a bad-tasting chemical to deter predators—making them both beautiful and clever!

Keep an eye out for these little helpers next time you explore Foresta 2000! 🌿✨

Italian Gladiolus (Gladiolus italicus) – Spring’s Elegant Bloom! 🌷✨

The delicate Italian Gladiolus is now flowering at Foresta 2000, adding splashes of pink to the reserve’s meadows! Also known as the Field Gladiolus, this elegant wildflower is a close relative of the popular garden gladiolus but grows naturally in Mediterranean landscapes.

🌸 Why is it special? It thrives in open fields and along paths, attracting pollinators and adding a touch of beauty to the wild countryside. Its vibrant colour contrasts beautifully with the lush greenery of spring!

If you spot one, be sure to take a photo and share it with us! 📷💚

White-Banded Grasshopper (Kraussaria angulifera) – A Master of Camouflage! 🦗🌿

Blink, and you might miss it! The White-Banded Grasshopper is an expert at blending into dry vegetation, making it one of the trickiest insects to spot at Foresta 2000. Unlike its green relatives, this species has a distinct white stripe along its body, helping it disappear into the landscape.

🐾 Look closely near the ground—this little hopper is most active in spring, feeding on grasses and herbs as the weather warms up!

Have you ever spotted this sneaky insect on your walks? 🧐🍂

Mediterranean Thistle (Galactites tomentosus) – Malta’s Unique White Bloom! 🌾🌸

Unlike its Sicilian counterpart, which blooms in pink, Malta’s Mediterranean Thistle surprises us with its beautiful white flowers! This spiky yet stunning wildflower is a favourite among pollinators and plays a crucial role in supporting early spring insects.

💡 Did You Know? Despite its prickly appearance, this plant is an essential nectar source for butterflies and bees. It thrives in dry, rocky areas, making it perfectly adapted to our local landscape.

Next time you visit Foresta 2000, take a closer look at this Maltese botanical wonder! 🌿✨

Cleopatra Butterfly (Gonepteryx cleopatra) – A Flash of Spring! 🦋☀️

Spring at Foresta 2000 brings out one of the Mediterranean’s most striking butterflies—the Cleopatra Butterfly! Males dazzle with bright yellow wings and vivid orange forewings, making them unmistakable in flight. Females, though more subdued, sometimes appear in a rare white variety—like the one recently spotted in our reserve!

🍃 Fun Fact: The Cleopatra Butterfly lays its eggs on Mediterranean Buckthorn, an important native shrub. These butterflies love sunlit paths and woodland edges, so keep an eye out on your next walk!

Have you ever seen one of these beauties in the wild? Let us know in the comments! 🦋🌞

The mysterious parasitic plant 🌿🔴

Meet Cuscuta epithymum, also known as Dodder or Pittma in Maltese! Unlike most plants, this unique species doesn’t have roots or leaves of its own—it feeds off other plants! 🌱🔗 Its thin, red, thread-like stems wrap around shrubs and herbs, drawing nutrients directly from them. It uses enzymes such as peroxidase, which break down host tissues, allowing it to absorb nutrients at a faster rate.

In the past, Dodder species were widely used in traditional medicine to treat a variety of ailments. It has been used as a purgative and to treat conditions such as insanity, depression, leprosy, diabetes, jaundice, liver and spleen disorders, urinary tract infections, vision problems, syphilis, and rheumatism. However, high doses over long periods may cause hepatotoxicity. Please don’t consume it! Instead, simply keep an eye out for this fascinating plant during your nature walks.

And did you know that the word Pittma in Maltese refers to a clingy person who takes resources from someone else?

🌿 Have you ever come across Dodder? Let us know in the comments! 👇✨

🌿 What’s this plant growing on the rocks!?

That’s the Caper bush (Capparis orientalis)—a true champion of arid and semi-arid climates! 🌞 This hardy plant thrives where others struggle, growing straight from cracks in stone walls and rocky cliffs. To survive the harsh Mediterranean sun, high temperatures, and minimal soil moisture, it has developed remarkable adaptations.

In summer, it bursts into stunning white and pinkish flowers, attracting pollinators, and later produces the edible caper buds we use in cooking! So next time you pass by an old wall or a rocky area, look out for this little miracle of nature.

📍 Have you spotted capers growing in unusual places? Share your photos with us! 📸

🌿 Give your child a lifelong love for nature! 🌟

Our Nature Guardians course offers 7–11-year-olds hands-on adventures in Malta’s nature reserves—birdwatching, habitat restoration, water testing & more! 🦉🌱

📅 Starts March 2025 | Limited spots!
🎁 Exclusive 10% discount with code NATURE10!

Read more & register now: ⬇️

Give your child a lifelong connection to nature with BirdLife Malta - The Malta Independent At a time when children are increasingly glued to screens and disconnected from the outdoors, BirdLife Malta offers a refreshing opportunity for them to reconnect with the natural world. The Nature