Simar Nature Reserve

20/10/2026

A huge thank you to the wonderful team from Chetcuti Cauchi Advocates Malta Law Firm who joined us at Simar Nature Reserve a week ago today for an energetic and productive corporate volunteering afternoon!

Together with our warden, the team rolled up their sleeves and made a tangible difference:

🔨 Repaired and refreshed visitor benches along the trails
🏨 Restored our reserve’s bug hotel using fresh natural materials to provide shelter for local insects and pollinators
🌱 Planted indigenous shrubs to enrich Simar’s wetland habitat

Corporate volunteering days like this help us care for Malta’s precious nature reserves, keep them safe and welcoming for wildlife and visitors, and support our ongoing conservation work.

Interested in bringing your team outdoors for a meaningful, hands-on volunteering day, nature walk or workshop? We rely on community support and truly appreciate corporate donations that help keep our reserves thriving.

📩 Drop us a message at [email protected] or visit our website to find out how your team can get involved!

26/09/2026

Tomorrow, we’re celebrating World Water Monitoring Day at Simar Nature Reserve!

We’re finally back open for the season, so bring the family and join us during our opening hours (10:00–16:00) to learn how to monitor water quality and enjoy a stroll around the reserve.

Free entry for everyone!

15/09/2026

🌿 We’re reopening! 🐦

After its seasonal closure, Simar Nature Reserve is getting ready to welcome visitors back!

Għadira and is-Simar are the only two BirdLife Malta nature reserves that close to the public during the hot summer months. This seasonal closure gives breeding birds the space they need to raise their young with minimal disturbance, while allowing our teams to carry out essential maintenance work.

📍 Simar Nature Reserve – reopening Wednesday 23 September
🕐 Monday, Wednesday & Friday: 13:30–18:30
🕙 Sunday: 10:00–16:00

Come and enjoy a peaceful walk through nature, discover the wildlife making use of our wetlands, and see what the new season brings. 🌾🦆

Entrance is free of charge, with donations welcome.

We look forward to welcoming you back! 💚

29/08/2026

💧 What’s really in the water at Simar Nature Reserve?

Join us for World Water Monitoring Day and discover how we monitor water quality and why healthy wetlands matter for wildlife.

📍 Simar Nature Reserve
📅 Sunday, 27 September
🕙 10:00–16:00
🎟 Free entry | No booking required

Bring your questions and discover what’s beneath the water’s surface!

14/07/2026

🌿 Summer at Simar means getting our hands dirty for nature! 💪

Behind every thriving wetland is plenty of hard work. This time, a big thank you goes to the team at Ciantar Group for rolling up their sleeves and helping us improve habitats for wildlife at Simar Nature Reserve. Every helping hand makes a difference! 💚

Footage: Vera Tokmakova
Editing: Simone Davide Brunori

16/06/2026

19/05/2026

🐦💚 When birds are given protection, peace, and the right habitat, nature responds.

At Simar Nature Reserve, a pair of Common Coots chose to stay, nest, and raise their chicks; a beautiful reminder of why protecting wetlands and wildlife matters. 🌿

Conservation works when we give nature a chance.

Footage: Vera Tokmakova, Aron Tanti and Mario V. Gauci.
Editing: Antonia Micallef

03/04/2026

Please note that Simar Nature Reserve will be closed on Good Friday and Easter Sunday. Thank you for your understanding.

02/04/2026

A wonderful evening at Sip, Soak & Savour yesterday at Salina, celebrating Aron Tanti’s 'A hundred experiences of a bird photographer in Malta'.

Those who pre-ordered the book had the opportunity to meet Aron, hear about the experiences behind his photography, and get their copies signed - a great way to bring this publication to life.

📌 A reminder to those who pre-ordered: your books are ready for collection from your selected location.

📖 For anyone who missed the pre-order, copies are still available for purchase at our Nature Reserves at €20 each.

Thank you to everyone who joined us and supported this publication.

27/03/2026

Simar buffer zone transformed into a natural and accessible space for the community

A buffer zone next to Simar Nature Reserve has been transformed into a new natural space for the public. The 3,200-square-metre site, long affected by illegal dumping despite repeated clean-ups by BirdLife Malta, now offers restored habitats and safe access for visitors.

BirdLife Malta’s Head of Land Management, Mark Gauci, said the project reflects the organisation’s mission to benefit both nature and people. “Our aim is for this site to be open daily, free of charge. It offers a space where people can relax in nature. This is a nature reserve, not a garden, where nature takes priority.”

Architect Benjamin Vassallo, Head of Project Design at Project Green, said all works respected Natura 2000 regulations and the site’s ecosystem. He noted that plant species present are essential for restoring the natural habitat.

BirdLife Malta secured funding in 2022 through Project Green’s Community Greening Grant Scheme. The European Union financed 75% of the project, with the Maltese Government covering the remainder.

The restored area was inaugurated in the presence of Environment Minister Miriam Dalli and European Funds Minister Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi, alongside Project Green, the St Paul’s Bay Local Council, and BirdLife Malta.

The site was redesigned to enhance biodiversity, safety, and accessibility. Works included new walking paths, picnic benches, information panels, native planting, habitat restoration, and a brackish-water pond reflecting Simar’s ecosystem. No lighting was installed to protect sensitive wildlife.

Safety measures include CCTV, boundary walls, gates, and fire prevention features. Improved access now allows more than 700 nearby residents to reach the site within a ten-minute walk.

Simar Nature Reserve, managed by BirdLife Malta, is a Ramsar site within the Natura 2000 network. The restored buffer zone strengthens its ecological value while providing a new space for the public to enjoy and learn about nature.

Project Green Sostenibilità Fondi Ewropej Kunsill Lokali San Pawl il-Baħar