Maltese Habitats

Afforestation

Most of Il-Buskett was originally planted by man but is now self regenerating and has the character of the natural climax community and may be described as a semi-natural woodland.

Here the wood is dominated by Aleppo Pine (Pinus halepensis) with various other trees being sub-dominant for example Olive (Olea europaea), Carob (Ceratonia siliqua) , and Holm Oak (Quercus Ilex)

There is an extensive undergrowth of shrubs such as the Lentisk (Pistacia lenticus), Mediterranean Buckthorn (Rhamnus alaternus) and Hawthorns (Crataegus spp.), herbs and climbers.

This semi-natural woodland is very important since it represents the only full woodland ecosystem on the islands and consequently harbours a large number of woodland plants and animals which, because of the lack of suitable habitats on Malta, are locally very rare.

 

 

 

 


Il-Buskett a semi natural woodland Il-Buskett

Particularly important woodland species are fungi which are symbiotic with trees, insects which feed, breed or live in trees and dead wood, and leaf-litter inhabiting invertebrates.

Many other wooded areas exist in the islands, however, all are man-made (e.g. public/private gardens, afforestation sites, orchards etc.) and do not possess the character of the native climax forest ecosystem nor are they self-maintaining and self regenerating as is Il-Buskett, and therefore do not qualify as semi-natural woodlands.