Nature Trust has urged the authorities not to approve the construction of a concrete road through the watercourse at Xatt l-Ahmar near Ghajnsielem.
"This area features one of the very few watercourses in the Maltese Islands where fresh water flows during most of the year, even after several rainless months. It is also one of the very few watercourses that flows from north to south on the island of Gozo," the environment NGO said in a statement.
Nature Trust said that the supply of water comes from the nearby large freshwater pond known as 'L-Għadira tal-Papri'.
"When it overflows, the nearby watercourse is filled with constant flowing water. Both the freshwater pond and the watercourse are important from an ecological point of view," it said.
Nature Trust said that the freshwater pond keeps the nearby vegetation green even in summer and sustains residential and migratory birds such as Moorhen, Mallards and Kingfishers.
Other fauna that visit the pond include several species of dragonflies that need freshwater for their reproductive cycle. Rare plants such as the Corn Marigold have been noticed along the watercourse, which is also home to a few salt-loving shrubs such as the Maltese Salt-tree and the Shrubby Seablite.
"There is no need to construct a new road to access the small beach, as it is already accessible via a concrete road running parallel further west. The road passes near the local fougass and eastwards towards the beach, as shown in the attached map," flora conservation officer Jeffrey Sciberras.
"Moreover, the watercourse in question still has adjacent fields that are still in use. Allowing the construction of such a road will destroy the rural and natural beauty of the area, and limit the space for the necessary agricultural land, which is a source of local income for the locals"
Sciberras said that the area should be accessed only through hiking, to preserve the natural beauty and the calming silence of the area, which is enjoyed by locals and tourists alike.
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