Project Gaia

Project Gaia is about the integrated and holistic management of specially protected coastal areas in the Maltese Islands. It was commenced in 1996 when the Environment Protection Department entrusted the management of the Għajn Tuffieħa Conservation Area in Malta to The Gaia Foundation. The project was extended to include the management of ir-Ramla in Gozo in 2000 following a successful bid for EU Life Programme funding submitted in collaboration with the Institute for Insular Coastal Dynamics (ICoD).

The Gaia Foundation's work aims to ensure the sustainability of all activities taking place in these beautiful and precious coastal areas. Activities such as swimming and diving in the blue Mediterranean, hiking and horse riding along the marvelous hills, cycling along wooded areas and country roads and farming in the terraced fields often take a toll on the islands' coastal resources. Project Gaia's goal is to promote these activities in ways which not only sustain but if possible enhance the sites' natural resources.

Project Gaia is made up on and around Ramla, Għajn Tuffieħa and the Northwest of various arms which deal with separate but interrelated aspects of coastal management. Each arm of the project is a project in itself, whether it focuses on beach management, biodiversity, organic farming, land conservation, agro forestry, eco tourism, restoration of historic sites or marine conservation. Each project is inter-linked with every other for nature has no borders and no artificial divisions between one activity and another.

The realisation of each depends not only upon the dedication and hard work of the organisation, but also upon the support of society in general, from national and local government, public agencies and NGOs right down to each and every individual be they young or old, local or foreign. It is our collective task to build a prototype for a sustainable society on our islands in our times.