Malta has launched a €9 million programme aimed at strengthening the country's Natura 2000 network through habitat restoration, invasive-species control, environmental monitoring and wildlife conservation.
The E-CORE project — Environmental Connectivity for Optimised Resiliency and Ecosystem Management in Natura 2000 Sites — is being implemented through Ambjent Malta and the Environment and Resources Authority with European Union and national funding.
From protection to active management
Natura 2000 is the European Union's network of areas protected for important habitats and species. Legal designation is only one part of conservation: degraded habitat may still require restoration, invasive species need control and visitor pressure can require active management.
E-CORE is intended to support that practical side of conservation, combining ecological work with monitoring and measures aimed at improving the resilience of protected sites.
New facilities and public access
The project includes plans to transform the former Marfa Radar Station into a Natura 2000 and Nocturnal Fauna Interpretation Centre. A Buskett Water Heritage Trail is also planned, alongside visitor infrastructure, awareness campaigns and training for conservation professionals.
Public access and conservation do not necessarily conflict, but protected areas need to be used in ways compatible with the species and habitats they exist to conserve.
The real measure will be ecological improvement
For Malta, where natural areas are often small and close to settlements, roads and recreational activity, active habitat management is particularly important.
The long-term value of the programme will ultimately be measured not just by new infrastructure but by changes in habitat condition, control of invasive plants, wildlife response and the resilience of restored ecosystems.
E-CORE therefore represents a significant opportunity to move beyond protecting boundaries on a map and towards maintaining Natura 2000 sites as functioning ecosystems.
Sources
Environment and Resources Authority — E-CORE project launch, 1 September 2026
Government of Malta — Major €9 million investment to strengthen Natura 2000 network