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RESisles project 2024 – 2025

posted on November 25, 2025

On Friday, 7th November 2025, 47 schools were awarded the internationally recognised Eco-Schools Green Flag in celebration of their exceptional commitment to sustainability, student leadership, and climate action within their communities.   The ceremony, presided over by H.E. Myriam Spiteri Debono, President of Malta, honoured students who have shown remarkable dedication to environmental stewardship and responsible citizenship.   Held at Villa Blanche in the limits of Żurrieq, the event was organised by Nature Trust – FEE Malta in collaboration with the Local Councils Association, and welcomed a total of 240 attendees.   As part of the ceremony, schools also acknowledged the contribution of Local Councils through the EkoSkola Eco-Community Collaboration Award. Nine Local Councils were nominated by Eco-Schools committees, with the award recognising outstanding partnerships between students and local authorities in advancing sustainability at the community level.   During the networking session, various stands showcased programmes and projects promoting sustainable development. RESisles highlighted the work carried out over the past year across the three partner countries—Malta, Crete, and Cyprus. Students, Local Councils, local entities, and school representatives had the opportunity to engage with the displays and discuss sustainability-related topics.    The RESisles project was co-funded by the European Union   #RESisles #AKTI #ClimateAction #EkoSkola...

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Malta’s Young Environmental Journalists Celebrated at Annual YRE Awards

posted on September 30, 2025

Nature Trust – FEE Malta held its annual Young Reporters for the Environment (YRE) Awards Ceremony on Tuesday, 20th May 2025, at Tortuga Beach, Little Armier. 141 students, from 15 schools distinguished themselves from a total of 208 entries including podcasts, videos, photos and articles tackling issues pertaining to pollution, biodiversity loss and climate action. The event brought together students, teachers, and environmental advocates to celebrate young people’s commitment to environmental journalism.     The ceremony began with the touching release of the loggerhead turtle Andrea. The turtle was spotted by a tourist boat driver at Crystal Lagoon in Comino in early April 2025 after it was showing obvious signs that it was having difficulty diving. The call was received by the Wildlife Rescue Team operated by Nature Trust- FEE Malta and thanks to a coordinated response by ERA and AFM, the turtle was picked up and brought to shore. Close inspection by the vet Dr Grupetta and the Wildlife Rescue Team revealed a hook lodged inside the alimentary canal and a fishing line coming out of its rear end. Following months of rehab and medication, finally the hook and the fishing line came lose and Andrea immediately started to show signs of improvement. After making sure that it was feeding well and able to dive again it was given the green light to go back to its natural environment.     Following the turtle release, the YRE awards ceremony took place at the Tortuga Beach Restaurant. Students were recognised for their articles, photos, videos, and podcasts exploring environmental issues. Whilst all schools received participation certificates and mementos, students with winning entries were awarded trophies and prizes. For the first time this year, students were also given formal accreditation. A Non-Formal Award in the Young Reporters for the Environment Programme at MQF level 1-3 has been officially accredited by the Directorate For Quality and Standards In Education (DQSE) according to the Malta Qualifications Framework.     Winning YRE entries will now compete with other countries on in international platform involving students from over 45 YRE country members.     This year’s YRE programme served as a platform for the EU co-funded project – RESisles which aimed to foster dialogue on the economic, social, and environmental challenges associated with climate change pressures that Cyprus, Malta, and Crete, face. To this end, during the event, a teacher was also selected by ballot to represent Malta at the RESisles final event in Cyprus this November. The ceremony highlighted the vital role of education and youth engagement in tackling today’s environmental challenges, with Andrea’s journey and the students’ work offering both reflection and hope for the future.     YRE Malta – @YRE is coordinated by @Nature Trust – FEE Malta with support from the Ministry of Education, Sport, Youth, Research and Innovation and HSBC Malta Foundation. Special thanks to Luke Gatt from Tortuga beach for welcoming us for the event.     Co-funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only...

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Malta Participates in Global Environmental Education Summit in Malaysia

posted on September 29, 2025

From 15 – 20 September 2025, Kuala Lumpur became a global hub for ESD as it hosted two major international events convened by the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE): the FEE National Operators Meeting (NOM) and the EcoCampus International Conference (ECIC). These gatherings brought together nearly 200 delegates from 48 countries to strengthen collaboration, share best practices, and advance climate action through education.   The Maltese delegation actively engaged in networking and collaboration with international partners, fostering new connections and sharing insights across diverse educational contexts.   The FEE National Operators Meeting, held from 15 – 18 September, focused on the strategic development of FEE’s flagship programmes: Eco-Schools, Learning about Ecosystems and Forests (LEAF) and Young Reporters for the Environment (YRE). The meeting focused on the importance of measurable sustainability outcomes, green skills development, and the integration of ESD into national curricula and community initiatives.   Malta was represented by three national operators from Nature Trust – FEE Malta: Prof. Paul Pace, EkoSkola National Operator, shared Malta’s long-standing commitment to ESD and its whole-school approach to climate literacy. Johann Gatt, LEAF National Operator, presented Malta’s innovative outdoor-based learning initiatives, which reconnect communities with ecosystems and promote biodiversity awareness. Audrey Gauci, YRE National Operator, highlighted the transformative power of youth-led environmental journalism in fostering civic engagement and critical thinking.   Following the NOM, the EcoCampus International Conference took place from 18 – 20 September, exploring the theme Transforming Higher Education for Climate Action: A Whole-System Approach. The conference showcased how universities and colleges can become living laboratories for sustainability, integrating climate action across teaching, research, governance, and operations. Prof Pace also announced that he is currently exploring how the University of Malta can formally adopt the EcoCampus programme, aligning higher education with FEE’s whole-institution sustainability framework.   The delegation’s contributions in both events highlighted Nature Trust – FEE Malta’s central role in advancing ESD. Through its coordination of national programmes and ongoing efforts to embed sustainability across the Maltese educational system, Nature Trust has helped position Malta as a leading example of ESD integration in global fora.  ...

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Litterless launch – Phase V

posted on November 15, 2022

Rehabilitated loggerhead turtle released in the wild   A loggerhead turtle has been released back into the wild following a period of rehabilitation at Forti San Luċjan. The loggerhead turtle, rescued back in December 2021, was released this morning at Golden Bay after a successful 10-month rehabilitation process.   The 5-year-old turtle had been in the care of the Team Rehabilitation Unit since last December, having been rescued in Gozo. The turtle was found with hooks and ingested nylon, and a swollen flipper due to having been entangled in nylon. It was rescued and cared for by Nature Trust (Malta) – the Wildlife rehabilitation team. An agreement is currently in place between NTM and the Environment and Resources Authority, which provides financial aid for the conservation of protected fauna (excluding birds). Such agreement covers the purchase of medicines, consumables and equipment required for the rehabilitation of injured, sick or stranded fauna as well as, provides finances for veterinary assistance for the care of such specimens during weekends and public holidays.   The turtle, named Net by volunteers, was released in the presence of Environment Minister Miriam Dalli, officials from the Environment and Resources Authority and students from the Young Reporters from the Environment (YRE). The Minister thanked the volunteers who help with the cleaning, medication and feeding of the turtles.   The turtle was also under the medical observation of veterinary surgeon Dr Anthony Gruppetta of St Simon’s Veterinary Practice in Mosta.   The accompanying students are currently taking part in the YRE – Litter Less campaign, run by the Foundation for Environmental Education and Nature Trust Malta. To mark the turtle’s release, educational activities were held for students including a photo scavenger hunt.   An average of 50 marine turtles are rescued every year in the Maltese waters. At the moment, eight other turtles are still undergoing treatment.     Editorial information   The WildLife Rescue Team is a dedicated team of 30 volunteers working on the turtle rehabilitation, all covered by ERA permits to handle protected animals, and are on call on a 24/7 basis. Marine turtles are also protected in the Maltese Islands by ERA.  Nature Trust Wildlife Rescue section microchips all turtles before they are released. This is a normal practice in all rehab centres in the Mediterranean.   Nature Trust Malta thanks the Armed Forces of Malta. The Malta Aquaculture Research Centre, the MTA, ERA, Dr A Grupetta, fishermen, NTM staff, schools and members of the public for their ongoing support. Special thanks goes also to HSBC Malta Foundation and Zero Waste Future for their support to the Litterless campaign.   Thanks goes to the corporate sponsors of NTM Lottoland   YRE (www.yremalta.org) is a programme designed specifically for students. The main aim is to carry out investigations on local environmental issues and report through investigative reporting and photojournalism.  The goal of YRE is to engage youth in environmental issues.   Over 3.6 million students from more than 6000 schools across the world have participated in...

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YRE Awards 2022

posted on November 15, 2022

An awards ceremony was held at St Benedict College Kirkop Secondary School on the 2nd June.  The National Coordinator, Ms Audrey Gauci, highlighted the achievements of this year, and launched the participation of Malta in the Litterless Campaign Phase V.  The only 4 countries selected from the YRE network were China, New Zealand, India and Malta.  Malta is once again very proud to be among the selected few. More details on the running of the campaign will be announced in the beginning of the next scholastic year.   The following are this year’s winners, with a selection of shortlisted entries for the international jury.     Best Campaign Photo – Shortlisted St Nicholas College, Dingli Primary School: Watch Your Steps! – Ruby Mifsud & Zack Abela Medici   Animals and insects need our help, especially bees and snails. They need our awareness and our protection. The most important thing to do is to be careful where to step. The worst thing to do is to not take notice and act like nothing is going on around you. The world needs our help and we have to do something. Remember, teamwork makes the dream work and that means we have to work together to save the world. Take a small step to save the world by first helping the living things around you. https://yrecompetition.exposure.co/malta-62   Best Reportage Photo   Gozo College Middle School: Save the species! – Martha Sultana   We, as the people of the planet, are responsible of making Earth a home. Humans are capable of the impossible but what’s possible for the little creatures that wander through the earth? Pollution and habitat damage that we created is posing danger for these unique creatures. Hedgehogs are decreasing because they can get hit by cars, get entangled in litter or simply because their natural habitat is shrinking to satisfy our greed. With a little extra effort, we can all live in harmony. The photo, which shows an Algerian hedgehog, the only species of hedgehog in the Maltese islands, was taken in my family’s field. Hedgehogs are threatened by the destruction of the countryside as well as using insecticides which accumulates in its body after eating poisoned insects and other invertebrates. The Algerian hedgehog is protected by Maltese law and it is illegal to kill or keep hedgehogs, however, this does not protect it from cars, pesticides and habitat destruction. Approximately 500 hedgehogs are rescued per year by the wildlife volunteers within the NGO Nature Trust FEE Malta. https://yrecompetition.exposure.co/malta-67     Best Series of Photos – Shortlisted   Gozo College Middle School: Loss of Natural Habitat – Emma Lynn Cauchi   Photos show contrasting realities of wildlife living in their natural habitat with a growing concern that these must adapt to new surroundings which are often overwhelmed with human progress and urban sprawl.   Photo 1: The spreading of urban developments destroying wildlife habitats. ‘Malta’s construction industry is continuing to grow at a rapid rate despite concerns over rampant abuse and...

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YRE 2021 – 2022

posted on February 1, 2022

                          Below are a list of prizes and incentives offered to the best entries for scholastic year 2021-2022.  Reference to the different criteria can be found here.  Deadline for submission of entries is 15th March 2022 for Climate Change entries and 30th April 2022 for other themes . The different age categories for articles, photos and videos are:-...

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YRE during Covid

posted on February 1, 2022

Notwithstanding the pandemic, the YRE programme kept up and running at its usual pace, with record number of entries both for 2020 and 2021.  Workshops can be held online or in person (observing bubble rules), and investigations can be done online.  Publications, raising awareness, taking a stand...

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School workshops

posted on February 12, 2019

Various schools are participating in YRE workshops, gaining more insight on reporting techniques and practicing their photography, videography and writing skills.  Particular demand is on litter as part of the litter less campaign, but themes vary. For booking of workshops contact Audrey Gauci on [email protected]....

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Nature Trust FEE Malta launches the Plastic Litter Campaign

posted on February 12, 2019

13  November 2018   Nature Trust – FEE Malta released three logger head turtles at Gnejna Bay as part of its campaign to raise awareness on the problems caused by single use plastics and micro-plastics in our seas. Together with The HSBC Malta Foundation an educational event was organised on one of Malta’s stunning coastal sites, Gnejna Bay.  The turtles were released in the presence of 130 students who are presently participating in the Young Reporters for the Environment (YRE) – Litter Less campaign, run by FEE and represented locally by Nature Trust FEE Malta. During the event the three turtles Gabriel, Victoria and Stef were released after being taken care of by Volunteers of Nature Trust Wildlife Rescue section at San Lucjan Centre.  Most of these suffered plastic or marine debris ingestion with Stef being found entangled in a net of which she had also ingested part.  This had to be removed under surgery by the Wildlife Rescue Vet Dr A Grupetta. The event included a clean-up, sand sifting with strainers to recuperate small waste, and several educational workshops for students ranging from information on the effects of litter on marine life to the invaluable work done by the rescue team. YRE students were also engaged in a photography session to send strong messages to the public on how and why we should reduce litter.  Workshops were manned by Wildlife Rescue Team, MTA, WasteServ, AFM, ERA and Zibel amongst others. Through this event the NGO wanted to raise awareness on the harm done by plastics in our marine ecology.  Such debris is also today ending up affecting human health. The students were able to understand the enormity of the problem and what each had to do to mitigate the problem. Nature Trust FEE Malta will be ongoing with this campaign throughout 2019 through its educational and conservation campaigns where it will also coordinate with other Blue Flag operators around the Mediterranean and Black sea regional cleanup campaign during July 2019. Nature Trust Malta thanks the Armed Forces of Malta. The Malta Aquaculture Research Centre, the MTA, ERA, Dr A Grupetta, fishermen, NTM staff, schools and members of the public for their ongoing support.  ...

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25 videos for 25 years of YRE…

posted on September 27, 2018

https://yremalta.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/25-videos-for-25-years-of-yre.pdf-1.docx NB..flash news on a new opportunity for Young Reporters….to mark 25 years of YRE.  If you need help with filming and editing let us know – let’s be part of this!...

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