Olive oil maker says trees were ‘butchered’

An olive oil producer described the recent tree pruning in Rabat, Malta, which led to heavy public criticism, as “butchering”. Referring to photos of a pruned tree in Rabat, Sam Cremona, who has about 500 olive trees of his own, said the extensive wound caused by the chainsaw cannot be treated. A landscapist engaged by the Rabat local council to clear up broken branches and cut “sick” ones was recently involved in an incident with conservationist Foppe Seekles. The conservationist was upset at “aggressive” pruning he believed was “killing the trees”. After the incident, the council’s contract manager immediately stopped the pruning contract and Rabat mayor Sandro Craus said the council was seeking advice on the matter.