Testing the waters

Covering less than 1% of Maltese territory, wetlands are one of our rarest habitats. All life on Earth needs water, so wetlands invariably support a rich flora and fauna. As part of our driving mission to increase biodiversity, BirdLife Malta is currently restoring part of the former wetland at Salina Nature Reserve. This exciting project involves the creation of ponds and creeks that within months should be teeming with new life. Hitting the right balance between salinity and freshwater is crucial, so regular testing of the new water bodies is necessary, as the BirdLife officials in the picture are doing.