From this weekend, the Tal-Bosk Farmhouse in Buskett will be opening its doors to the public.
The site is managed through a collaboration between BirdLife Malta and the Ministry for Sustainable Development, the Environment and Climate Change. The agreement between BirdLife and the Parks & Initiatives Directorate for the management of the site was entered into on 11 September 2015.
This is one of three scheduled farmhouses in Buskett, built by the Knights of Malta, which were restored to their former glory with the help of EU funds: Tal-Bagħal, Tal-Ispirtu and Tal-Bosk. Two of these government-owned properties were last year handed over to FKNK and BirdLife Malta to be used for scientific research about birds. The properties are scheduled by MEPA as Grade 1-listed buildings. BirdLife Malta was given possession of Tal-Bosk Farmhouse to be used as a centre for the rehabilitation of shot and injured birds.
The first occasion for the general public to visit Tal-Bosk Farmhouse will be this Saturday 1 October when the second event of BirdLife Malta’s Migration Festival will be held on site. The Migration Festival, which started last Saturday at Laferla Cross in Siġġiewi, is held at the peak of the raptor migration over the Maltese Islands and is being organised over three consecutive Saturdays. The last event will be held on Saturday 8 October in Għadira.
This Saturday’s event at Buskett will be held between 15:00 and 18:00 where the magic of migration shall be celebrated with the launch of a Maltese Nature Photo Exhibit which will be a permanent feature of the farmhouse. The selected photos have all been taken by local Maltese photographers and will be changed seasonally to celebrate the wildlife of Malta and Gozo. During Saturday’s event, there will also be a presentation about birdwatching and migration in Malta together with other family activities and a guided birdwatching walk through Buskett to try to spot raptors coming in to roost for the night.
To book to attend this weekend’s event at Tal-Bosk, an email should be sent to [email protected] including the name and contact number; membership number (if applicable), the number of people in the group and the age of the children in the group, if any.
Following this launch event, from the following weekend the Tal-Bosk Farmhouse will be open to the public every Saturday and Sunday from 10:00 to 12:00. Visitors will be able to view the photo exhibit and display boards sharing information about a wide variety of nature spots that can be visited around Malta.
Apart from migration monitoring at this exciting time of the year, the farmhouse – which is equipped with all the necessary amenities – shall also be used for other events such as seminars and small conferences, and also as the starting point for guided walks around Buskett which is Malta’s only woodland.
The main and largest room in the building is the visitor centre. With its high ceiling, skylight and traditional limestone, it is a beautiful space for visitors to learn about the history of the building and woodland, successful rehabilitation projects, BirdLife Malta’s work, plus more on the wildlife of the Maltese archipelago. Between the two buildings is a courtyard that is large enough for visiting groups to hold educational sessions outside. With an ancient Carob tree taking centre place and views of the surrounding woodland, it is a beautiful area for visitors to enjoy.
The Tal-Bosk Farmhouse can be accessed by a path up through the woodland or from the road between Buskett and Siġġiewi. (See location map)
Read the Maltese version of the press release here.