The Belfast Hills Partnership

Local councils, government departments, community groups, nature conservation organisations, businesses and a team of staff and volunteers make up the Belfast Hills Partnership.

Directors are nominated from the statutory, community and local government sectors. People nominated from the three sectors of statutory, land owning/managing and community, sit on our Board as directors or observers.

Statutory
  • Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council
  • Belfast City Council
  • Lisburn City Council
  • Northern Ireland Environment Agency
Landowning & land managing
  • Local farmers and people owning land
  • Quarries
  • Waste management operators
  • Nature conservation groups who own/manage land
Communities
  • Local community groups
  • Environmental community groups
  • Recreation groups

As well as managing the Partnership, the directors speak for their members and respective communities.
There are 14 directors on the Board of the Belfast Hills Partnership, joined by an independent chair.
Partnership staff are based at the Social Economy Village, Hannahstown, at the foot of Black Mountain.

Volunteers work with Partnership Staff to undertake many different practical tasks on a weekly basis. For more information about volunteering with the Belfast Hills Partnership click here.

Funding has been provided by the Northern Ireland Environment Agency, Belfast City Council, Lisburn City Council, and Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council to enable the core activities of the Belfast Hills Partnership to occur. Various other projects have received further funding from grant schemes and corporate supporters.

Current Issues & Solutions

The Belfast Hills face a wide range of ongoing problems. These include fly-tipping and illegal landfill, pressures for local agriculture, access to the hills and quality of life issues for local people.

Our proposed work programme aims to:

  • Increase appreciation of the value of the Belfast Hills
  • Plan and carry out work programmes to protect and improve biodiversity on the hills
  • Help people enjoy the hills through a range of well-managed public sites
  • Improve the quality of life for local people
  • Promote sustainable agriculture and industry