A Tree Nursery for the Future
The Belfast Hills Partnership has developed a new Native Tree and Wildflower Nursery, ensuring a greener future for Belfast.
The Belfast Hills Partnership has been teaming up with Belfast City Council, The Woodland Trust and many other partners to help achieve the target of planting one million trees in Belfast by 2035. Part of this ambitious work is happening through the creation of a native tree and wildflower nursery.
There has been a lot of talk and plans for planting trees to improve biodiversity and help stop the current climate crisis. Therefore a sustainable, quality supply of local provenance trees need to be produced. Thus the Belfast Hills Partnership decided that to ensure a greener future for Belfast it would step up and plant trees grown from local tree seeds.
Native Tree and Wildflower Nursery
The Native Tree and Wildflower Nursey was completed just as lockdown started. It now has an abundance of oaks, hazel and alder saplings defiantly breaking through the soil. This work has been possible through the support of a wide range of partners. Work West provided the land for the nursery, which is based just below the Belfast Hills Partnership office. Additionally, White Mountain Quarries helped remove waste vegetation from the previously unused industrial waste land. Local company Natural World Products provided the compost free of charge. Financial support was generously provided by NIEA DAERA, Esmée Fairbairn, the National Lottery Community Fund’s Our Bright Future project and the Woodland Trust.
Belfast Hills Partnership Project Officer, Judy Meharg, said
“Trees not only generate oxygen and store carbon, but also provide homes to a huge range of wildlife. Indeed, a native Irish oak is able to support up to 500 species, including red squirrels, barn owls, pipistrelle bats and tree sparrows.”
Belfast Hills Partnership Environmental Engagement Officer, Laura Shiels, said
“We are really excited about local people’s involvement in this project. The Native Wildflower and Tree Nursey has a built-in education area. This will enable children and adults alike to come along and learn about how plants grow. Currently a team of local volunteers join us every Tuesday helping to develop our Nursery. We couldn’t do it without them!”
Please contact us to get involved at the Nursery, or to arrange a school group visit. Email [email protected] or phone 028 9060 3466.