Wildlife flits to city

THE Belfast Hills Partnership has been undertaking an audit of land around the Belfast Hills which includes land near Lisburn, to study the numbers of wildlife being attracted to urban fringe sites.

The charity is asking people to contribute to the survey, wildlife-friendly sites they know of along the fringes of the hills. Though they may be very small pockets of green space these areas collectively provide vital oases of habitat. The aim is to promote the increasing value of urban fringe sites in the drive to improve the lot for our native wildlife.

Belfast Hills Partnership manager Jim Bradley said he has plans to map out such sites, investigate their wildlife and see if any improvements can be made by working with local owners and communities.

“By getting this basic information together first we can then see what sites might be linked up and how local people can become actively involved in improving a whole series of sites for wildlife. Sites which link one green area with another can be particularly important corridors for bats, insects and small mammals which need more than one site to feed and live. We are aware of and indeed working to improve such sites that we know of, but what we need to find out from your readers is what other green spaces along the fringe of the Belfast Hills is important for wildlife and what wildlife they see there.”

If you live along the urban fringes of the Belfast Hills and know of a site, the Belfast Hills Partnership would like to hear from you. They can be contacted by email to [email protected], Facebook, Twitter (Belfasthills) or by calling 028 90603466.

Related topics: