07116 - bh newsletter winter 11_0

Funders of theLandscapePartnershipScheme.

The Landscape Partnership Scheme is tasked to: ■ Sustainably develop the landscape of the Belfast Hills ■ Promote a shared vision

of community action to ensure the conservation of the hills ■ Reconnect local populations to their heritage with an oral history project,

a heritage booklet, community archaeology digs, improved signage at sites and photographic exhibitions ■ Develop sustainable tourism

with improved paths, information panels, guides and recreation facilities ■ Address threats of fires, erosion, farming decline, invasive

species, inappropriate development, climate change and anti-social behaviour ■ Provide high-quality local training for volunteers

including a warden scheme ■ Improve access to the hills and foster social interaction among communities isolated from each other

during the Troubles ■ Spearhead biodiversity projects with private landowners and businesses in the Belfast Hills

Read on to discover trainingand volunteering opportunitiesin the Belfast Hills

Brave new era for Belfast HillsA massive £1.8 million cash injection has been announced that heralds a brave new era for the BelfastHills. The Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) has approved a £1.15 million grant for the Belfast Hills LandscapePartnership (LP) scheme.A host of organisations including the NI Environmental Agency, the Rural Development Programme andBelfast, Lisburn, Newtownabbey and Antrim councils have provided further funding. The scheme to enhancethe Belfast Hills will galvanise local communities to become involved in the legacy and future protection ofthis unique rural environment that nestles in the midst of a large urban population.The initiative will deliver four and a half new posts within the Belfast Hills Partnership offices and provide aboost to the social economy. Landscape Partnership Scheme Development Manager Dr Lizzy Pinkertonwelcomed the announcement. “The Landscape Partnership scheme will be the impetus for an ongoingprocess of growth and development that will result in a sustainable legacy for our landscape and its people.“We would like to thank our partner organisations who have provided vital support and guidance during thedevelopment of this project.”Paul Mullan, Head of HLF Northern Ireland, said: “We aredelighted to announce this funding which will bring togetherthe communities of Belfast, Lisburn, Newtownabbey andAntrim to engage with, and enjoy the natural, cultural andbuilt heritage of the Belfast Hills. The Landscape Partnershipscheme will involve a portfolio of projects that provide longterm social, economic and environmental benefits for thearea, ensuring this outstanding asset is protected, cherishedand valued for generations to come.”“The Belfast Hills Partnership is to be commended on havingthe vision to make this project a reality,” the Minister said.

Image copyright Northern Ireland Tourist Board

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The Belfast Hills provide a refuge tomany different species, including anumber of priority species. Theseinclude birds like barn owls, meadowpipits, marsh fritillary butterfly andIrish hare.Bird, bat, moth, butterfly and plantidentification and surveyingtechniques are among trainingcourses planned under theLandscape Partnership Scheme.

Biologicalsurveys

The close location of the hills to alarge urban population makes thema convenient training ground wherepeople can be taught the variousmethods of biological surveying.The training is aimed at raisingpeople’s awareness of the wildlife,flora and fauna in the hills. Theycan learn about the nature andhabitat that makes up the Belfast

Hills and how they can getinvolved in protecting andencouraging wildlife.

It is hoped those who attend thecourses will join our volunteers tohelp monitor wildlife. We havepreviously held many events whichhave included elements of

biological surveying.New courses will provide vitaldata along with greater levels ofspecies monitoring andrecording within the Belfast

Hills. This will result in betterunderstanding of the environmentand positive management changes.

Task force needed to haltalien attacks!The Landscape Partnership

Scheme aims to step up thewar on alien invasives and

plans to train a cracksquad of volunteerwarriors to seek out anddestroy colonies of

harmful plants.A team of Belfast Hills

Partnership staff and volunteershave made dramatic improvementsto the Colin Glen river in the west of

the city, in helping to reduce thespread of the biggest threats -

Himalayan Balsam and Japanese Knotweed.Instances of invasive species have reduced as a result of the pilotscheme, while specially trained contractors have sprayedJapanese Knotweed at Colin Glen and Glenside CommunityWoodland.Now the successful scheme is being rolled out across sites suchas Cave Hill and Ligoniel. The Partnership aims to train people inthe use of GIS (Geographic Information Systems) to survey andmap out invasive plants in the Belfast Hills.Learning is open to all ages and abilities, however you must beable to cover some hill walking distances. Alien invasive plants are not native to Irish shores. They are highlyadaptable, aggressive and have a high reproductive capacity. Afterhabitat destruction invasive species are the second greatestthreat to biodiversity worldwide. The plants negatively impact on native flora and threaten wholeecosystems causing serious problems tothe environment and economy. Their vigour, combined with a lackof natural enemies, often lead tomajor outbreaks and requireslots of mapping, surveying anderadication.Unlike Himalayan Balsam thatcan easily be pulled by hand in Mayand June, Japanese Knotweed has avery extensive root system and needsspraying by qualified contractors.Indeed, the size of the roots requiresspraying for at least three years. Unfortunately there are known to behigh levels of invasive species in theBelfast Hills. River corridors canprovide the perfect habitat for theinvasives to spread.

Right: The invasive Himalayan Balsam

Invasives

Above: The invasiveJapanese Knotweed


The new Divis trail will enable acircular route to be created forrecreational users to themountain. Due to the steep slopesand boggy conditions on the sideof the hill, the new stone pitchedpath will help prevent erosion.The work has been funded by theRural Development Programme,Ulster Garden Villages and theAlpha Programme. LandscapePartnership Manager LizzyPinkerton said the improvementswould benefit the communitiesaround the Belfast Hills.“The paths, complete with way-markers, information and otherfacilities will upgrade accessmaking the sites more accessibleto everyone. They will attract

visitors to the Belfast Hills fromlocal communities and from thetourist and visitor markets,” she said.“Information about the differentfacilities, route terrain and accesswill also be clearly presented forpeople tackling the longerdistance walks in the BelfastHills. Less able-bodied peoplewill benefit from seats to restupon and being able to access theshorter, easier walks. “Communities will be physicallyconnected by the new access,breaking down mental divides andthe concept of areas beingaccessible to only one section ofthe community,” she added.

No fear - just volunteer!!The Partnership will be offeringa massive 1,000 volunteer daysfor people to learn about nature,get involved in conservation andexperience the best of what theBelfast Hills have to offer.The aim is for the people ofBelfast, Newtownabbey andLisburn to reclaim the hills astheir own precious environment.At the same time, they will getpractical hands-on workexperience in conservation andheritage survey techniques.The volunteer army will begetting the lowdown on heritagetraining and skills as well asranger duties - looking aftercertain areas in the hills.The work of the volunteers will

have a huge impact. Tasks arewide ranging and includerestoring built heritage sites,mapping wildfire damage,recording wildlife, buildinghomes for animals and birds andcarrying out archaeologicalsurveys. It is aimed that thevolunteering days will interest abroad range of people andprovide an opportunity to getinvolved in the work of thePartnership.Our current volunteers say theyfeel pride, greater ownershipand knowledge of the work doneby the Partnership.When a project is completed,they also see a real differenceand feel a sense of achievement

Pathworks

Above: Volunteer working on path upgrade

Get signed up to our E-NewsletterTo receive updates and events go to www.belfasthills.org and click on ‘sign up for our E-Newsletter’. Become our Friend! - Why not support the Partnership by becoming a Friendof the Belfast Hills? Get free entry to most events and enjoy other benefits for just £10 a year.Details are on our homepage. We’re at ‘Belfast Hills Partnership’ on Facebook, ‘Belfast Hills’on Twitter and ‘Belfasthills’ on YouTube!

as a group.This project is in response to themany requests for volunteeringreceived by the Partnership.There will be a dedicatedvolunteering officer recruited in2012 who will co-ordinate thismassive and varied project.

Carving out the paths to access. A newpathways infrastructure project will be builtunder the new Landscape Partnership Project

This scheme will oversee theinstallation of new paths and theimprovement of existing pathsacross the whole of the BelfastHills. Path works in year one willinclude Cave Hill Country Park,from McArt’s Fort towardsHazelwood and around thelimestone quarry, along with DivisMountain from the Tipperary roadto the summit.


Vocal heroes - Belfast Hills tour guidingEfforts are underway to launch a task force of hill walking tour guides to reveal our spectacular hills to visitorsto Belfast. We have identified massive potential to showcase the dramatic hills that frame Belfast to tourists.The recent MTV EMA awards provided a huge boost to the improving image of Belfast and next year’s Titanicanniversary is expected to have tourists flocking to the city.

The Belfast Hills are acknowledged in local tourism strategies to be an important destination for tourists andvisitors alike. And now the Belfast Hills Partnership will be offering tour guide training courses to bring careeropportunities for local people from the communities around the hills to be ambassadors for their areas.

Trained guides may be used by various site managers in places like Cave Hill to lead groups of visitors. So ifyou’re a people person with bags of personality, value the benefits of sustainable tourism, are fiercely proud ofour city’s heritage and favour working and hill walking in the outdoors, then this course will be perfect for you.

You don’t need any qualifications and you can be of any age.

There’s no end to opportunities for you

to do your bit for conservation in your

local environment with training being

delivered under the new Landscape

Partnership Scheme.

You might want to get to grips with how

to plant traditional hedgerows.

Perhaps you’d like to twig on to the

expertise involved in woodland

management, or you might even fancy

yourself as a volunteer warden in your

area of the Belfast Hills.

You could look into how technology is

helping us electronically map, monitor

and eradicate invasive plants in the

hills that crowd out native vegetation.

You can hone your conservation skills

in a series of workshops on offer that

will deliver practical skills and boost

your expertise. You don’t need any

qualifications and you can be of any

age and from any walk of life. The

training you receive is aimed at

encouraging the management and

maintenance of the special heritage of

the Belfast Hills.

And there will be a mentoring scheme

offered to aid prospective wardens - to

be the eyes and ears on the ground

throughout the Belfast Hills and

protect their patch.

“The Belfast Hills belong to us all and

the people in the communities that live

around the hills are our greatest

resource in helping to protect and

improve them,” says Lizzy Pinkerton.

So sign up for some really wonderful

opportunities to learn about the

environment in the Belfast Hills and

how we aim to look after them.

If you are interested in any of the practical training opportunities offered, just contact us for more information.

Email landscape partnership manager [email protected] or telephone 028 9060 3466.

Practical conservation - Hands on learning in the Hills

For the latest list of Events log onto www.belfasthills.org/events

Please note: All children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult. Suitable clothing and footwear should be worn.

Dogs are allowed on some walks but only if kept under control. Parts of some walks can be steep or difficult.

Number of visitors and spend to Belfast

Year No. of visitors Visitor spend

2009 9.3 million £451 million

2008 7.1 million £437 million

2007 6.9 million £313.3 million




The Belfast Hills - a people’s history

Are you spoken for?That’s the question being posedas part of a major oral historyproject for the Belfast Hills.

The word-of-mouth initiativewill feature ordinary people wholived, worked and played in theBelfast Hills in times gone by.

And the search is on for peopleof a certain vintage to getinvolved in recording theirmemories and sharing theirphotographs for the project.

So if your granny, granda,mother, father, uncle or great-grandfather can talk abouttheir glory days around Divisand Black Mountain, Cave Hill,Carnmoney, Colin Glen orSlievenacloy, then get in touchwith us.

The aim of the initiative - whichit is hoped will also involve

local history groups - is toensure that our communityhistory is not lost over time.

It’s hoped the finished productwill lead to a greaterawareness of local traditionsand stories connected to theBelfast Hills.

This coincides with an increasein demand of peopleresearching their familyconnections to the Belfast Hills.

Lots of history and genealogyhas been collected and isavailable on our website.

This has sparked lots of interestwith queries from as far awayas America and Australia withpeople trying to trace relativesin the Belfast Hills.

And a number of oral historybooks have been produced aboutthe Belfast Hills in recent years.

Voices From Cave Hill by BenSimon and Liz McShane’s Divisand the Black Mountain, LocalHistory and Memories haveproved popular.

Many aspects of life and workin Belfast were connected tothe Belfast Hills.

“Whether you or your relativetickled trout on Divis,experienced the Belfast Blitz of1941 around Cave Hill andCarnmoney or spent endlesssummers in the RumblingHole, we want to hear yourstory,” said Jim Bradley of the Partnership.

It’s hoped thefinished productwill lead to agreater awarenessof local traditionsand storiesconnected to theBelfast Hills

“

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But you’ll be in the knowabout the places to go, what towear, all the precautions you’llneed for walking in allseasons and basic safety foryou and your futurecompanions.This basic hill walking courseassumes no previousknowledge but will open upways for people to access andenjoy walking in the hills. This

will put you on a strong footingto pass your knowledge ontoyour friends and family.The course aims to encourageand inspire confidence in newwalkers who wouldn’t attemptto go walking by themselves.This initiative to teach bestpractice, will also help breakdown social barriers and getmore people walking andknowing about the Belfast Hills.

It is hoped that at least50 local people will betrained in hill walkingskills over the next

three years.To ensure commitment to

the course, there will be asmall charge, which will thenhelp fund future courses.This training is open to allmembers of the generalpublic, walking group leaders and potentialvolunteers.

It’s your Belfast Hills: The Partnership brings together statutory bodies with a role to play in the Belfast Hills,including Belfast, Lisburn, Newtownabbey and Antrim councils. These representatives are joined by people from thefarming, community, commercial, recreation and environmental sectors. All have pledged to work together tobenefit the Belfast Hills. Charity No: XR70288 Company No: NI053189

Address: 9 Social Economy Village, Hannahstown Hill, Belfast, BT17 OXST: 028 9060 3466 • F: 028 9030 9867 • E: [email protected] • www.belfasthills.org

Get the boot into

Design & Print NEWCREATION.com 028 38 321 255

If you’re itching to get yourfeet onto the Belfast Hills butfeel you lack knowledge aboutthe terrain and how to gear up,then step into our practical hillwalking course.People often set out from thecity badly equipped andprepared for a mountain walk,given the speed at whichweather conditions canchange rapidly in the hills.

hill walking

Transforming farmland for wildlife The farming landscape of the hills will benefit from almost £60,000 as part of the LandscapePartnership Scheme. Farmers will be able to apply for grants towards a range of works such ashedgerow and wildflower planting, removal of invasive species and painting of farm outhouses. Theaim is to transform farmland in the hills aesthetically, encourage wildlife and best environmentalpractice. More details of the scheme will be released in spring. Farmers can contact us now to be puton the contact list and receive details as soon as the programme starts.


07116 - bh newsletter winter 11_0

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