Northern Ireland’s first Tiny Forest planted in Belfast
The children of Black Mountain Primary School helped create an urban forest 🌳
Earthwatch Europe, an environmental charity, is proud to announce a partnership with The Queen’s Green Canopy to create Tiny Forests across the UK in memory of Queen Elizabeth.
Starting in Belfast, the four Tiny Forests - which consist of 600 trees intensely planted in an area roughly the size of a tennis court – will be planted in urban areas.
Tiny Forests are dense, fast growing native woodlands which are designed to bring woodlands right into the heart of urban spaces and communities.
There are over 150 Tiny Forests throughout the UK, but the new Tiny Forest in Belfast is the first of its kind in Northern Ireland.
The children of Black Mountain Primary School and the local community members planted 600 trees including Elm, Oak, Silver Birch, Hawthorn, and Gorse in Belfast yesterday.
The forest was designed to attract over 500 animal and plant species within the first three years, providing an accessible green space and outdoor classroom for local urban communities to connect with nature.
Ben Williams of Earthwatch said: "We’re so pleased to see so many members of the local community come out to help create this fantastic forest.
"Each Tiny Forest that we plant has a positive impact on its community and we’re looking forward to working with the local community in Belfast to care for their new Tiny Forest. It’s very special to have this forest so close to Black Mountain Primary School as the children will be able to see the trees that they planted growing up alongside them."
Working together with the Northern Ireland Housing Executive, children from Black Mountain Primary were joined by Dame Fionnuala Mary Jay-O'Boyle, Lord-Lieutenant of Belfast, Councillor John Hussey, High Sheriff of Belfast, and local residents to plant 600 trees to create the first Tiny Forest in Belfast.
Malachy Brennan, Head of Grounds Maintenance for the Housing Executive’s Belfast Region, said: "We were delighted to provide a portion of our land for this project.
"It’s so exciting to see local school children get involved in bio-diversity projects - we hope it inspires them to enhance and protect their environment in the years ahead."
In addition to Belfast’s forest, further Tiny Forests will be created in Glasgow, Swansea and Enfield.
By 2030, Earthwatch aims to have planted 500 Tiny Forests across Europe.
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