Native woodland opens in Belfast Hills after Woodland Trust project

The first phase of a new native woodland has opened in the Belfast Hills above Newtownabbey.

Glas-na-Bradan Wood has been planted by members of the public on land that was bought by the Woodland Trust a year ago.

The trees are all native varieties dotted all over the first 15 hectares of the site.

Another 11 hectares will be added every year for the duration of this five-year project.

"We've such a little amount of native woodland in Northern Ireland, and our native ancient woodland, we've only 0.04% land cover," said Gregor Fulton, senior outreach manager at the Woodland Trust.

"We wanted to plant native trees that would extend and protect the ancient woodland of Cavehill Country Park, and also look good on the landscape."

While one aim is access - creating a patch to open up the natural resource of the Belfast Hills - the public has also been involved in creating the new native woodland.

Hazel, alder, Scots pine, silver birch, downy birch, cherry and oak trees have been planted

"We've 150,000 trees to plant and we wanted to get the community to plant them all," said Mr Fulton.

"So over the last planting season which just ended in April, we planted 45,000 trees with the community, every single tree planted by a member of the public. Lots of children and families up here, community groups, GAA, football clubs. We'd Scouts, we had Cubs.

"Whenever we put the request out, we were absolutely surprised by the number that wanted to be involved."

The trees also play an important part in tackling climate change and flood alleviation.

"The site's called Glas-na-Bradan wood, the Glas-na-Bradan river is sourced on the site. It runs down through Newtownabbey and out into Belfast Lough.

"There are flood risks with that river, and also the Mile Water which is also sourced on the site.

The Glas-na-Bradan river runs through Newtownabbey and out into Belfast Lough

"So the trees will be helping with controlling the flooding further downstream.

"It's also sequestering carbon, and that's so important beside Belfast city, Antrim, and Newtownabbey just on the doorstep, to clean the air for people that are living close by."

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The next planting season will begin in November.

"At the minute the trees are small, only about 60cm or 70cm tall," said Gregor.

"But in five years' time, you'll actually be walking amongst them. They'll be up to shoulder height or just over head height. Some of them will even be away up past my height, the birch and the alder in particular just shoot out of the ground.

"So you'll be walking through a young woodland and starting to enjoy that woodland experience."