This is an example of a community-centred, urban reforestation project that brings together volunteers and those within the public and private sectors to create a greener city. Aiming to plant 1 million trees across Belfast by 2035, this is an ambitious project, but the city is keen to maintain its position as one of the top cities for climate action. By partnering up with residents, community groups, workplaces, local schools and landowners, everyone is able to get involved. The planting has also been an opportunity to socialise for many – students among them. Post-COVID, this was significant as it allowed different groups from varying backgrounds to meet while making a positive difference in the local community.

The benefits of reforestation can be social, as well as environmental - something the project wishes to highlight:

• Locking up more carbon through sequestration

• Improving air quality

• Supporting citizens’ wellbeing

• Reducing flood risk

• Preventing soil erosion by stabilising soil

• Promoting biodiversity

• Reducing urban heat island effect by increasing leaf cover

• Making the urban landscape more visually appealing

Also, many saplings began their life as fallen acorns in one of the city’s parks, nurtured (and then planted) by volunteers. They are therefore native oaks, supporting local ecology.

This initiative is part of the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs’ ‘Forest of our Future’ programme (planting 18 million trees in Northern Ireland by 2030).

See their video:

Reference list

Cullen, L. (2023) One Million trees project aims to double Belfast's tree cover, BBC News. Available at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-64052797 (Accessed: January 3, 2023). 

Forest for our future – forest expansion scheme reopens (2020) Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA). Available at: https://www.daera-ni.gov.uk/news/forest-our-future-forest-expansion-scheme-reopens (Accessed: January 3, 2023). 

One Million Trees (no date) Belfast City Council. Available at: https://www.belfastcity.gov.uk/onemilliontrees (Accessed: January 3, 2023).