1. General information
Location and description of the intervention
City or FUA
Belfast
Region
Europe
Native title of the NBS intervention
Biodiversity garden, Irish language school
Short description of the intervention
A part of the Translink Biodiversity Project, the garden will support a wide range of native wildlife and plant species as well as enhance pupils’ learning experience. (ref 2). The children of An Droichead will gain a new understanding of the environment around and a biodiversity community garden that could be used by the children and local community as an integral learning resource. (ref 1)
Address

An Droichead, 20 Cooke St
Ormeau Road,
Belfast
BT7 2EP
United Kingdom

Location
The NBS is situated in an area, with clear delineation of boundaries and a specific shape (polygon). The NBS project can also have more than one area location (more than one polygon, situated close by).
NBS area image
Source of NBS area image
https://www.google.com/maps/place/An+Droichead/@54.5889695,-5.9239012,252m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x0:0xd1ec84a07500bfb6!8m2!3d54.5887131!4d-5.923069
Type of area before implementation of the NBS
Other
Please specify “other type of area” before implementation of the NBS
School grounds (Ref 2)
Website of the intervention
http://www.alphaprogramme.com/projects/10/biodiversity-garden-for-irish-languag…
Timeline of intervention
Start date of the intervention (planning process)
unknown
Start date of intervention (implementation process)
2009
End date of the intervention
2009
Present stage of the intervention
Completed
Goals of the intervention
1. To develop a new secure wildlife space and biodiversity garden. (ref 2)
2. The garden will support a wide range of native wildlife and plant species. (ref 3)
3. enhance School students’ learning experience (ref 3)
4. strengthening people’s links with nature. (Ref2)
Quantitative targets
unknown
Monitoring indicators defined
unknown
Sustainability challenge(s) addressed
Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
Green space creation and/or management
Regeneration, land-use and urban development
Promote natural styles of landscape design for urban development
Social justice, cohesion and equity (SDG 10)
Environmental education
Health and well-being (SDG 3)
Creation of opportunities for recreation
Cultural heritage and cultural diversity
Preservation of natural heritage
Please specify "other Type of NBS project"
permaculture garden for pupils (ref 2)
Implementation activities
Language School and Translink joined to create a new permaculture garden for pupils (ref 2)
Type of NBS project
Creation of new green areas
Knowledge creation and awareness raising
Other
NBS domain and interventions
Ecological domain(s) where the NBS intervention(s) is/are implemented
Grey infrastructure featuring greens
Green playgrounds and school grounds
Community gardens and allotments
Community gardens
Other
Please specify "other allotments and community gardens"
Permaculture garden (Ref 2)
Please specify the number of plots or allotment gardens
Unknown
Vegetation Type
Garden beds
Other
Amenities offered by the NBS
Unknown
Services
Expected ecosystem services delivered
Habitat and supporting services
Habitats for species
Maintenance of genetic diversity
Cultural services
Inspiration for culture, art and design
Recreation
Intellectual interactions (scientific and / or educational)
Scale
Spatial scale
Sub-microscale: Street scale (including buildings)
Beneficiaries
Primary Beneficiaries
Public sector institution (e.g. school or hospital)
Non-government organisation/Civil Society
Citizens or community groups
Governance
Governance arrangements
Led by non-government actors
Non-government actors
Non-governmental organisation (NGO) / Civil society / Churches
Please specify the roles of the specific government and non-government actor groups involved in the initiative
Language School and Translink Biodiversity project funded by the Alpha Programme. (Ref 2)
Key actors - initiating organization
Private foundation/trust
Land owners
Educational actor (schools or universities)
Key actors - Other stakeholders involved (besides initiating actors)
Public sector institution
Private foundation/trust
Land owners
Educational actor (schools or universities)
Participatory methods/forms of community involvement used
Joint implementation (e.g. tree planting)
Policy drivers
NBS intervention implemented in response to an Regional Directive/Strategy
Unknown
NBS intervention implemented in response to a national regulations/strategy/plan
Unknown
NBS intervention implemented in response to a local regulation/strategy/plan
Unknown
Mandatory or voluntary intervention
Voluntary (spontaneous)
Enablers
Presence of specific city-level GI/NBS vision/strategy/plan - mentioned in connection to the project
Unknown
Presence of specific city-level GI/NBS section/part in a more general plan - mentioned in connection to the project
Unknown
Please specify other vegetation type
permaculture garden (ref 2)
native wildlife and plant species (Ref 2)
wildlife space and biodiversity garden. (ref 2)
Presence of city network or regional partnerships focused on NBS - mentioned in connection to the project
Yes
Please specify
Translink Biodiversity steering group (ref 3) “Translink is demonstrating high standards of social and environmental responsibility, by becoming partners to develop a new secure wildlife space and biodiversity garden". (ref 3)
Presence of GI / NBS research project - mentioned in connection to the project
Unknown
Subsidies/investment for GI / NBS in the city - mentioned in connection to the project
Unknown
Co-finance for NBS
No
Co-financing governance arrangements
No
Was this co-governance arrangement already in place, or was it set up specifically for this NBS?
Not applicable
Financing
Total cost
€10,000 - €50,000
What is/was the Cost/Budget (EUR) of the NBS or green infrastructure elements?
20,500 EUR (Ref 1)
What are the total amount of expected annual maintenance costs?
Unknown
What is the expected annual maintenance costs of the NBS or GI elements?
Unknown
Please specify cost savings
Unknown
Please specify total cost (EUR)
Funding of £18,840 from the Alpha Programme (Ref 1)
Source(s) of funding
Private Foundation/Trust
Type of fund(s) used
Direct funding (grants, subsidies, or self-financed projects by private entities)
Non-financial contribution
Yes
Type of non-financial contribution
Provision of land
Provision of labour
Provision of other services
Who provided the non-financial contribution?
Citizens (e.g. volunteering)
Private sector (businesses, financial institution)
Other
Business models
Green densification model
Green education model
Which of the involved actors was motivated by this model?
Private non-for-profit actor (e.g. NGO, foundation)
Citizens / local communities
Type of innovation
Social
Cultural innovation
Please specify social innovation
It involves the creation of a permaculture garden for increased biodiversity supporting a wide range of native wildlife and plant species as well as enhancing pupils’ learning experience. (ref 2).
Novelty level of the innovation
Unknown
Please specify novelty level of the innovation
Unknown
Replicability/Transferability
Unknown
Please specify Replicability/Transferability
Unknown
Impacts, benefits
Environmental impacts
Green space and habitat
Increased green space area
Increased number of species present
Description of environmental benefits
The permaculture garden will support a wide range of native wildlife and plant species (Ref 2, 3)
Economic impacts
Unknown
Description of economic benefits
Unknown
Social and cultural impacts
Social justice and cohesion
Increased opportunities for social interaction
Health and wellbeing
Gain in activities for recreation and exercise
Education
Increased support for education and scientific research
Increased knowledge of locals about local nature
Description of social and cultural benefits
The permaculture garden will support a wide range of native wildlife and plant species as well as enhance pupils’ learning experience and interest in subjects such as science. (Ref 2, 3)
Translink Biodiversity steering group (ref 3) “Translink is demonstrating high standards of social and environmental responsibility, by becoming partners to develop a new secure wildlife space and biodiversity garden". (ref 3)
Type of reported impacts
Expected impacts
Achieved impacts
Indicators
1. The garden supports a wide range of native wildlife and plant species (ref 2)
2. The School students’ learning experiences are enhanced with this project (ref 3)
3. The community garden is used as an integral learning resource. (ref 1)
Environmental, social and economic impacts
Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
Social justice, cohesion and equity (SDG 10)
Health and well-being (SDG 3)
Analysis of specific impact categories
Job creation: The NBS created ...
No information available
Negative impacts: Did the project cause any problems or concerns?
No information was found regarding negative impacts of the project
COVID-19 pandemic
Unknown as of 24 September 2020
Methods of impact monitoring
Process of recording NBS impacts
No evidence in public records
Methods used to evaluate the impacts of NBS
Unknown
Evidence for use of assessment
Presence of an assessment, evaluation and/or monitoring process
Unknown
Presence of indicators used in reporting
No evidence in public records
Presence of monitoring/evaluation reports
No evidence in public records
Availability of a web-based monitoring tool
No evidence in public records
Impact assessment mechanism
Name of any specific impact assessment tools
unknown
Use of GIS in mapping impacts
No evidence in public records
Citizen involvement
Citizens involvement in assessment/evaluation
Unknown
Citizens involvement in the analysis of the assessment/evaluation
Unknown
Follow-up to the evaluation / assessment
Unknown
References
Web links relevant to the intervention
alpha programme
List of references
Ref 1. Alpha Resource Management . (nd.) Biodiversity garden for Irish language school. [Website not available in 2020]
Ref 2. Belfast Telegraph. (2009). Garden in bloom at An Droichead. Source: http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/garden-in-bloom-at-an-droichead-28469221.html [Accessed 24 September 2020]
Ref 3. Lagan Valley Permaculture. nd. School Garden at An Droichead. Accessed at: https://laganvalleypermaculture.wordpress.com/local-food-projects/279-2/ [Accessed 24 September 2020]
Comments and notes
Public Images
Volunteers at An Droichead
https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/garden-in-bloom-at-an-droichead-28469221.html
Please specify other source of non-financial contribution
Language School provided land, pupils of the language school provided labour, and Translink provided new fencing (Ref 2)