1. General information
Location and description of the intervention
City or FUA
Belfast
Region
Europe
Native title of the NBS intervention
Mount Eagles wildflower meadow
Short description of the intervention
A new wildflower meadow has been created at a new estate on the outskirts of Belfast. The Mount Eagles Drive Action Group held a wildflower planting event with two local Colin primary schools, namely, Christ the Redeemer and Our Lady Queen of Peace to provide a unique opportunity for children to learn about nature, and, in particular, how wildflowers are an essential part of our landscape, enhancing the biodiversity of our native insect, plant and animal species. (ref1) Pupils from Christ the Redeemer and Our Lady Queen of Peace schools spent a morning planting a wide variety of wildflower plugs and seeds in the Mount Eagles wildflower meadow, under the expert supervision of highly trained horticulturalists. (Ref 3)
Address

Mount Eagles Playground
Mount Eagles Avenue
Belfast
BT17 0GT
United Kingdom

Location
The NBS is a city-wide initiative, the GIS point marks the centre of the city
Type of area before implementation of the NBS
Residential
Website of the intervention
http://belfasthills.org/magnificient-meadows-to-bloom-at-lagmore-glen/
Timeline of intervention
Start date of the intervention (planning process)
2015
Start date of intervention (implementation process)
2015
End date of the intervention
2015
Present stage of the intervention
Completed
Goals of the intervention
1. To create a green oasis (wildflower meadow created in Mount Eagles) and a wildlife corridor that can be used by the community (ref 1)
2. To promote the sites biodiversity and recreational importance. (ref1)
3. An opportunity for children to learn about nature (ref 1)
4. Building a swift tower within the site (ref 1)
5. Elderly and disabled members of the community would be advantaged by active participation in the project (ref 2)
Quantitative targets
unknown
Monitoring indicators defined
unknown
Sustainability challenge(s) addressed
Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
Green space creation and/or management
Social justice, cohesion and equity (SDG 10)
Environmental education
Social interaction
Health and well-being (SDG 3)
Enabling opportunities for physical activity
Creation of opportunities for recreation
Implementation activities
A new wildflower meadow has been created in Mount Eagles with a wildflower planting event held with two local Colin primary schools (ref 1)
Type of NBS project
Creation of new green areas
Knowledge creation and awareness raising
NBS domain and interventions
Ecological domain(s) where the NBS intervention(s) is/are implemented
Parks and urban forests
Green corridors and green belts
Vegetation Type
Flower beds
Other
Please specify other amenities offered by the NBS
Building a swift tower within the site (ref 1)
Amenities offered by the NBS
Other
Services
Expected ecosystem services delivered
Provisioning services
Raw materials
Genetic materials from all biota
Regulating services
Pollination
Mediation of smell / noise / visual impacts
Habitat and supporting services
Habitats for species
Maintenance of genetic diversity
Cultural services
Aesthetic appreciation
Inspiration for culture, art and design
Recreation
Intellectual interactions (scientific and / or educational)
Physical and experiential interactions with plants and animals
Social and community interactions
Scale
Spatial scale
Micro-scale: District/neighbourhood level
Beneficiaries
Primary Beneficiaries
Citizens or community groups
Marginalized groups
Young people and children
Other
Please specify "other primary beneficiary"
The primary beneficiaries will be residents and families living in Mount Eagles estate. (ref 2)
Marginalized groups
Elderly people
People with functional diversities
Governance
Governance arrangements
Led by non-government actors
Non-government actors
Public sector institution (e.g. school or hospital)
Non-governmental organisation (NGO) / Civil society / Churches
Citizens or community groups
Other
Please specify other non-government actors involved
children (Ref 2)
Please specify the roles of the specific government and non-government actor groups involved in the initiative
Mount Eagles Drive Action Group held a wildflower planting event with two local Colin primary schools - Christ the Redeemer and Our Lady Queen of Peace. Alpha programme and the Landfill Tax Credits from the Mullaghglass landfill site have given for funding this proposal. (ref 1) The site is located beside Mount Eagles play area and is owned by Lisburn City Council is part of Lagmore Glen (ref 2)
Key actors - initiating organization
Private foundation/trust
Land owners
Public space owned by the city
Educational actor (schools or universities)
Please specify other Key actors - Other stakeholders involved
children (Ref 2)
Key actors - Other stakeholders involved (besides initiating actors)
Public sector institution
Non-government organisation/civil society
Private foundation/trust
Citizens or community group
Other
Land owners
Public space owned by the city
Educational actor (schools or universities)
Participatory methods/forms of community involvement used
Consultation (e.g. workshop, surveys, community meetings, town halls)
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
Please specify the national regulations/strategy/plan
The wildflower meadow project is also contributing to the "All Ireland Pollinator Plan" a national initiative to protect pollinators and the Bee-licious project.
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
Yes
Please specify
complements the city council's biodiversity strategy (ref 1),
Presence of specific city-level GI/NBS section/part in a more general plan - mentioned in connection to the project
Yes
Please specify the general plan with GI/NBS section
The site is part of Lagmore Glen, which has been designated as an Urban Landscape Wedge (ULW). (ref 2)
If there is a relevant strategy or plan, please specify the theme / type of the plan.
Biodiversity strategy or plan
Municipal / city level environmental plan or programme
Urban redevelopment plan
Please specify other vegetation type
Flowers were planted in play grounds, schools, and residential area in the Mount Eagle Area. (Ref 1, 3); wildflower meadow (Ref 1) ; native insect, plant and animal species. (ref1); wildflower plugs and seeds (Ref 3) ; green oasis; wildlife corridor (Ref 1)
Presence of city network or regional partnerships focused on NBS - mentioned in connection to the project
Unknown
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
Yes
Please specify
Alpha programme and the Landfill Tax Credits from the Mullaghglass landfill site provided for funding this proposal. (ref 1)
Co-finance for NBS
Unknown
Co-financing governance arrangements
Unknown
Was this co-governance arrangement already in place, or was it set up specifically for this NBS?
Unknown
Financing
Total cost
€10,000 - €50,000
What is/was the Cost/Budget (EUR) of the NBS or green infrastructure elements?
bout 16,000 EUR (Ref 2)
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)
£14,470 funding given for a wildflower meadow and extension of trees to Lagmore Glen was awarded to the Mount Eagles Drive Action Group (MEDAG). (ref 2)
Source(s) of funding
Private Foundation/Trust
Type of fund(s) used
Direct funding (grants, subsidies, or self-financed projects by private entities)
Tax exemption
Non-financial contribution
Yes
Type of non-financial contribution
Provision of land
Provision of labour
Provision of expertise
Who provided the non-financial contribution?
Public authorities (e.g. land, utility services)
Citizens (e.g. volunteering)
Business models
Green densification model
Local stewardship model
Urban offsetting model (biodiversity or water)
Green education model
Which of the involved actors was motivated by this model?
Public actor (e.g. municipality)
Private non-for-profit actor (e.g. NGO, foundation)
Citizens / local communities
Type of innovation
Social
Governance innovation
Please specify social innovation
The wildflowers meadows were created with active community participation and the proposal was led by a private foundation - Alpha programme. (ref 1). The primary beneficiaries will be residents and families living in Mount Eagles estate. (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
Promotion of naturalistic styles of landscape design for urban development
Increased green space area
Increased number of species present
Increased spread of native/heirloom/open-pollinated seed
Description of environmental benefits
Pupils from Christ the Redeemer and Our Lady Queen of Peace schools spent a morning planting a wide variety of wildflower plugs and seeds in the Mount Eagles wildflower meadow, under the expert supervision of highly trained horticulturalists. (Ref 3)
Economic impacts
Unknown
Social and cultural impacts
Social justice and cohesion
Improved social cohesion
Increased visibility and opportunity for marginalised groups or indigenous peoples
Increased opportunities for social interaction
Education
Increased knowledge of locals about local nature
Description of social and cultural benefits
Pupils from Christ the Redeemer and Our Lady Queen of Peace schools spent a morning planting a wide variety of wildflower plugs and seeds in the Mount Eagles wildflower meadow, under the expert supervision of highly trained horticulturalists. (Ref 3)
Elderly people were also encouraged to be involved (Ref 2)
Type of reported impacts
Achieved impacts
Indicators
1. Intended goals are - to create a green oasis and wildlife corridor that can be used by everyone in the community (ref 2)
2. a wildflower planting event held with two local Colin primary schools - the new wildflower meadow is providing a colourful oasis for children to play around and where plants and wildlife can thrive. (ref 1)
3. erected a swift tower within the site (ref 1)
Environmental, social and economic impacts
Environmental quality
Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
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 23 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
Groundwork Northern Ireland
belfast hills
List of references
Ref. 1. Groundwork Northern Ireland. (2015). Alpha funded Wildflower Planting. [Website unavailable in 2020]
Ref 2. Belfast hills Partnership. (nd.)Magnificient meadows to bloom at Lagmore Glen. Source: http://belfasthills.org/magnificient-meadows-to-bloom-at-lagmore-glen/ [ Accessed on 23 September 2020]
Ref 3. The Irish News (2015) Green news: Wildflower scheme adds splash of colour. Source: http://www.irishnews.com/lifestyle/2015/05/30/news/green-news-wildflower-scheme-adds-splash-of-colour-124511/ [Accessed 23 September 2020]
Comments and notes
Comments
2020 comments:
section 1: Area, area boundary, coordinates or NBS Image cannot be found, all that is listed is 'outskirts of Belfast'. 

Public Images
Mount Eagles Wildflower Meadow (2015)
Mount Eagles Wildflower Meadow (2015)
Photographer: Jim Corr (Alpha Fund administered by Groundwork Northern Ireland), retrieved 08/15/2018 from Gerard Daye & Orla McCabe (Mount Eagles Drive Action Group)
Mount Eagles Wildflower Meadow (2015)
Mount Eagles Wildflower Meadow (2015)
Photographer: Jim Corr (Alpha Fund administered by Groundwork Northern Ireland), retrieved 08/15/2018 from Gerard Daye & Orla McCabe (Mount Eagles Drive Action Group)
Mount Eagles Wildflower Meadow (2015)
Mount Eagles Wildflower Meadow (2015)
Photographer: Jim Corr (Alpha Fund administered by Groundwork Northern Ireland), retrieved 08/15/2018 from Gerard Daye & Orla McCabe (Mount Eagles Drive Action Group)