1. General information
Location and description of the intervention
City or FUA
Belfast
Region
Europe
Native title of the NBS intervention
Swift City Project
Short description of the intervention
The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) ran a project to turn Belfast into the first-ever “Swift City”. The Belfast Swift City project aimed to bring nature back to the city and protect the swifts (ref 1). The aim was to find out where the birds are nesting, so work can begin to protect them. Additionally, there was said to be potential for the creation of community gardens in the area of residential buildings undergoing regeneration to aid this project. (Ref 2). As thousands of swifts migrate from Africa and nest in crevices in buildings, nesting boxes were put in a few locations like the parliament building to attract more swifts. (Ref 4)
Address

Belfast
United Kingdom

Location
The NBS is a city-wide initiative, the GIS point marks the centre of the city
Total area
30.00m²
NBS area
30.00m²
Type of area before implementation of the NBS
Residential
Central Business District / City Centre
Other
Please specify “other type of area” before implementation of the NBS
Across the city as swifts nest in crevices (Ref 4)
Website of the intervention
https://ww2.rspb.org.uk/our-work/conservation/conservation-and-sustainability/s…
Timeline of intervention
Start date of the intervention (planning process)
2013
Start date of intervention (implementation process)
2013
End date of the intervention
2013
Present stage of the intervention
Completed
Goals of the intervention
1. Belfast Swift City project is helping locate and protect swifts in Northern Ireland (ref 1)
2. Installation of 'Swift bricks' providing nesting sites. (ref 3)
3. Potential for creation of community gardens in the area of residential buildings undergoing regeneration to aid this project. (ref 2).
Quantitative targets
Belfast Swift City Survey results and Quantitative targets:
-30 square kilometres covered across Belfast
-83 confirmed swift nest sites
-28 squares contained swifts
(ref 1)
Monitoring indicators defined
Number of swift nest sites noted; number of sites with swifts in them; number of sq km covered across Belfast for the Swifts (Ref 1)
Sustainability challenge(s) addressed
Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
Habitat and biodiversity conservation
Green space creation and/or management
Habitats and biodiversity conservation: What types of conservation goals are / were defined for the NBS intervention?
Species-focused
Habitats and biodiversity conservation: What activities are implemented to realize the conservation goals and targets?
Protect and enhance urban habitats
Preserve and strengthen existing habitats and ecosystems
Promote environmentally-sound development in and around protected areas
Create new habitats
Preserve and strengthen habitat connectivity
Reduce negative impacts and avoid the alteration/damage of ecosystem
Protect species
Undertake specific measures to protect species
Undertake specific measures to protect endangered species
Undertake specific measures to protect valued species
Means for conservation governance
Manage biological resources for conservation and sustainable use
Create and use scientific knowledge for conservation
Please specify "other Type of NBS project"
Make suitable habitats available for migratory birds (Ref 2, 4)
Implementation activities
1. Belfast Swift City Survey was completed (ref 1)
2. 'Swift bricks' providing nesting sites have been installed at Parliament Buildings at Stormont, the Crescent Arts Centre and Fold Housing in Belfast, and swift towers installed across the Belfast Hills and at Adelaide rail station. (ref3)
3. Exploring the potential for the creation of community gardens in the area of residential buildings undergoing regeneration to aid this project. (ref 2).
Type of NBS project
Maintenance and management of urban nature
Monitoring and maintenance of habitats and/or biodiversity
Other
NBS domain and interventions
Ecological domain(s) where the NBS intervention(s) is/are implemented
Nature on buildings (external)
Other
Grey infrastructure featuring greens
Railroad bank and track greens
Community gardens and allotments
Community gardens
Please specify "other external building green"
Incorporation of swift bricks and nest boxes for swifts on various buildings (ref 2, 4).
Please specify the number of plots or allotment gardens
Unknown
Vegetation Type
Other
Amenities offered by the NBS
Unknown
Services
Expected ecosystem services delivered
Habitat and supporting services
Habitats for species
Maintenance of genetic diversity
Scale
Spatial scale
Meso-scale: Regional, metropolitan and urban level
Beneficiaries
Primary Beneficiaries
Non-government organisation/Civil Society
Other
Please specify "other primary beneficiary"
The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) (Ref 2); swifts (Ref 1, 2, 3, 4)
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
Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) is a registered charity leading the project. (Ref 1); 'Swift bricks' providing nesting sites have been installed at Parliament Buildings at Stormont, the Crescent Arts Centre and Fold Housing in Belfast, and swift towers installed across the Belfast Hills and at Adelaide rail station. (ref3)
Key actors - initiating organization
Private foundation/trust
Land owners
No information found
Other
Key actors - Other stakeholders involved (besides initiating actors)
Local government/municipality
Non-government organisation/civil society
Private foundation/trust
Citizens or community group
Land owners
No information found
Other
Please specify other land owner
Unknown, but public buildings mentioned. (Ref 4); residential buildings undergoing regeneration to aid this project. (Ref 2)
Participatory methods/forms of community involvement used
Dissemination of information and education
Joint implementation (e.g. tree planting)
Citizen science
Please specify other landowner
Unknown, but public buildings mentioned. (Ref 4)
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)
Please specify other type of voluntary intervention
biodiversity and conservation
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
Unknown
Presence of city network or regional partnerships focused on NBS - mentioned in connection to the project
Yes
Please specify
Northern Ireland Swift Group (ref 2)
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
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
Unknown
What is/was the Cost/Budget (EUR) of the NBS or green infrastructure elements?
Unknown
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)
Unknown
Source(s) of funding
Other
Please specify other source of funding
Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) is a registered charity leading the project. (Ref 1)
Type of fund(s) used
Other
Please specify other type of fund used
Charity: Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) is a registered charity leading the project. (Ref 1)
Non-financial contribution
Unknown
Business models
Urban offsetting model (biodiversity or water)
Which of the involved actors was motivated by this model?
Private non-for-profit actor (e.g. NGO, foundation)
Type of innovation
Technological
Product innovation
Social
Governance innovation
Please specify technological innovation
Incorporation of swift bricks and nest boxes for swifts and possible creation of community gardens in the area of residential buildings undergoing regeneration to aid this project. (ref 2).
Please specify social innovation
Citizen-based monitoring and recording of swifts is involved with an aim to bring back nature to the cities. (ref 3)
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 conservation or restoration of ecosystems
Increased protection of threatened species
Increased ecological connectivity across regeneration sites and scales
Description of environmental benefits
Belfast Swift City Survey results and Quantitative targets:
-30 square kilometres covered across Belfast
-83 confirmed swift nest sites
-28 squares contained swifts
(ref 1

expected:
The subsequent stages in the project aim to bring back nature to the cities. (ref 2)
Economic impacts
Unknown
Please specify other socio-cultural impact
inclusive management: Citizen-based monitoring and recording of swifts is involved with an aim to bring back nature to the cities. (ref 3)
Description of economic benefits
Unknown
Social and cultural impacts
Social justice and cohesion
Increased opportunities for social interaction
Increased involvement of locals in the management of green spaces
Health and wellbeing
Gain in activities for recreation and exercise
Education
Increased support for education and scientific research
Other
Please specify other environmental justice issue
successfully provided new homes to migrating swifts (Ref 1)
Description of social and cultural benefits
Citizen-based monitoring and recording of swifts is involved with an aim to bring back nature to the cities. (ref 3)

Belfast Swift City Survey results and Quantitative targets:
-30 square kilometres covered across Belfast
-Two point counts within one 200x200 square metres were completed
-83 confirmed swift nest sites
-28 squares contained swifts (Ref 1)

Type of reported impacts
Expected impacts
Achieved impacts
Indicators
-30 square kilometres covered across Belfast
-Two point counts within one 200x200 square metres were completed
-83 confirmed swift nest sites
-28 squares contained swifts (Ref 1)

The subsequent stages in the project aim to bring back nature to the cities. (ref 2)
Environmental, social and economic impacts
Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
Analysis of specific impact categories
Job creation: The NBS created ...
No information available
Environmental justice: The implementation of the NBS project resulted in ...
Other
Please specify other method used to evaluate the impacts of NBS
Citizen-based monitoring and recording of swifts is involved with an aim to bring back nature to the cities. (ref 3); the formal monitoring system -The Belfast Swift City Survey was completed during May-July 2013. in which 30 volunteers took part.
An online questionnaire was sent to all surveyors for their feedback, with 14 responses overall giving positive feedback of their experience. (Ref 1)
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
Collection of monitoring data continuously throughout the project to aid evaluation
Methods used to evaluate the impacts of NBS
Questionnaire surveys / online surveys
Observation (including virtual surveillance methods)
Other
Evidence for use of assessment
Presence of an assessment, evaluation and/or monitoring process
Yes
Presence of indicators used in reporting
Yes
Presence of monitoring/evaluation reports
Yes
Link to monitoring/evaluation reports
https://ww2.rspb.org.uk/our-work/conservation/conservation-and-sustainability/s…
Availability of a web-based monitoring tool
No evidence in public records
Impact assessment mechanism
Name of any specific impact assessment tools
Citizen-based monitoring and recording of swifts is involved with an aim to bring back nature to the cities. (ref 3)
the formal monitoring system is The Belfast Swift City Survey-- was completed during May-July 2013. in which 30 volunteers took part (Ref 1)
Use of GIS in mapping impacts
No evidence in public records
Citizen involvement
Citizens involvement in assessment/evaluation
Yes
Mode(s) of citizen involvement in evaluation/assessment
Submission of monitoring data (citizen observation)
Other
Please specify other modes of citizen involvement in evaluation/assessment
Citizen-based monitoring and recording of swifts is involved with an aim to bring back nature to the cities. (ref 3)
Citizens involvement in the analysis of the assessment/evaluation
Unknown
Follow-up to the evaluation / assessment
Unknown
References
Web links relevant to the intervention
Belfast - Swift City
List of references
Ref 1. The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB). (nd.) Belfast Swift City https://ww2.rspb.org.uk/our-work/conservation/conservation-and-sustainability/safeguarding-species/help-us-help-swifts/case-studies/belfast-swift-city#deU7WXXb6ppTAAdH.99 [Accessed 24 September 2020]
Ref 2. The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB).( nd. )Case studies: Belfast - Swift City. Accessed at https://www.rspb.org.uk/our-work/rspb-news/news/348265-belfast-swift-city#GXrQ2wqDIcf7oF1G.99 [Accessed 24 September 2020]
Ref 3. Stewart L. (2014). Public's swift help needed to record nest sites. Belfast Telegraph. Source: http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/environment/publics-swift-help-needed-to-record-nest-sites-30249863.html [Accessed 24 September 2020]
Ref 4. Belfast Telegraph (2013) The plan to make our city skies look like this again. Source: http://ww2.rspb.org.uk/our-work/rspb-news/news/348265-belfast-swift-city#GXrQ2wqDIcf7oF1G.99 [Accessed 24 September 2020]
Comments and notes
Additional insights
2020 comments:
It seems this was a one time project, thus not so many references are available.
Public Images
Swifts
http://ww2.rspb.org.uk/our-work/rspb-news/news/348265-belfast-swift-city#GXrQ2wqDIcf7oF1G.99