HomeBiodiversity and Belfast
Belfast's unique, natural setting provides a diverse range of habitats for wildlife.
The city is framed by hills - to the north and west lie the Belfast Hills and, to the east, the slopes of the Castlereagh and Holywood Hills provide a more gentle backdrop.
The River Lagan meanders into Belfast, passing through suburbs on route and then into the heart of the city.
Valley itself contains semi-natural habitats such as wet meadows and marshes as well as woodland.
Within the Lagan Valley, you may see kingfishers or the elusive and rare red squirrel.
and other rivers, such as the Milewater, Collin, Forth and Connswater, provide valuable links for wildlife, especially birds and mammals, between the surrounding countryside and urban areas.
At the mouth of the River Lagan is Belfast Lough, a large sea lough that reaches into the industrial docklands.
It contains mudflats and lagoons which attracts large numbers of waders and wildfowl.
The low-lying central urban area of Belfast is a tightly-knit network of residential, retail and industrial buildings and is dotted with parks and open spaces, cemeteries, golf courses, school grounds, street landscaping and domestic gardens.
This urban environment is surprisingly important for wildlife.
Gardens are particularly vital and many species, such as swifts, have adapted to living in an urban environment.
Given this varied landscape, it is not surprising that Belfast is rich in wildlife.
