What is the Wildlife Areas Scheme ?
Northern Ireland is famous for its beautiful landscapes and rich variety of wildlife. However, these national assets are gradually being destroyed by agricultural intensification, illegal dumping and expanding towns and cities.
Through the Wildlife Areas Scheme, the Ulster Wildlife Trust seeks to compensate for some of this damage. It offers advice and encouragement to landowners on how to protect and enhance the wildlife value of their land by planting trees, erecting bird boxes, restoring ponds and managing hedges etc. The Scheme involves no binding agreements and imposes no restrictions. You are free to leave it at any time.
What type of area is suitable?
Any area which already has significant value for wildlife or could become a valuable wildlife area after suitable management will qualify for the Scheme. Potential areas range from woodlands to ponds, disused quarries, bogs, unimproved flower-rich meadows, heather moorland and other less common habitats. As long as the area has some value for wildlife, it will be considered.
How do I join the Scheme?
Identify an area which you would like to protect and enhance for wildlife. It should be at least half an acre in size (preferably larger) and you should either own it, or have control over how it is managed. It is preferable to have a fairly long-term plan for the area as it will take time for it to mature and yield the maximum benefits for wildlife. Contact the Conservation team at the Trust who will then arrange for a volunteer to visit you. We have a small, but willing group of volunteers who will discuss your plans, offer advice and encouragement and decide whether your area is suitable for inclusion in the Scheme. Some volunteers have already created their own Wildlife Areas, or have helped others to do so. In doing so, they have experienced many of the practical problems associated with habitat creation and management.
What are the benefits of joining the Scheme?
You will receive a certificate and your Wildlife Area will be registered with the Trust. Our volunteers will be available if you require further advice or re-visits in the future. There may be the opportunity to get together with other Scheme members to visit some of our existing Wildlife Areas and share experiences of habitat management and creation. You will also gain immense satisfaction from watching the development of your own private nature reserve. When the first dragonfly visits your newly created pond, or skylarks return to a once neglected meadow, you will have the satisfaction of knowing that you have made a personal contribution to the protection of wildlife and the countryside.
As the number of Wildlife Areas grows, our combined efforts will make an important contribution to wildlife conservation and will leave a lasting legacy for future generations to enjoy………..
For further details on the scheme please contact our Conservation team on 028 4483 0282
