Wild Wee Grafters Appeal
The native oyster nursery will release millions of larvae into Belfast Lough, boosting the endangered species, creating natural reefs for other marine wildlife and cleaning gallons of seawater every day.
European oysters
As well as being water-purifying wizards, one native oyster can provide habitat for more than 100 species. We are bringing these mighty molluscs back at four nurseries around the coast and deployed thousands on the seabed of Belfast Harbour at the start of the year, to restore oyster reef habitat that will benefit even more marine species.
©Peter Cairns/2020VISION
Oak trees
Ancient oaks can support a staggering 2,300+ species in their lifecycle, including owls and woodpeckers, squirrels and bats, pollinators and rare fungi and lichen. Our Glenarm Nature Reserve is home to a large number of ancient or veteran oaks.
Balloo Woodland
Ponds
These small pools of water are essential breeding grounds for common frogs, smooth newts and dragonfly nymphs. They also help feed and water everything from swallows and bats to foxes and badgers. We are managing large pond habitats at Balloo Woodland and Bog Meadows nature reserves.
Mike Snelle
Isle of Muck Nature Reserve
Our small-island nature reserve is home to the third largest colony of cliff-nesting seabirds in Northern Ireland, which includes kittiwakes, guillemots and razorbills. We are hopeful that puffins will breed on Muck this summer!
© Jon Hawkins Surrey Hills Photography
Urban gardens
Research is now suggesting that gardens in towns and cities are becoming increasingly important to our beloved hedgehogs. We are supporting these habitats through our "Let Nature In" wildlife gardening campaign, working with housing associations and undertaking Northern Ireland’s first-ever GPS tracking project of our spiky friends.
