Councillor says: “We’ve repeatedly seen the removal of orchards in order to clear land for other development”
Belfast Council will look into creating “community orchards” across the city.
An Alliance Party proposal was unanimously approved at a City Hall committee meeting this week, and will involve officials identifying underused or neglected public land that could be repurposed for community orchard use. The decision will be ratified at next month’s full meeting of the council.
The motion forwarded to the People and Communities Committee, by Alliance Councillor Christine Bower, states: “This council recognises the wide-ranging social, environmental, and economic benefits of community orchards, including increased access to fresh fruit, the promotion of local food resilience, the enhancement of green spaces, improved mental and physical wellbeing, and stronger community cohesion.
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“It acknowledges that community orchards contribute to climate resilience through increased biodiversity, carbon sequestration, and natural cooling effects in urban areas. It also notes that community orchards offer valuable opportunities for intergenerational learning, volunteering, and environmental education, particularly in areas where green space and access to nature are limited.”
The motion requests that the council commits to supporting the creation and maintenance of community orchards across the city through partnerships with residents, schools, and local organisations.
Councillor Bower says it will require council commitment to expenditure for planting, equipment, and training necessary to establish new orchards in identified areas. It will also involve council support for community-led management of orchards.
She welcomed the approval of the motion, and said after the meeting: “Community orchards are not just about simply growing fruit, they are also about bringing people together to plant, care for and harvest from what can be a highly valuable asset for many communities. Which makes it all the more disappointing is that we’ve repeatedly seen the removal of orchards in order to clear land for other development. Belfast should be part of reversing that trend.
“This is not a new idea and we’ve seen the benefits they can bring right across the UK and Ireland. They provide vital green space for local communities to come together and work towards common goals, promoting both mental and physical wellness, and community cohesion. They also promote biodiversity, help strengthen our climate resilience, and would represent a huge step forward in the council’s efforts to meet its ‘One Million Trees’ targets.
“We have so much to gain from re-establishing our native fruit trees, species we could otherwise potentially stand to lose altogether, where the desire exists in communities to maintain them. I’m incredibly proud to see this motion agreed and excited to see what comes of it.”
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