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Conor McKinney @wildlifeni.bsky.social · 18h

What can we celebrate already as a city?

Where can we do better?

#WhatIf

#BelfastNationalParkCity

What is happening already?

Community Gardens,

Wildflower alleys,

Pop up community hubs,

Urban gardens.

What would you like to see?

Responses include new green space, sustainable drainage systems, new habitats, new native woodland.

Conor McKinney @wildlifeni.bsky.social · 19h

Our #Belfast #NationalParkCity workshop is well underway.

Attendees are writing a postcard to themselves from 2050.

They've been asked:

1) What do you see?
2) What's changed locally?
3) Who's here, and what's their r'ship with nature?
4) How do you feel living here?

What would you say?

Picture of people at community meeting imagining their connection with Belfast.

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Conor McKinney @wildlifeni.bsky.social · 2d

The conversation continues this week as we hear from local activists who will help steer us towards thinking "What if Belfast was a National Park City?"

Come along, it just might be the start of something extraordinary.

Register here: forms.gle/dAfCeSb3VaWT...

#NationalParkCity #Whatif

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Conor McKinney @wildlifeni.bsky.social · 2d

Thanks to Slugger O'Toole for allowing me to write about the joyful insurgency taking place here in Belfast to explore the idea of Belfast becoming a National Park City and the power of asking "What if". You can check it out here:

sluggerotoole.com/2025/10/18/w...

What if Belfast was a National Park City?

Conor McKinney is the founder of Wild Belfast and a local wildlife activist / conservationist; What if? is a powerful question. In a time of myriad health, climate, ecological and social crises it can...

sluggerotoole.com

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Conor McKinney @wildlifeni.bsky.social · Aug 15

This Robin has developed camouflage.

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Conor McKinney @wildlifeni.bsky.social · Jul 30

Typically a univoltine species (i.e one flight season April to June) in Northern Ireland the Holly Blue butterfly, a protected species, has developed a second flight season, likely due to our warming climate.

This one was seen outside its typically associated flight season in Garvagh yesterday.

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Reposted by Conor McKinney

dag @davidallengreen.bsky.social · Jul 18

The media propensity to run "police probe [cultural figure x]" stories is corrosive to our polity.

Few if any of these probes get anywhere, but the No Further Actions never get similar prominence.

And what lingers are the police interventions, as if such activity is normal and to be expected.

Sooz Kempner @soozuk.bsky.social · Jul 18

The police investigation in to Kneecap was huge fucking news. Days of headlines pushing the fact it had the police involved. Dropped without a word. I’m so fucking angry with the government, the police and the complicit media.

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Conor McKinney @wildlifeni.bsky.social · Jul 9

We need more urban green infrastructure. Every development using private or public funds should be required to include it.

European heatwave caused 2,300 deaths in 10 days:

www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/7/...

European heatwave caused 2,300 deaths in 10 days, study finds

Researchers find human-caused climate change raised temperatures by up to 4C, with 1,500 deaths linked directly to it.

share.google

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Reposted by Conor McKinney

Ulster Museum @ulstermuseum.org · Jul 4

Did you ever wonder where all the starlings went at the Lagan Bridge?

Wild Belfast member Dawn re-tells the beautiful and poignant story of the murmurations disappearance, and return.

Article by @wildlifeni.bsky.social → bit.ly/3ZQ9Rx2

#Murmurations #WildIreland

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Conor McKinney @wildlifeni.bsky.social · Jul 2

Digitising our workshop on how we make Belfast a National Park City - outcomes en route!

Fab contributions so far:

- We're a confluence of past and future

- Make natural heritage last as long as built heritage

- Make gardens a public good

Get involved - email [email protected].

Outputs of workshop from National Park Cities.

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Conor McKinney @wildlifeni.bsky.social · Jun 19

We need all new council Local Development Plans to strengthen for levels of protection afforded to local nature sites, and to increase the number of these sites.

Many priority habitats, such as Open Mosaic Habitat remain in zoned and this should be addressed.

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Conor McKinney @wildlifeni.bsky.social · Jun 19

As the OEP outline the importance of protecting wildlife at a local level, and the value of local wildlife sites in doing so, councils across Northern Ireland are showing no ambition in Local Development Plans to zone new sites, or are revoking them entirely.

www.theoep.org.uk/report/local...

Local nature recovery has an important part to play in helping government deliver its ‘win-win’ for the environment and economic growth, says OEP report | Office for Environmental Protection

www.theoep.org.uk

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Conor McKinney @wildlifeni.bsky.social · Jun 12

In addition we'll be joined by Cllrs Aine Groogan, Tara Brooks and @seamasbelfast.bsky.social to discuss how we bridge the gap to become a National Park City and what makes for influential advocacy.

Come and be part of the conversation!

Programme below:

www.playthinkbrink.com/Friday-13th

www.playthinkbrink.com

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Conor McKinney @wildlifeni.bsky.social · Jun 12

We're taking our exploration of #Belfast as a National Park City into one of Belfast's best loved meanwhile sites.

I'll be joined in discussion with our host Gawain as well as Perla from Sustrans and Lizzy from Belfast Hills to explore a National Park City, what to celebrate and how we can do more

Aerial of Brink site with city reimagined as being greener with title Belfast National Park City

Title Belfast National Park City with agenda and running order for the day.

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Conor McKinney @wildlifeni.bsky.social · Jun 10

Whenever they come crocodile-tearing at your doorsteps, remember this.

This action plan was to address water quality issues affecting Lough Neagh and beyond, their political cowardice compounds the issue.

#DUP #UUP #TUV #SINNFEIN

Dup motion to scrap Nutrients Action Plan carried by 52 votes to 23

DUP motion to scrap Nutrients Action Plan carried by UUP, TUV and Sinn fein 👀

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Reposted by Conor McKinney

Ulster Museum @ulstermuseum.org · Jun 9

“Where did all the starlings go?”

This was the question Lagan rower Dawn Patterson brought to Wild Belfast.

Watch as Dawn re-tells the beautiful and poignant story of the murmurations disappearance, and return.

Article by @wildlifeni.bsky.social → bit.ly/3ZQ9Rx2

#Murmurations #WildIreland

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Conor McKinney @wildlifeni.bsky.social · Jun 8

Meadow restoration taking shape at PEC in Botanic Gardens.

These are what traditional grasslands would have looked, smelt and buzzed like.

Bravo to upsurge project, Belfast City Council and partners.

Let's see more of this 👏🦋🐝🐞

Urban species rich grassland in process of being restored.

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Conor McKinney @wildlifeni.bsky.social · Jun 7

Enter our heroes from NI Fire and Rescue Service Belfast Central Station who popped in to lend a hand!

A huge thank you to our local heroes who are also playing an important role in Swift Conservation #worldswiftday.

You can hear (& see!) our living, singing mural on Bruce Street, Belfast.

Fireman giving thumbs up after turning on swift caller

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Conor McKinney @wildlifeni.bsky.social · Jun 7

It's #worldswiftday and I'd like to share a story with you about our swift mural.

Equipped with a solar powered caller to attract swifts to the nesting bricks, we had one issue - how to turn the caller on (>10m high) once the swifts arrived?

Wild Belfast mural celebrating and supporting swifts

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Conor McKinney @wildlifeni.bsky.social · Jun 6

Join us at Queen's University on Tuesday 10th June from 10am for a discussion reflecting what if we treated Belfast like a National Park.

We'll hear from an array of experts and muse how Belfast can be better for us and biodiversity.

Register here:

lnkd.in/evrHtZGs

National Park City conference agenda with list of international and local experts

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Conor McKinney @wildlifeni.bsky.social · May 27

These questions and more will be part of the discussion. If you're interested in what Belfast might look like as a National Park City come and join the conversation.

Keynote speaker: Cecil Konijnendijk with other announcements very soon!

Register:

lnkd.in/e4N-NHQW

(Graphic by Siobhán Keogh)

This link will take you to a page that’s not on LinkedIn

lnkd.in

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Conor McKinney @wildlifeni.bsky.social · May 27

Remember to register for the Planning at Queen's University Belfast and Wild Belfast conference asking "What if Belfast was a National Park City?"

E.g. what if schools and universities offered nature rich green infrastructure to encourage ecological awareness and an asset for communities?

Graphic of QUB with nature rich green space

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Reposted by Conor McKinney

IPBES @ipbes.net · May 21

🗞️Authors from the @ipbes.net #InvasiveAlienSpecies Report have published the Global Impacts Dataset of Invasive Alien Species derived from the report, creating a global resource for investigating and managing the impacts of invasive alien species. 🌍🧪

Read more in ‪@nature.com‬ bit.ly/43APoP7

An image of two lionfish. Overlay text reads: Major New Resource, Global Impacts Dataset of Invasive Alien Species

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Conor McKinney @wildlifeni.bsky.social · May 9

What if development and parks were more biodiverse?

If you're interested in what Belfast might look like as a National Park City come along and join the conversation.

Keynote speaker: Cecil Konijnendijk with other announcements very soon!

Register here:

docs.google.com/forms/d/1SAe...

Making Space for Nature: Belfast National Park City

Tuesday 10th June - 10.00-4.00 David Keir Building Room 0G.012 Join us for the launch of a city wide discussion that aims to make Belfast the first National Park City on the island of Ireland. We'll...

docs.google.com

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Conor McKinney @wildlifeni.bsky.social · May 9

What if Belfast was a National Park City?

After last year's "Making Space for Nature' conference that's the question we'll be exploring in our next conference on the 10th June with Planning at Queen's University Belfast.

What if we had better access to green space?

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