Lagan Valley Coppice

14/05/2026

Few shots from walk at Lagan Valley Park. The spring flowers like bluebell are finishing their spectacle and slowly summer plants take over. The surrounding urban environment creates slightly warmer temperature and provides more shelter from wind. This allows some species to flower well ahead of their colleagues in more exposed locations in the country.

30/04/2026

Warm and dry weather helped germinate and establish some wildflowers in my garden. Wild garlic began flowering- a sign that soon it will go into seed, then foliage will die and the plant will go dormant till next spring. I have got plenty of yellow rattle popping up on our wildflower meadow. This plant is often called a haymaker- it takes energy from surrounding grasses opening space for other herbs and flowers. There is also a flower of narrow leaf plantain. It's a deep rooted plant that handles well our heavy clay in dry weather. Finally a great surprise- 2 leaves of what looks like a common spotted orchid. I have been introducing those seeds over the last 2 years and it looks like I got lucky. Orchids can be demanding and expect non disturbed, non fertilised soil. My green patch after 3 years slowly gets in the right direction. The ultimate target will be to have more vetches later on in the year, maybe also red clover or even birds feet trefoil. Seeds of those species were added through the late winter. This mix should be great for pollinators such as bumblebees, butterflies and moths. 3 years ago this used to be a lawn- a green desert with not much life or action except regular mowing.

27/04/2026

With spring on we get some tryphids out there flowering😉.

🧄 Invasive Species Spotlight: Three-cornered Leek 🧄

Three-cornered Leek (also known as Three-cornered Garlic) is a bulbous perennial herb native to Mediterranean Europe.

🔍 How to recognise it?

The plant measures up to 50cm in height. The leaves are green, flat and rather fleshy. Flowers are white with a strong green stripe and hang to one side. Stems are distinctly triangular in section with sharp angles. All parts of the plant smell of garlic.

Leaves, stems and flowers emerge in spring. Seeds develop and standing stalks remain in summer. Above ground vegetation dies back by autumn. Early emergence of leaves and sometimes flowers from bulbs during mild winters.

Three-cornered Leek can easily be confused for native Allium species, Ramsons and Wild Onion. Check out the “Guide to Ireland’s Regulated Invasive Alien Plant Species” for help with identification👉 https://tinyurl.com/mvjpm25x

📍Where to spot it?

It may be found along roadsides, grassy banks, hedges and in woodland. Sometimes coastal.


💥What impact does it have?

Three-cornered Leek competes with native vegetation by forming dense communities and depleting soil resources.


𓇢𓆸 How does it spread?

The plant spreads by seed and the movement of bulbs in soil. It is a common garden escape and human dispersal is likely the major pathway of expansion in Ireland.

🙋What can you do to help?

Three-cornered Leek is listed on Ireland’s First Schedule list of Invasive Alien Species of National Concern: It is therefore illegal to import, sell, grow or release this species.

Remember to to stop the spread of Three-cornered Leek. Learn more about Be Plant Wise 👉 https://shorturl.at/nPeJX

📝If you see this please submit your sighting through the online form:

https://shorturl.at/AiF0S

ℹ️ Species Profile: https://shorturl.at/2tm4O

🌐Learn more about invasives species at Invasives.ie

12/04/2026

Another dry walk accomplished in the Lagan Valley. Early spring is a great but short spectacle to see how wildlife is wake up after a long, wet winter. This is a section between Malone House and Mary Peters Track. There are big patches of conifers and pockets of ancient woodland with fantastic oak, ash and beech trees. Beech isn't a right example as it's not native, but those are as old as can be here- around 300 years old. Soon all those trees will grow leaves and spring flowers thriving underneath will die back making space for shadow preferring ferns, mosses fungi and lichen.

06/04/2026

Nice job with a great team on fantastic sites around Belfast and beyond. I had the privilege to be a trainee ranger there many moons ago and wouldn't change it for any other work. Yes money in this industry isn't great- you will more likely get paid more as a brick layer or scaffold assembler. Yes- you will have to work for a charity and a "bigger team" that covers multiple sites- including in England and Wales. If that's the problem- don't apply;). Belfast team keeps number of sites around Lagan Valley safe, reasonably clean, open to people of all sorts of abilities and with free admission.

Thinking about a fresh start this Easter? We’re recruiting for a Ranger based in Belfast.

As a Ranger, you’ll be a champion of nature conservation and the outdoors, playing a vital role in caring for some of Northern Ireland’s most loved places – keeping them in great shape for both wildlife and people.

Our Northern Ireland Urban portfolio is a busy and varied one, welcoming large numbers of visitors while protecting important habitats across a diverse range of countryside sites. From the coastline at Islandmagee to the Belfast Hills, and from wooded glens at Cregagh, Collin and Glenoe to species-rich meadows and woodlands at Minnowburn, and Lisnabreeny, there’s an incredible variety of landscapes to care for – ensuring no two days are the same.

Interested? Apply via the link: https://shorturl.at/hearv

Applications close 12 April.

04/04/2026

The weather out there is wet and cold yet we have plenty of flowers to see at the Lagan Valley if you are brave to go out.
All of them are a great source of food for early pollinators. They do flower now but soon will fade as tree canopy will overshadow ground flora. That's when then plant will generate seed heads and finish it's cycle till next spring.
Some of those plants are edible, others are poisonous or highly invasive. If you are into forage, make sure what you pick and do not dig them up to replant. That's how the troubles start.

28/03/2026

With warmer weather it's good to keep an eye on our garages, greenhouses and wood sheds. If I remember well we had our first recorded nest in NI last year around Dundonald. This insect can fly far away and somehow got that far north. If you spot suspected nest contact local council or government unit rather than destroying the nest. Have seen people using by mistake pest control on bumblebee nests and then regretting it.

🆕New Guidance - Asian Hornet Nest Identification : https://shorturl.at/cKRGD

📷📝If you spot an Asian hornet embryo nest, please report it with a photo to our online recording form: www.invasives.ie/asianhornetreporter

⚠️ Important: Not all small nests belong to Asian hornets. Only report nests where you have seen an Asian hornet. Observe from a safe distance and watch for returning insects.

Why it matters:
Asian hornets are not currently known to be in Ireland. If they establish here, they could pose a serious threat to honeybees and other pollinators. Between March and April, mated queens could be expected to build their embryo nests.

How to identify an embryo nest:
✅ Small and spherical like a tennis ball (5–10 cm in diameter)
✅ Single entrance hole at the base
✅ Built in spring by a lone queen

Some places you might spot an embryo nest:
🌳 Brambles and hedgerows
🛖 Garden sheds

🚫 DO NOT destroy nests: they may belong to native wasps, which are essential for pest control and pollination.

Asian hornets are often mistaken for these look-alike species in Ireland:
🐝 Greater horntail wasps
🐝 Common wasps
🐝 Other wood wasps

Learn more about Asian hornet: www.invasives.ie/asianhornet

For honeybee hive concerns email: [email protected]

28/03/2026

If you have time this is something really worth to see. Bangor till 4pm today and indoor to keep you dry😉.

21/03/2026

Native Woodland Strategy 2026-2030 Draft Consultation Webinar takes place March 19th lunchtime from 1pm-2pm.

Registration is still open: https://www.woodlandsofireland.com/webinars/

Presentations from:
🔸Fintan Kelly from the Environmental Pillar will be discussing “What the Environmental Pillar is doing to inform the design of the NRP (Nature Restoration Plan).

🔸Declan Cooke from Inland Fisheries Ireland will discuss “A strategy for protective tree cover in catchments from an Inland Fisheries Ireland perspective”.

The Native Woodland Strategy 2026-2030 endeavours to include an outline of how some of the woodland targets of the EU Nature Restoration Regulation may be achieved.

“The EU Nature Restoration Regulation is the first continent-wide, comprehensive law of its kind. It is a key element of the EU Biodiversity Strategy, which sets binding targets to restore degraded ecosystems, in particular those with the most potential to capture and store carbon and to prevent and reduce the impact of natural disasters.” - European Commission.

This is the first of a series of webinars to complement the Native Woodland Strategy 2026-2030 consultation process.

Woodlands of Ireland is supported by The Heritage Council National Parks and Wildlife Service Irish Environmental Network Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine

07/03/2026

Work in our wood has almost finished. We have harvested some hazel, oak, pine and birch, which provided us with stakes, binders for trellis, material for wood crafts and most important next winter firewood.
We also managed to clear another area affected by ash dieback. With my son we have planted it with more hazel and sweet chestnut- both trees great for wildlife and coppice products.
With sap rising and buds opening on the trees it was the right moment to out away saw, axe and billhook. You can definitely see signs of early spring- more insects flying around, plenty of bright red elf cups mushrooms and some early spring flowers.
This woodland is relatively young, with the oldest trees just below 20 y.o. As a result of that we can manage it with few basic tools and jigs in a sustainable way for the environment. This allows many of the trees to regrow and supply us with suitable products mostly in the form of long and narrow trunks and branches.
If you need help with creating or managing your wood or are after some unusual timber materials for crafts give me a shout.