DISCOVER I EXPLORE I ENJOY ONAL IJ LAGA VALLE,Y Annual Report 2023124-
Chair’s Summary Report
Sara McClintock - Chair, Lagan Valley Regional Park Board
I am proud to share with you the Lagan Valley Regional Park’s 2023/24 Annual Report. The Park continues to thrive as Northern Ireland’s most popular outdoor attraction, welcoming 1.65 million visitors to the towpath alone in 2023.
We continue to, year-on-year, meet our goals, thanks to the collaborative efforts of our partners, including Belfast City Council and Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council, and to make significant strides in community engagement and conservation. Our new fiveyear management plan, launched in November, emphasises community involvement and the protection of our region’s biodiversity and heritage.
Our conservation efforts remain robust, with a deep understanding of the river corridor’s biodiversity and the area’s importance as a wildlife refuge. We have undertaken vital conservation work across 15 sites, such as managing grasslands and controlling invasive species, and contributed valuable data to numerous national monitoring schemes.
Our conservation efforts are only possible with the help of volunteers, and the support of the local community, who are at the heart of the Regional Park.
As a board, we would like to extend our sincere gratitude to Dr. Andy Bridge and his dedicated team of rangers and coordinators for their tireless efforts in safeguarding the park. Our volunteers, embodying the spirit of community and dedication, remain the backbone of our organisation, contributing 2,667 hours this year across all volunteer roles. We are truly grateful for their passion and effort.
We also acknowledge the ongoing financial and advisory support of our partners in local and central government. The Lagan Valley Regional Park is a vital outdoor haven for many in the greater Belfast-Lisburn area and a cornerstone of both Councils’ green space strategies.
We look forward to continuing our work to preserve and enhance this unique natural and cultural landscape for future generations.
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Annual Report 2023/24
Our Vision
A Park which offers a thriving, diverse and valued riverside heritage that welcomes exploration, learning and enjoyment whilst ensuring a sustainable environment for all.
The Regional Park’s Strategic Vision clearly defines our six focus areas of Biodiversity, Visitors, Community, Landscape, Heritage and Health & Recreation.
Our Aims
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Conserve and manage biodiversity in the Park
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Facilitate research and education about the area’s biodiversity and heritage
Outstanding Natural Beauty
An Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) is a precious landscape where the distinctive character and natural beauty are so outstanding that it is in the public interest to safeguard it. The Nature Conservation and Amenity Lands Order 1985 sets out the main purposes of an AONB:
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Encourage community involvement and develop volunteering in the Park
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Maintain and enhance the landscape quality for the benefit of all
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Proactively conserve and manage the cultural and built heritage of the Park
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Promote the health and wellbeing benefits of our green open spaces
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Support appropriate recreation activities, events and the development of sustainable tourism for the benefit of the region
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Increase public awareness of our natural and cultural heritage
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To conserve and enhance the natural beauty or amenities of the area
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To conserve wildlife, historic objects or natural phenomena within the area
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To promote enjoyment by the public
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To provide or maintain public access to the area
From these purposes our Mission emerges: to protect and conserve the unique landscape character of Lagan Valley Regional Park and the Lagan Valley AONB, to enhance its biodiversity and cultural heritage, and to promote its benefit to visitors and the community.
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Annual Report 2023/24
Partnership
Good partnerships are essential to the governance and management of the Regional Park.
Working with our partners we have achieved all the goals laid out in the management plan for this year. It is thanks to the coordinated effort of our partners that we have achieved so much. Both Belfast City Council and Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council are major landowners and manage significant sites in the Regional Park.
Department for Infrastructure (DfI) is a key landowner and has been an integral partner since the inception of the Regional Park and we would like to thank them for their long-term funding support and commitment over many years. Regretfully resource decisions within Dfl have meant they have not been able to continue with funding this year.
In addition to our funding partners there are a number of other bodies and organisations with which Lagan Valley Regional Park works. Dfl Rivers is responsible for work along the river system and they provide services such as grass cutting along the towpath. The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs’ Forest Service manages Belvoir Park Forest and the National Trust manages the Minnowburn site.
Despite several years of prudent and careful budgeting and management, the loss of funding along with cost-of-living increases have meant this has been one of the most challenging years for the Regional Park.
The staff and board have responded by reassessing our focus and seeking innovative options that could steer the Regional Park through these challenges and into a sustainable future.
Our Funding Partners
Our Other Partners
Working together in partnership means that all partners benefit from the synergy created by matching contributions to the pot. The idea of synergy, where the creation of a whole that is greater than the sum of its parts, is particularly relevant. We seek to continue that approach with our partners in the future. Our key funding partners are/have been:
Belfast City Council Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council Department for Infrastructure (Dfl) Department for Communities (DfC)
Our Management Partnerships help with delivery of specific targets, sharing of resources, training, joint management and project support. Our key Management Partners include: The National Trust, Sustrans, Forest Service (DAERA), Dfl Roads, Butterfly Conservation NI, Bat Conservation Ireland, National Biodiversity Data Centre, QUB, Dfl Rivers, Inland Waterways Association of Ireland (Lagan Branch), The Woodland Trust, and Ulster Wildlife.
Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) HLF (Heritage Lottery Fund) Legacy
Annual Report 2023/24
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Planning
Development pressure is as strong now as ever in the Regional Park.
Planning Activity
Local Development Plans
The Regional Park responded to 11 planning applications in 2023/4, reflecting the continuing development pressure on the river corridor, against which we must continue to be vigilant.
The Regional Park has consulted with Belfast City Council around the draft Plan Strategy for the Belfast Local Development Plan and with Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council and we anticipate drafts of each being made available for comment in the near future.
Annual Report 2023/24
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Lagan Valley Regional Park
The most popular outdoor attraction in Northern Ireland.
Owned by the Department for Infrastructure, the towpath forms a cultural, social and biodiversity link between the cities of Lisburn and Belfast. It is a section of the Ulster Way, it is a ‘medium distance walk’ under Walk NI’s designation and it is part of the National Cycle Network.
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Annual Report 2023/24
2023
128 Thousand Visitors to Giant’s Ring
157 Thousand Visitorsto Minnowburn
145 Thousand Visitors to the Lock Keeper’s Site
154 Thousand Visitors toRiverside Paths in Lisburn
50 Thousand Visitors toGlenmore Riverside Trails 23 Events Engaging with 345 People 8 Community Events Involving over 823 People
1.65 Million Visitors to Towpath
Annual Report 2023/24
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2023 User Survey
2023 indicates user numbers have started to decline and are now moving in the opposite direction to the program for government goals for increasing accessibility to green open spaces for all sectors of our community.
It is perhaps indicative of the need to continue investing in maintaining these spaces to secure their sustainable future and standard.
The Lock Keeper’s site forms a useful hub to visitors with the Lock Keeper’s Café, the Lock Keeper’s Cottage, the Industry Lighter and the Lagan Valley Regional Park office.
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Annual Report 2023/24
2023-28 Five-year Management Plan
The Regional Park’s new five-year management plan was launched in November 2023 showcasing the range of community involvement in the Regional Park and how this supports the protection of a dynamic and flourishing biodiversity and heritage in the region.
The full management plan and action plan is available under the publications section of our website and for the purposes of monitoring our progress we have developed the following progress gauge to visualise progress throughout each year.
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Annual Report 2023/24
Monitor Monlt¢kl 25 Jisitors 12% io Annual Report 2023124
78 dsc• Annual Report 2023124
Aweritato 12 Annual Report 2023124
The Giant’s Ring
The Giant’s Ring comprises a Neolithic Passage tomb surrounded by a raised circular earthen enclosure.
As a Scheduled Monument in State Care set in an Area of Significant Archaeological Interest it is one of Northern Ireland’s most important historical monuments. In addition to the visible structures, the Ballynahatty plateau is scattered with archeological remains that have the potential to reveal more of the fascinating story of Ireland’s early history. Increasing visitor pressure has resulted in erosion damage to the ringed mound which through liaison with HED is to be remedied through protective measures pending available budget.
128 Thousand Visitors Welcomedto the Giant’s Ring
8 Conservation Tasks Caring for the Giant’s Ring
Lock Keeper’s Site
145 Thousand Visitors to the Lock Keeper’s Site
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Annual Report 2023/24
Biodiversity
Guardianship of biodiversity has been a major theme in the management of Lagan Valley Regional Park since it was established in 1967.
Given the range of land managers and biodiversity issues, the challenge of coordinated management is significant. The conservation work of the Park is considerable and long term records have been greatly beneficial
to understanding the biodiversity of the river corridor. A key issue arising from our meetings to date is the need for comprehensive and scientifically robust baseline data across habitats and species.
Wildlife Surveying
Lagan Valley Regional Park rangers and volunteers play a key role in protecting the numerous species of wildlife in the Park.
As part of the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan, our volunteers and staff have been recording pollinators through two national monitoring schemes: the UK Butterfly Monitoring Scheme in partnership with Butterfly Conservation (3 transects), and the All-Ireland Bumblebee Monitoring Scheme with the National Biodiversity Data Centre in the Republic of Ireland (6 transects).
With 8 of Ireland’s bat species recorded at Minnowburn, the Regional Park is an important refuge for this protected group. Volunteers from the Lagan Valley Regional Park complete six transects along the Lagan, a survey that has been running for several years now, providing valuable data for the All Ireland Daubenton’s Bat Waterways Survey, in partnership with Bat Conservation Ireland.
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Annual Report 2023/24
78 Butterfly SurveyWalks Completed 72 Bumblebee Surveys Completed
12 Bat Surveys Completed Volunteers Engaged Through 12 Wildlife Surveys
A Park with People at its Heart
The Regional Park has six key focus areas in its Strategic Vision, with our central focus being community.
We want a park that is people-focused, a place where everyone is welcome to visit, get involved and discover the Park on our doorstep. It is a place that connects the hearts of two of Northern Ireland’s largest population centres and has strong links with community.
The Park has a great sense of cultural connectivity and links to its past. The Park is a hugely valuable resource and we will continue to develop events and other ways for people of all backgrounds and abilities to get involved. A thriving Park with community at its heart is also a great economic asset to the region, where tourism can benefit all.
Underpinning every aspect of the Regional Park are our volunteers; from heritage guides, to conservation volunteers and rangers, to the directors on our board. We could not operate without our volunteers. Likewise, our volunteers themselves speak of how involvement with the Park has benefitted them.
We extend a big thank you to all our volunteers for their hard work and continuing support through the year. As a testament to LVRP’s commitment to community involvement and to delivering a highquality volunteering programme, LVRP was successfully awarded its third reaccreditation of the Investing in Volunteers Quality Standard in December 2023.
2667 Hours Contributed from the Local Community Through Volunteering
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Annual Report 2023/24
Conservation Tasks
Conservation volunteer tasks are a great way for the local community to have agency in shaping and protecting this valuable public space.
From scything meadows with traditional scythes and ‘haloing’ veteran oaks, to controlling encroaching scrub and invasive species, alongside improving sites for visitors and removing litter from the river corridor, the weekly activities of the conservation volunteers are invaluable
in managing natural habitats in LVRP. Through direct community engagement, the biodiversity value of these connecting green spaces is developed and enhanced for the benefit of local communities and the Regional Park’s many visitors.
40 ConservationTask Days
15 Sites Managed with Volunteer Support
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Grassland Management Tasks over 7 Sites
6 Alien Invasive SpeciesControl Tasks over 3 Sites
6 Woodland and Meadow Management Tasks in Belvoir ASSI
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Annual Report 2023/24
Grassland Management
LVRP grassland management conservation tasks focus on two main areas; scrub removal and cutting and lifting annual growth.
Scrub is removed to manage the succession which degrades the biodiversity importance of grasslands. LVRP grassland management conservation tasks are carried out at the Giant’s Ring, Belvoir ASSI, McIlroy Park, Lagan Meadows, Clement Wilson Park, Lagan Meadows and Sharman Road Green Space.
In the absence of grazing, grassland habitat must be cut and lifted each year, in much the way that hay meadows were managed in the past, using traditional tools such as Austrian scythes. Cutting and lifting the vegetation from a meadow improves biodiversity value by reducing the nutrient load and improving its sward (structure), allowing more species to flourish and preventing the grassland from becoming rank and dominated by coarse grasses, and nutrient-loving species such as nettles and docks. Maintaining and improving the quality of grassland habitat across LVRP benefits pollinators and other insects, and in turn birds and mammals, ultimately benefiting our visitors and local communities.
Upskilling and Training
Each year we schedule practical training for our volunteers to enable them to learn new skills, enhance existing ones and build confidence in their abilities. This year three volunteer training days were delivered for our volunteers.
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Annual Report 2023/24
The Ranger Service
Rangers are...
‘The sharp end of the environment industry; skilled people who have to balance the demands, aspirations and curiosity of the public, with protection and enhancement of the physical and cultural fabric of the countryside, with sensitivity, humour and integrity’ - Countryside Commission.
Your ranger service works tirelessly in the background managing issues, dealing with enquiries and complaints, liaising with partner organisations and landowners and delivering events. Patrolling the Park, the ranger service is effectively the eyes and ears of the Regional Park and its partners.
Bags of Litter 304 Collected
Km of Paths and Trails Patrolled Weekly
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875
Hours Across LCCC, 1023 Hours Across BCC, 51 Hours Across Dfc (HED)
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Incidents Responded to Including: Wildlife Rescues, Emergency Flood Responses, Public Safety, Assisting Public and Visitors
Community River Cleans on River Lagan
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Community River Cleans at Duncan’s Dam
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Public Relations Events Including: Public Talks, Jobs Fair, Stands at Conferences
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Annual Report 2023/24
Economic Added Value of Volunteering in LVRP
It should be noted that as well as the practical hands-on volunteer help that supports the Regional Park, our board is also partly made up of volunteers who bring their professional experience and knowledge to the
behind-the-scenes governance of this unique area. The table below shows an estimate of the monetary value of this year’s overall volunteer support.
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Type of Support Skill Level Hours Contributed Notional Value
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| Type of Support Skill Level Hours Contributed Notional Value |
Type of Support Skill Level Hours Contributed Notional Value |
Type of Support Skill Level Hours Contributed Notional Value |
Type of Support Skill Level Hours Contributed Notional Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Board of Directors | Professional | 429.0 | £20,021 |
| Heritage Guides | Skilled | 1079.5 | £21,590 |
| Wildlife Surveyors | Skilled | 171.0 | £3,420 |
| Volunteer Rangers | Unskilled | 379.75 | £4,344 |
| Conservation Group | Unskilled | 607.75 | £6,953 |
| Overall Contribution of Volunteering During 2023/24 Financial Year | £56,328 |
Unskilled £11.44 per hour (national living wage), skilled £20.00 per hour (based on HLF recommended £150 per day – 7.5hr days) and professional £46.67 per hour (based on HLF recommended £350 per day – 7.5hr days)
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Annual Report 2023/24
Income and Expenditure
Prepared by Aubrey Campbell and Company, Chartered Accountants and Registered Auditors.
| Income and Endowments Income | 2023/4 | 2022/3 |
|---|---|---|
| Northern Ireland Environmental Agency | – | £10,684 |
| Belfast City Council - Core Funding | £67,000 | £67,000 |
| Belfast City Council – Earned Income | £15,104 | £15,104 |
| Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council | £66,061 | £66,060 |
| Keep NI Beautiful Grant | £2,195 | £8,778 |
| Department for Infrastructure | – | £42,000 |
| Heritage Lottery Fund | £4,453 | £4,582 |
| Department for Communities (HED) | £5,982 | £5,982 |
| £160,794 | £220,191 | |
| Total Income | £160,794 | £220,191 |
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Expenditure on Charitable Activities 2023/4 2022/3
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| Expenditure on Charitable Activities | 2023/4 | 2022/3 |
|---|---|---|
| Wages and Salaries | £187,209 | £158,771 |
| Operating Leases | £1,705 | £7,025 |
| Rent | £5,750 | £5,750 |
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Annual Report 2023/24
| Rates and Water | £1,100 | £596 |
|---|---|---|
| Light and Heat | £3,960 | £5,448 |
| Repairs and Maintenance | £213 | £834 |
| Insurance | £7,614 | £7,776 |
| Other Establishment | £23,123 | £4,343 |
| Motor Vehicle Expenses | £5,386 | £3,350 |
| Vehicle Leasing/Hire | £870 | £3,427 |
| Legal and Professional Fees | £6,040 | £6,040 |
| Telephone | £294 | £758 |
| Other Offce Costs | £4,588 | £3,257 |
| Depreciation | £4,046 | £3,719 |
| Other Interest Payable and Similar Charges |
£150 | £184 |
| Detailed SOFA Expenditure on Charitable Activities Type 2H |
£330 | £324 |
| £252,378 | £211,602 | |
| Total Expenditure | £252,378 | £211,602 |
| Net (Expenditure)/Income | £91,584 | £8,589 |
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Annual Report 2023/24
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Lagan Valley Regional Park is a charity (NIC103700) and welcomes donations Lagan Valley Regional Park,
to help us continue to protect and conserve the unique landscape character of 3 Lock Keeper’s Lane, Belfast, BT8 7XT
the Park, enhance its biodiversity, cultural heritage and promote its benefit to T: 02890 491922
visitors and the community. You can find out more by contacting the office or E: admin@laganvalley.co.uk
visiting our website. W: www.laganvalley.co.uk
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