The Ulster Transport Museum has announced a three-year partnership with The Conservation Volunteers, providing the charity with access to its Walled Garden as a dedicated space to nurture an estimated 10,000 young native trees per year for future planting across Northern Ireland.

The partnership will help safeguard climate-resilient tree stock that might otherwise have been lost, supporting future woodland creation, habitat restoration, and biodiversity enhancement across the region.

Speaking on the new partnership, Dianne Keys, assistant director at The Conservation Volunteers said: “Native trees are vital to Northern Ireland’s natural heritage, providing habitats for wildlife, supporting biodiversity and helping our landscapes become more resilient to climate change.

“Tree nurseries play a vital role in securing that future, laying the foundations for future woodlands and thriving habitats.

Kausalya Gibson, Landscape Development Officer, National Museums NI, James Lewsley, Chief Operating Officer, National Museums NI, Dianne Keys, Assistant Director, TCV, Rachel Slade, UK Operations Director, TCV, Brona Moffett, Head of Engagement, National Museums NI and Edele Feenan, Senior Project Officer, TCV

placeholder image — Kausalya Gibson, Landscape Development Officer, National Museums NI, James Lewsley, Chief Operating Officer, National Museums NI, Dianne Keys, Assistant Director, TCV, Rachel Slade, UK Operations Director, TCV, Brona Moffett, Head of Engagement, National Museums NI and Edele Feenan, Senior Project Officer, TCV

“This is an important partnership. It represents an investment in conservation for the long term, allowing us to protect the work happening now and ensure it can deliver lasting benefits for the future of Northern Ireland.”

The new partnership builds on an ongoing collaboration between the two organisations, which has seen The Conservation Volunteers revitalise dormant green space with a Green Gym at the Ulster Folk Museum, providing opportunities for volunteers from the local community to engage in conservation education.

Brona Moffett, head of engagement at National Museums NI said: “Our continued work with TCV across our sites reflects our ongoing commitment to protecting and preserving our natural environment, here in Cultra and across our wider sites. By using our collections, sites, and scientific expertise and by engaging communities, our museums can be catalysts for environmental action.

“This partnership creates that type of space. It brings together conservation and education and allows our visitors to connect with Ulster Transport Museum in a new way.”

Through hands-on conservation and community education, the initiative hopes to encourage more across Northern Ireland to join the sustainability efforts. For more information on how to get involved, visit: www.tcv.org.uk/getinvolved