About Belfast City Airport

As a vital connector at the heart of Northern Ireland, Belfast City Airport is committed not only to delivering fast, efficient connectivity, but also to strengthening its role as a responsible and sustainable organisation.

Guided by its Sustainability Strategy, the Airport continues to advance its vision of enabling economic growth, enriching the local community, and fostering an inclusive, environmentally conscious workforce. The strategy outlines long-term commitments that support both regional prosperity and the wider transition towards sustainable aviation.

Built around three core pillars — Our Environment, Our People, and Our Community — the Strategy shapes the Airport’s ambitions to reduce carbon emissions, enhance biodiversity, promote health and wellbeing, and deliver meaningful social impact across the region.

What Belfast City Airport did

As part of the Airport’s sustainability commitments, TCV delivered tree planting workshops in each of the Airport’s seven adopted schools, creating mini tree nurseries in the schools’ grounds.

The project was made possible by funding by the Airport’s Community Fund, which has provided over £700,000 to 237 projects since its inception in 2009. The TCV project focused on improving biodiversity through practical outdoor learning and environmental action.

Over the course of the project, more than 1,750 native tree seeds were sown estimating the growth of over 1,450 trees. These trees would then be planted in local community green spaces. A total of over 265 pupils from all seven of Belfast City Airport’s adopted schools were directly engaged in hands-on educational activities aimed at promoting sustainability and climate awareness.

In addition to learning practical skills of growing native trees from seed and tree identification, the workshops also covered discussions on the importance of native trees for biodiversity, local pollinators, and their positive impact on climate emergency.

Testimonial

Hollie Murphy, Project Officer at TCV, said: “The funding from Belfast City Airport’s Community Fund has enabled us to reach hundreds of pupils with meaningful biodiversity education and action.

“These young people are the environmental leaders of tomorrow, and thanks to this support, they now have the knowledge and confidence to make a real difference in their communities.

“The impact of planting over 1,450 trees will be felt for generations, and the experience has sparked a lasting interest in nature and conservation among the pupils and teachers involved.”

Here is a short video to showcase the project’s progress – Belfast City Airport’s Community Fund supports The Conservation Volunteers:

Impacts and Outcomes

• Create mini tree nurseries to grow native tree species for later planting in local community green spaces
• Enhanced awareness and education of biodiversity for pupils through interactive learning
• Providing the opportunity for pupils to spend more time outdoors and develop enthusiasm for nature
• Fostering a sense of environmental responsibility by integrating naturebased projects into school life