A CONSERVATIONIST has hit out after a blaze swept the Black Mountain on Monday, damaging land earmarked for the planting of new trees.
Two fire appliances were deployed to the mountain shortly before 6pm, and left the scene at 7.30pm.
The cause of the fire has not yet been determined, but local reports suggest that it was deliberate.
Ballymurphy conservationist Aaron Kelly, who has been involved in efforts to re-wild the Black Mountain, said the fire could setback plans to plant native trees.
"There are three landowners up there – the Bells, McCanns and the Rodgers – who are working with the Belfast Hills Partnership to re-plant their land," he said.
"There are 50 or 60-odd acres that will be planted over a few years – the McCanns have already planted 2,500 on their land.
"Where they're planting the trees you can see where somebody has went and set fires from the lane to the Hatchet Field, right through to The Gully and down the mountain. You can tell that it's deliberate. That's the area that's meant to be planted next year.
"How are you supposed to do work like this if this keeps happening? Stuff like this really puts people off wanting to enhance the area for the wildlife."
He added: "You always have the worry that it's going to be set on fire if you do plant."
Aaron said last night's blaze will have caused untold damage to wildlife on the mountain.
"It's big threat to all the ground-nesting birds," he said.
"The Black Mountain is also a stronghold for the Viviparious lizard, which is our only native lizard. At this time of year they're all still in the grass, coming out with the heat, so it has probably killed a lot of them.
"You don't even want to get into the micro-fauna – you've got all sorts of food for the birds which will have been burnt."
He concluded: "In a month's time we'll have all the ground-nesting birds, and on top of that the landowners are really trying to get the mountain planted – we can't have these fires."
