A leading Belfast environmental charity has hit out at “crippling” cuts by the Department of the Environment that have slashed its budget by more than half.

Dr Jim Bradley of the Belfast Hills Partnership warned that his organisation faces job losses, the collapse of vital services and perhaps even closure if the cuts go ahead.

“Our funds have been axed by a massive 54 per cent. We are in line for this year’s raft of three-yearly core funding and are being expected to carry a particularly savage cut.

 “To have this happening because we are one of the environmental bodies applying this year is grossly unfair.”

 The Belfast Hills Partnership seeks to improve and protect the Belfast Hills – including the Divis and Black mountains. It was formed in response to ongoing concerns about the exploitation and degeneration of landscapes and habitats in the Belfast Hills during the 1980s and 1990s.

 It currently runs physical and mental health initiatives for people living in some of the most deprived areas in the North and West of the city from its offices in the unemployment blackspot of West Belfast.

 Dr Bradley continued: “We understand that all sections of the economy must take their hit in these harsh economic times, but cuts of these magnitudes would be a real setback for small bodies such as ours.

“These crippling cuts have not been made because of any poor performance or poor grant application. We are hitting all the targets set for us.

 “In the last three years we have put in new footpaths, started invasive species control programmes, surveyed upland heath and Irish hare populations, promoted the health of this city, attracted more visitors and tourists and rolled out a whole series of successful events to raise awareness of the Belfast Hills. We have also brought a new way of dealing with issues ranging from wildfires to development planning in the hills which shows the way forward when we work in partnership. We are now spearheading new heritage and tourism projects. Our ability to deliver these is now severely threatened. 

“Rebuilding that capacity after such a cut because we have applied in the ‘wrong year’, will take a very long time,” added Dr Bradley.