Editing Belfast (section)

=== Parks and gardens ===
{{Main|List of parks and gardens in Belfast}}
Belfast has over [[List of parks and gardens in Belfast|forty parks]]. The oldest (1828) and one of the most popular parks [[Belfast Botanic Gardens|Botanic Gardens]]<ref>{{cite web |date=March 2012 |title=Gardens and Tourism |url=http://www.nitb.com/FileHandler.ashx?id=2259 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140401104711/http://www.nitb.com/FileHandler.ashx?id=2259 |archive-date=1 April 2014 |access-date=25 May 2014 |publisher=[[Northern Ireland Tourist Board]] |page=5 }}</ref> in the [[Queen's Quarter, Belfast|Queen's Quarter]]. Built in the 1830s and designed by [[Charles Lanyon|Sir Charles Lanyon]], its Palm House is one of the earliest examples of a curvilinear and cast iron [[Greenhouse|glasshouse]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Palm House Botanic Gardens, Belfast City |url=http://www.gardensireland.com/palm-house.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080513021454/http://www.gardensireland.com/palm-house.html |archive-date=13 May 2008 |access-date=18 May 2007 |publisher=Houses, Castles and Gardens of Ireland }}</ref> Other attractions in the park include the recently restored Tropical Ravine, a humid jungle glen built in 1889,<ref>{{Citation |title=Tropical Ravine |date=23 April 2018 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Gflw4_s5dE |access-date=3 February 2024 }}</ref> rose gardens and public events ranging from live opera broadcasts to pop concerts.<ref>{{cite web |title=Tropical Ravine |url=http://www.belfastcity.gov.uk/parksandopenspaces/tropicalravine.asp |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090517075802/http://www.belfastcity.gov.uk/parksandopenspaces/tropicalravine.asp |archive-date=17 May 2009 |access-date=30 May 2009 |publisher=Belfast City Council }}</ref>

The largest municipal park in the city, and closest to the city centre, lies on the right bank of Lagan. The 100-acres of [[Ormeau Park]] were opened to the public in 1871 on what was the last demesne of the town's former proprietors, the Chichesters, [[Marquess of Donegall|Marquesses of Donegall]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ormeau Park |url=https://www.belfastcity.gov.uk/things-to-do/parks-and-open-spaces/a-z-parks/ormeau-park |access-date=11 February 2024 |website=Belfast City Council }}</ref>

In north Belfast, the [[Water Works, Belfast|Waterworks]], two reservoirs to which the public have had access since 1897, are features of a park supporting angling and waterfowl.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Waterworks |url=https://www.belfastcity.gov.uk/things-to-do/parks-and-open-spaces/a-z-parks/waterworks |access-date=11 February 2024 |website=Belfast City Council }}</ref> In 1906, a further water park, [[Victoria Park, Belfast|Victoria]], opened behind industrial dockland on what had been the eastern shore of the Lough.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Victoria Park |url=https://www.belfastcity.gov.uk/things-to-do/parks-and-open-spaces/a-z-parks/victoria-park |access-date=11 February 2024 |website=Belfast City Council }}</ref> It is now connected through east Belfast by the Connswater Community Greenway which offers 16&nbsp;km of continuous cycle and walkway through east Belfast.<ref>{{Cite web |title=EastSide Greenways |url=https://www.eastsidegreenways.com/ |access-date=28 January 2024 }}</ref>

The largest green conservation area within the city's boundaries is a 2,116 hectares patchwork of "parks, demesnes, woodland and meadows" stretching upriver along the banks of the Lagan river and canal;<ref name=":12" /> Established in 1967, the Lagan Valley Regional Park envelopes in its course, Belvoir Park Forest, which contains ancient oaks and a 12th-century Norman [[Motte-and-bailey castle|Motte]],<ref>{{Cite web |date=5 November 2015 |title=Belvoir Park Forest {{!}} nidirect |url=https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/belvoir-park-forest |access-date=11 February 2024 |website=nidirect.gov.uk }}</ref> and [[Sir Thomas and Lady Dixon Park]], whose International Rose Garden attracts thousands of visitors each July.<ref name="Go To Belfast: Sir Thomas and Lady Dixon Park">{{cite web |title=Sir Thomas and Lady Dixon Park and City of Belfast International Rose Garden |url=http://www.gotobelfast.com/thingstodo/viewdetail.cfm/TDVenue_Key/421/level/page/category_key/197/Page_Key/279/parent_key/0/type/Page/PaGeName/Restaurant_Month.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070531190626/http://www.gotobelfast.com/thingstodo/viewdetail.cfm/TDVenue_Key/421/level/page/category_key/197/Page_Key/279/parent_key/0/type/Page/PaGeName/Restaurant_Month.htm |archive-date=31 May 2007 |access-date=18 May 2007 |publisher=Go To Belfast }}</ref>

Colin Glenn Forest Park,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Fun for all at Ireland's Leading Adventure Park – Colin Glen Belfast |url=https://www.colinglen.org/ |access-date=3 February 2024 |website=Colin Glen }}</ref> the [[National Trust]] Divis and the Black Mountain Ridge Trail,<ref name=":14">{{Cite web |title=Divis and the Black Mountain Ridge Trail |url=https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/northern-ireland/divis-and-the-black-mountain/divis-and-the-black-mountain-ridge-trail |access-date=3 February 2024 |website=National Trust }}</ref> and Cave Hill Country Park.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Cave Hill Country Park |url=https://www.belfastcity.gov.uk/cavehill |access-date=3 February 2024 |website=Belfast City Council }}</ref> offer panoramic views over Belfast and beyond from the west.<ref name=":14" /> Climbing the Castlereagh Hills, the National Trust Lisnabreeny Cregagh Glen does the same from the east.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Lisnabreeny and Cregagh Glen │ Co. Antrim |url=https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/northern-ireland/lisnabreeny-and-cregagh-glen |access-date=11 February 2024 |website=National Trust }}</ref>

Below Cave Hill, the council maintains one of the few local government-funded zoos in the British Isles. The [[Belfast Zoo]] houses more than 1,200 animals of 140 species including [[Asian elephant]]s, [[Barbary lion]]s, [[Malayan sun bear]]s (one of the few in the United Kingdom), two species of penguin, a family of [[western lowland gorilla]]s, a troop of [[common chimpanzee]]s, a pair of [[red panda]]s, a pair of [[Goodfellow's tree-kangaroo]]s and [[Francois' langur]]s. It carries out important conservation work and takes part in European and international breeding programmes which help to ensure the survival of many species under threat.<ref>{{cite news |date=1 April 2007 |title=Parks and gardens |url=http://www.belfastzoo.co.uk/aboutbelfastzoo/HistoryofBelfastZoo.aspx |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090414005143/http://www.belfastzoo.co.uk/aboutbelfastzoo/HistoryofBelfastZoo.aspx |archive-date=14 April 2009 |access-date=16 May 2009 |publisher=belfastzoo }}</ref>