Biodiversity

In 2019, the North Kildare Beekeepers’ Association (NKBKA) established a new apiary in the walled garden at Russborough, in collaboration with the Royal Horticultural Society of Ireland (RHSI). Visitors to the RHSI Garden can observe the native Irish honeybees (Apis mellifera mellifera) as they forage among the diverse trees and plants.

The apiary, completed on 22nd June 2019, now houses three thriving beehives. The garden is open to visitors every Wednesday and Saturday from 10:30 am to 3:30 pm, offering a unique glimpse into the essential role bees play in our ecosystem.

In early 2024, after grounds team found a Dormouse in the parklands, Russborough collaborated with Wild Gaia to establish Ireland’s first dormouse monitoring site, following guidelines from the National Dormouse Monitoring Programme. Fifty wooden dormouse boxes were installed across the estate to study the recently discovered hazel dormouse population in County Kildare. The initial monitoring in May 2024 yielded promising results, with several boxes occupied by adult dormice and their young, indicating a thriving population. This initiative not only enhances our understanding of the dormouse’s ecology in Ireland but also underscores Russborough’s commitment to wildlife conservation and biodiversity.