Belvedere House joins National Grassland Trail

The inclusion of Belvedere House and Gardens in the National Grassland Trail 2024, which showcases some of Ireland’s most important grasslands, has been described as “a very exciting development”. The initiative aims to improve biodiversity and highlight best practice in grassland management.

Belvedere Estate covers 65 hectares of grassland and woodland trails. In recent years, the estate has adopted sustainable land management practices, focusing on enhancing nature and supporting native species. Grassland meadows are actively managed for biodiversity, providing habitat for pollinators, birds, and mammals.

Biodiversity officer with Westmeath County Council, Christina Sweeney, explained how the project began: “Last year, Dr Úna FitzPatrick, chief scientific officer at the National Biodiversity Data Centre, put a call out to biodiversity officers to nominate sites suitable for the Grassland Trail. We put forward 18 hectares at Belvedere that we knew would be managed for biodiversity. Cutting here is left late in the season, which benefits pollinators, birds, and many insects. We didn’t know it would be accepted, so when it was, it was great news.”

Like many heritage estates, Belvedere has faced challenges with invasive plants once introduced as ornamentals. Species including Giant knotweed, Himalayan knotweed, Japanese knotweed, American skunk cabbage, Buddleja, Cherry laurel, Gunnera, Rhododendron, Traveller’s joy and Winter heliotrope have required active management.

With support from the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) through the Local Biodiversity Action Fund (LBAF), an eradication programme is ongoing.

The current project is more about cataloguing the exceptional biodiversity of the Belvedere grasslands. Wildflowers such as oxeye daisy, buttercups, red clover, common knapweed, yellow-rattle, meadow vetchling and common spotted-orchid create vibrant meadows that provide essential resources for pollinators.

Wildlife supported on the estate includes foxes, red squirrel, bats, Irish hare, badger, pygmy shrew, wood mouse, numerous bird species, and a wide range of invertebrates.

“We did a two-year county grassland survey,” Christina said. “This year, we looked at council-owned sites including Belvedere Estate, Bogganfin in Athlone, and Coolure, near Castlepollard. The survey team from JBA was led by botanist Phoebe O’Brien, who carried out the surveys. The survey recorded a significant variety of native grassland species, underlining the ecological value of the site.”

As a popular tourist destination, Belvedere also makes a unique contribution to Westmeath’s biodiversity commitments. The grasslands are managed on a ‘cut and lift’ basis – the front meadows are cut twice a year, the back once, and clippings are removed so nutrients do not build up. That allows natural flowers to flourish.

“This is really good for insects, for bats, for birds, and for the ecosystem in general. We knew this was a special site, so we’re now carrying out a pilot entomology survey,” Christina said.

The estate is also contributing to science. The grasslands are being assessed under the Irish National Vegetation Classification, documenting their floristic composition. An entomologist will assess invertebrate diversity this year and again next year to build a long-term picture.

“Grasslands are massively important carbon sinks, so this project also ticks the climate action box,” Christina noted. “One of the botanists even recommended we delay cutting further to maximise biodiversity, which will be included in the management plan.”

Looking to the future, Belvedere aims to be a hub for knowledge sharing and practical conservation. Seeds from the wildflower meadows will be collected and propagated in tunnels on-site, providing stock for habitat restoration within the estate and across the county. That will ensure local genetic diversity is preserved while supporting wider community planting schemes.

“We’re also going to propagate trees and other vegetation on the estate, and work with the local community,” Christina said. “This is not just about conservation, but about sharing skills and knowledge that can inspire wider action.”

Belvedere’s inclusion in the National Grassland Trail will bring long-term benefits,” Christina said.

“This is about protecting biodiversity, supporting climate action, and also building knowledge. It’s an exciting time for Belvedere and for Westmeath.”