Biodiversity at the royal palaces

At Hillsborough Castle and Gardens, the diversity in the woodland, lakes, grassland, hedgerows, formal gardens and walled vegetable garden supports a wide range of mammals, including badgers and otters, reptiles, birds and insects. ​

The Lake at Hillsborough Castle and Gardens is home to herons, mute swans, greylag geese, mallards, little grebes, moorhen and coots. And if you're really lucky, you might spot kingfishers along the stream. 

A dedicated newt pond was constructed during the redevelopment of the Walled Garden after our team discovered a population of breeding smooth newts. These protected newts were transferred to their new home after special permission had been secured.​

At Hampton Court Palace, the waterways of the formal Long Water canal, Longford River and the Thames offer a range of wetland habitats for birds, amphibians and insects​. Eight species of damselfly and dragonfly have been found here. 

One important means of preserving biodiversity is by managing grassland with grazing animals. Home Park was once the hunting ground of Henry VIII, but now the deer are protected and play an important part in the conservation plan.​

The fallow deer herd is currently 300-strong and lives wild in the park. Today Home Park is a a designated site of Metropolitan Importance for Nature Conservation, as well as a unique green space on the urban fringes of London.

Here, ancient oak and lime trees grow alongside acid grassland. An incredible range of species live in the park including many different butterflies (such as the small copper butterfly), bumble bees, stag beetles, grass snakes, water voles, hedgehogs and many more.