Bahana Forest

Bahana Forest is an old woodland site sloping down to the banks of the Barrow River, between Graiguenamanagh and St Mullins, in County Carlow. It is thought that Bahana derives its name from ‘beith’ the Irish name for birch. There are facilities here for fishing and forest walks along the river bank.

The main tree species in the forest include some remnants of old oak woodlands and a nice stand of beech. There is a great variety of conifers including Douglas fir, Scots pine, Norwegian spruce, Japanese larch and western hemlock. Birch and holly abound with some ash and hazel.

There is a diverse range of flora, with woodrush and broom being abundant. This is a granite based site comprising of a wide variety of site and soil types, from rock outcrops on the steep slopes to brown earth on the flats. Woodcock and pheasant are the main fauna species present. Because of its proximity to the river there is a variety of bird life in Bahana Forest. Rabbits and red squirrels are frequently seen and occasionally the otter can be glimpsed on the riverbank.