Neutral

Neutral grasslands, or mesotrophic grasslands, and wood crane’s-bill present at higher are used for making, water and altitudes. Sweet vernal-grass gives cut . They tend to be enclosed meadows the fresh smell of hay. One of the fields, and are the typical type of main features of hay meadows is the presence that many people think of when asked to of yellow-rattle which is a hemi-parasite on describe wildflower . grass. It has the effect of reducing vigorous growth allowing wildflowers to grow. Hay meadows and grazing pasture The National Vegetation Classification (NVC) Hay meadows and grazing pasture are present calls species-rich lowland meadows ‘MG5 in both the lowlands and uplands. Plants crested dog’s-tail – common knapweed include common/black knapweed, oxeye grassland’. Lowland grasslands have daisy, lady’s bedstraw and bird’s-foot trefoil, dramatically declined over the past 50 years - along with a range of orchids such as common by an estimated 97% and are still being lost. spotted-orchid, green-winged orchid and Approximately 5000-10000 ha survives today, pyramidal orchid. One of the dominant in scattered, small isolated fields, with small grasses is crested dog’s-tail. There are some amounts present in other environments such differences between the plants of lowland as recreational grounds and churchyards. and upland hay meadows, with flowers such There are important concentrations of this as rare ladies’-mantles, great burnet, pignut grassland in Worcestershire, south-west

Upland hay meadow

Floodplain grazing pasture

England, east Midlands, east Anglia, parts of been undertaken. Species-rich inundation Wales, Fermanagh in Northern , and pasture is categorised as ‘MG8 crested dog’s- 2000–3000 ha present in crofting areas around tail – marigold grassland’ and is Lochaber, Skye and the Western Isles of traditionally managed as pasture. There are Scotland. Upland meadows are categorised as slight differences associated with the plants ‘MG3 sweet vernal grass – wood crane’s-bill present in these communities with great grassland’ and are restricted to the North burnet, pepper saxifrage, meadow sweet, and Pennines, Yorkshire Moors and County rarities such as snake’s-head fritillary, Durham, with a few examples in Cumbria, present in the flood meadows. Marsh marigold Lancashire, Northumberland, Perthshire and is a distinguishing characteristic of inundation as far north as Aberdeenshire. There are no pasture, as the leaves are unpalatable to known examples in southern England, Wales livestock. or Northern Ireland. There is less than 1000 ha in northern England and less than Both floodplain meadow communities are very 100 ha in Scotland. rare with flood meadows being localised along the Thames Valley, Ouse Valley in Yorkshire, Floodplain grasslands Welsh Borders and Midland waterways. The grasslands are scattered and isolated, with There are two separate types of floodplain less than 1500 ha surviving. Less than 1000 ha grassland. Both are present along of inundation pasture remains, with an watercourses and are a result of seasonal estimated 600–800 ha in Scotland. Drainage, flooding. Species-rich flood meadows are agricultural improvement and neglect of the referred to as the ‘MG4 meadow fox-tail – infrastructure surrounding water meadow great burnet grassland’ and develop where systems are the main causes of decline for traditional hay meadow management has floodplain grasslands.

Management of neutral grasslands increased fertiliser inputs, re-seeding or over- seeding with perennial rye-grass and white The later summer and higher rainfall in the clover may be difficult, as wildflowers need north of the UK and uplands mean that low nutrient levels. flowers bloom slightly later, compared with lowland meadows. Hay-cut meadows should The major funding support for maintenance, be left until the main bulk of flowering has restoration and recreation of wildflower finished and the flowers have set seed, which grasslands on farmland, both upland and varies from mid-July in an early season lowland, has been through agri-environment onwards to late September. Following hay- schemes. However, this funding source is tied making, the fields are usually aftermath to the use of the land as part of an grazed with cattle and/or sheep over the agricultural holding and is not necessarily autumn. The fields are shut-up in early spring available in other situations such as small- to allow the grass to grow for the hay crop. holdings, or grasslands in towns or urban areas. There may be local grants available, or Lowland grasslands may also be managed as fundraising may be required to support the pasture with low-intensity (termed extensive) work, if the land is in public ownership such grazing especially with cattle or ponies as a village green. followed by sheep. This is important as it opens the vegetation, creating small areas of Further information bare ground, which need. Animals also trample fallen seed into the helping JNCC (2008) UK Action Plan wildflowers to germinate. Descriptions: Lowland Meadows. Last accessed 08-10-2014. It can be difficult to restore and recreate hay meadows and floodplain pasture. It is JNCC (2008) UK Biodiversity Action Plan essential that we maintain the existing extent Habitat Descriptions: Upland Meadows. Last of such grasslands through careful accessed 08-10-2014. management, and then concentrate on grassland restoration and recreation. Peterken, G. (2013) Meadows. British Wildlife Publishing Ltd. Grasslands that have been agriculturally improved are categorised as ‘MG6 perennial Rodwell, J.S. (1992) British Plant rye-grass – crested dog’s-tail grassland’. Communities Volume 3: Grasslands and There are fewer wildflowers and grasses montane communities. Cambridge University compared with hay meadows. Restoration can Press. be undertaken to increase the diversity of wildflowers present. Restoration of intensive agricultural grassland (classified as ‘MG7 perennial rye grass grassland’) improved with

Cattle grazing a lowland meadow