Coastal Grasslands

Coastal grasslands A management guide What is Management recommendations coastal for coastal grasslands – a summary grassland? • Use traditional grazing patterns and timings for cattle and sheep: these optimal grazing regimes retain cattle and sheep grazing in Scotland’s coastline is made winter with exclusions during the summer flowering season (roughly up of a unique collection of May – September). habitats, all influenced by • Choice of livestock: both cattle and sheep can be used to maintain highly diverse grassland, as long as they remove coarse grasses. On proximity to the sea. Coastal, the mainland, winter grazing by deer can have a similar effect. or maritime, grasslands are • Rabbit control: this is vital to ensure flowering and seed success as particularly important for well as limiting erosion. The problem with rabbits is generally that there are too many of them to allow plants to flower and set seed. the wildlife they support and • Flexible land management: conservation management agreements are home to a number of and land management prescriptions need to be flexible enough very rare plants. to deliver appropriate management for habitat mosaics in coastal grasslands. For example, short grazing exclusions on their own can be inadequate to create appropriate conditions. • Haymaking, haylage and silage: haymaking and conservation of There are two particularly important coastal grassland plant populations are generally incompatible. types of coastal grasslands: • Woodland planting: woodland regeneration and planting schemes are detrimental to coastal and machair grassland. The pastures of the machair of • Pesticides should not be used: in these delicate habitats, pesticide application upsets the balance of plants and insects. the west and Western Isles • Artificial fertiliser should not be used: these habitats depend on low fertility levels with mineral enrichment from sea spray and sand blow, The grasslands of Scotland’s and seaweed application in cropped machair. north coast, Orkney and Shetland

More about management on page 8

2 Coastal Grasslands A management guide 3 The pastures of the machair The grasslands of Scotland’s north of the west and Western Isles coast, Orkney and Shetland

Machair is one of Europe’s rarest habitats. with buttercups, vetches, bird’s foot trefoil Coastal grasslands along the north coast the cliff tops and behind sand dunes by The plants that characterise machair are and lady’s bedstraw. Later in the summer, and on Orkney can be home to up to exposure to the sea and by grazing. The not unusually rare themselves; rather it is the purples of wild thyme, red clover, ten fl owers per metre square, including land is managed by small-scale crofters, the diversity of fl owering plants that make ragged robin, self heal and even fi eld a number of different eyebrights, some who use the grasslands to raise mainly it so special. A typical patch of machair scabious and autumn gentian dominate. of which are extremely rare, as well as sheep. Coastal grasslands also form a is surprisingly rich and may have up to Of the rarer species, the most celebrated mountain avens, thyme broomrape and signifi cant component of the MoD fi ring 45 species per metre square. Scotland’s are orchids. Pyramidal and fragrant orchids purple oxytropis. Rarer species, such as range at Cape Wrath, which again is machair is a unique landscape made up can be found in machair, along with lesser Scottish primrose (Primula scotia) can managed as if it were crofting land. of a mosaic of different habitats, including butterfl y orchids and frog orchids. The also be found in here. The extreme conditions create a series beach, marshes, lochs and, of course, machair on North Uist has its own type These grasslands are characterised by an of micro habitats for a diversity of coastal pasture. of marsh orchid, the very rare Hebridean extremely short turf, maintained along fl o wers to thrive. These grasslands change colour as the marsh orchid (Dactylorhiza ebudensis). season’s progress. In early spring, white Another rare orchid, found in the pasture Grassland with northern marsh-orchid Dactylorhiza purpurea, Orkney is dominant with daisies, eyebrights and and hay meadows, is Irish lady’s tresses bedstraws. In June, yellow is dominant (Spiranthes romanzofﬁ ana).

Machair at Eoropie, Lewis, below © Colin J Campbell/CC BY-NC-ND Black/Plantlife © Davie

4 Coastal Grasslands A management guide 5 Threats to key plants Scotland’s coastal communities have been farming the land adjacent to the sea for thousands of years. It is a system dependent on low-intensity farming and its future depends on appropriate management. There are fi ve main threats: NEED HI_RES Laurie Campbell 1 Decline in traditional 2 Intensifi cation kidneyvetch1b management Declining numbers of people Cattle and sheep grazing, where involved in traditional grazing has animals are removed in late led to reduced use of hill ground in spring and returned in autumn, the summer months. is extremely important to coastal In some cases this results in grasslands. Abandoning such coastal areas being used more Campbell ©Laurie management is the key threat Kidney vetch in machair, North Uist, Outer Hebrides. More intense and frequent storms, and rising sea levels during the summer when caused by climate change, threaten such rare coastal grasslands to these habitats. historically they were saved for Without seasonal grazing, the the winter months. This means the 4 Damage to 5 Climate change grassland habitats tend to become plants have fewer opportunities for offshore kelp beds Our changing climate is resulting less species rich as micro habitats fl owering and there is a resulting The fi rst defence of low-lying in rising sea levels and increases close up. This means fewer loss of diversity. coastal grasslands is out at sea in storm intensity and frequency. opportunities for the rarer species where kelp beds act as a buffer The resulting coastal erosion is to seed or spread. against winter storms. squeezing the space for Winter grazing is an effective Kelp is also important as a fertiliser coastal grasslands. way to control the spread of 3 Rabbits for the fi elds in machair areas, competitive grasses and rushes Other grazing animals, especially so is crucial for the maintenance which outcompete many of the rabbits, are much less suitable of the habitat. While commercial more distinctive grassland fl owers. for the long-term maintenance of development of kelp beds remains Both cattle and sheep can be used coastal grassland. Over-grazing a low risk, any future exploitation in these habitats. and burrowing by rabbits can result should carefully weigh the impact in increased erosion and allows of kelp removal against the species such as ragwort to become protection it provides for dunes more dominant. and fi eld systems.

6 Coastal Grasslands A management guide 7 Management recommendations Management of the different coastal grasslands to NEED HI_RES maintain the diversity of wild ﬂ owers relies in large Laurie Campbell part on managing grazing levels. blackfacedsheep41b

1 Grazing patterns Traditional grazing regimes use these sites have moderate levels of cattle and/or sheep to maximise grazing. Other nearby species may fl owering success. This means be more palatable, which means grazing in winter with short that orchids are not necessarily exclusions during the summer to eaten by grazing animals. allow plants to fl ower and set seed (roughly May - September). Heavy grazing in the autumn ©Laurie Campbell ©Laurie is important as it removes the 2 Choice of livestock Any grazing animal is suitable for helping maintain coastal grasslands, though sheep are more effective in year’s crop of grasses and herbs. habitats with low nutrient levels Ideally this should take place from Any grazing animal is appropriate, as long as they remove large September when the grasses and 3 Winter poaching 4 Rabbit control herbs are still nutritious. Lighter quantities of coarse grasses. Some Winter poaching (trampling of the Grazing control during fl owering grazing until April produces the mainland sites are winter grazed ground by livestock) can be useful periods should ideally include ideal conditions for many plants by deer. in preparing the ground for good rabbit control too. The potential to survive in healthy populations. Heavy grazing must, however, spring growing conditions. This is for seed production in Irish lady’s Grazing patterns might need to be avoided in summer to allow fl owering. As a general rule, sheep because it can control competitive tresses, for example, is being be tweaked depending on the grasses and herbs, and produce severely curtailed by rabbits species targeted for conservation. are more effective grazers in habitats that depend on low levels open conditions for seeding and/or removing fl owering spikes. Some sites with lesser butterfl y vegetative spread. orchids, for example, can be of nutrients, while cattle are better successfully managed as part of a in more fertile habitats. farm grazing regime that removes Using native breeds of cattle and rank vegetation in autumn and sheep is to be encouraged, as some winter. During fl owering periods other breeds struggle to maintain in June, July and August, many of body condition on these pastures.

8 Coastal Grasslands A management guide 9 Management recommendations

5 Flexible land management Case study: Lesser butterfly orchid Conservation management agreements and land management prescriptions need to be Plantlife visited five sites with conservation lesser butterfly orchid are not maintained. flexible to deliver appropriate management for management agreements specifying It’s also worth noting that winter sheep the habitat mosaics within coastal grasslands. grazing levels and exclusion periods, yet grazing tends not to be suitable for lesser only one was being managed successfully butterfly orchid. Unless grazing begins in See case studies below and opposite for for lesser butterfly orchid. This success was early autumn, winter sheep grazing tends examples of land management issues and linked to three factors: to trample vegetation but not remove it. possible solutions. • The grazing exclusion period was Conservation management short enough to cover flowering of agreements this species only; A one-size-fits-all approach to species-rich • Grazing levels were high enough grassland management does not suit the to maintain a short sward; rarer plants of grasslands. Problems can occur • The management regime was where conservation agreements are targeted at specifically targeted at this species. species that require differing levels of grazing. Equally, the desire to meet cross- compliance measures can cause problems. For example, in some cases winter cattle grazing is restricted to limit poaching of the soil, which is often seen as undesirable. Case study: Irish lady’s tresses As a result, suitable habitat conditions for

Several sites on Coll and around Loch Fada, on Colonsay, are under corncrake management, which requires an extended Land management supported by grazing break during summer months and agri-environment scheme funding results in a much taller sward. This is less- than-ideal for Irish lady’s tresses (right), Scottish Rural Development animals from site to site, providing which cannot compete with the taller Programme (SRDP) prescriptions appropriate site management. grasses, and population numbers of this tend to result in rigid management beautiful orchid are falling. regimes that cannot be used to Such traditional practices achieve The best solution in these circumstances manage a mosaic of habitats and substantial environmental benefit, is to manage one area for Irish lady’s deliver a range of rare species but are not currently financially tresses with a summer grazing regime habitat needs. Well-managed attractive to farmers and crofters. (see “Grazing patterns”, page 8) and sites benefit from being part of They would be however, if manage adjacent areas of the same site for more extensive grazing regimes. supported by agri-environment corncrake. In other words one management These are more flexible and enable schemes with more grazing approach doesn’t fit all. farmers and crofters to move flexibility built into them.

10 Coastal Grasslands A management guide 11 Management recommendations

7 Haymaking and 9 Monitoring cropping times There is an urgent need to continue Haymaking is not recommended monitoring how plants react to for rare coastal grassland species, changing management practices. such as Irish lady’s tresses or Monitoring needs to include sward lesser butterfl y orchid. Only one height measurements in early site we visited was being managed June and early September, and the successfully for lesser butterfl y number of fl ower spikes produced. orchid through haymaking. The Plantlife works with volunteers, quality of the hay was poor and did known as Flora Guardians, ©Seligr not produce a viable crop. monitoring Irish lady’s tresses and Cows grazing, Orkney. It’s worth considering supplementary feeding because this helps keep animals in good condition and means they can graze later in the year. This helps to control rank vegetation There is not enough information on lesser butterfl y orchid. the impact of cultivation on these If you’re interested, please email 6 Supplementary feeding to maintain appropriate species, but it would be prudent to us at [email protected] or grazing levels on designated sites presume against cultivation. phone 01786 478509. Many good nature conservation Take Loft on Orkney. Here, protein sites are relatively poor pasture and feed blocks containing urea are farmers cannot always leave out used on hay fi elds in late winter. livestock long enough to remove These help animals to digest 8 Protection from new rank vegetation because the roughage and allow sheep to woodland plantings animals lose condition. increase their intake of rank Rare plants of coastal grasslands vegetation. Protein feed blocks for However, standard practice at rely on open conditions. The sheep have enabled the farmer to presence of rare and interesting designated sites include restrictions encourage grazing in rank, under- on supplementary feeding in order species such as lesser butterfl y used areas, using the position orchid and Irish lady’s tresses to avoid nutrient increase and the of the block to move sheep, should be a material consideration introduction of non-native seeds and the subsequent trampling in planning woodland regeneration from hay or silage. impact, to where it is needed. schemes. Even where the site is left While as a general rule Using concentrate feed for as open ground, the total exclusion supplementary feeding on nature pregnant ewes on hay fi elds in of grazing animals results in rank conservation sites should be late winter results in a fl oristically vegetation smothering rare and avoided, in some circumstances, diverse hay meadow with no interesting species. relaxing rules on supplementary artifi cial fertiliser, which is applied feeding enables farmers to instead through dung. Any nitrogen graze for longer to the benefi t of from these winter feeds is partially habitats. Supplementary feeding leached before the spring growth could, for example, be through a can use it, so the effects on the “concentrates only” system. pasture are minimal.

12 Coastal Grasslands A management guide 13 Typical species on coastal grassland Regularly occurring species © Andrew Gagg / Plantlife © Andrew Gagg / Plantlife © Andrew Gagg / Plantlife © Andrew Gagg / Plantlife © Andrew Scarlet pimpernel Anagallis arvensis Storksbill Erodium cicutarium Thyme Thymus praecox Frog orchid Coeleglossum viride Lady’s bedstraw Galium verum Bird’s foot trefoil Lotus corniculatus Adder’s tongue fern Ophioglossum vulgatum Self heal Prunella vulgaris © Andrew Gagg / Plantlife © Andrew Gagg / Plantlife © Andrew Gagg / Plantlife © Andrew Gagg / Plantlife © Andrew

14 Coastal Grasslands A management guide 15 Typical species on coastal grassland Rare species © Beth Newman ©Shaun Barr

This page (from top) Pyramidal orchid Anacamptis pyramidalis Hebridean spotted orchid Dactylorhiza fuchsia subsp hebridensis

Opposite page (clockwise from top left) Spring squill Scilla verna Scottish primrose Primula scotica Irish lady’s tresses Spiranthes romanzofﬁ ana © Gingiber © Andy Scobie © Bob Gibbons

16 Coastal Grasslands A management guide 17 NEED HI_RES Laurie Campbell highlandcow211d

References Machair and Coastal Pasture: managing priority habitats for native plants and the signiﬁ cance of grazing practices, by Dr Deborah Long, The Glasgow Naturalist (2009) volume 25, supplement. Machair Conservation: successes and challenges. www.gnhs.org.uk/publications.html Looking after Rare Mosses and Liverworts in Coastal Dune Slacks (2003) by David Holyoak. www.plantlife.org.uk And on that Farm He Had: Scotland farmland report (2013) by Dr Deborah Long and Davie Black. www.plantlife.org.uk

Contacts Plantlife: www.plantlife.org.uk Scottish Natural Heritage: www.snh.gov.uk Scottish Rural Development Programme: www.scotland.gov.uk/topics/farmingrural/SRDP Scotland’s Rural College: www.sruc.ac.uk.

Highland cows: using native breeds to graze coastal pastures is recommended as other breeds might struggle to stay in condition on these pastures

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