LOWLAND UNIMPROVED NEUTRAL AND DRY ACID GRASSLAND
A HABITAT ACTION PLAN FOR SURREY March 2002 Contents- 1. INTRODUCTION
- 2. HABITAT DEFINITION
- 3. CURRENT DISTRIBUTION AND STATUS
- 4. FACTORS AFFECTING THE HABITAT
- 5. IMPORTANCE TO PEOPLE AND CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE
- 6. BENEFITS TO THE COMMUNITY AND THE PRIVATE SECTOR
- 7. POTENTIAL
- 8. CURRENT ACTION
- 9. OBJECTIVES
- 10. TARGETS
- 11. PROPOSED ACTION
- 12. MONITORING AND REVIEW
- 13. REFERENCES & FURTHER READING
- APPENDIX 1
- APPENDIX II
- APPENDIX III
- APPENDIX IV
1. INTRODUCTION
“..Every old meadow is a distinct and individual place, a product of time and geography, and traditional skills. Alas, as everyone knows, the economic purpose that sustained them has all but (but not quite) passed away. In the world of agribusiness they have become as incongruent as a penny-farthing on a motorway.” Peter Marren, British Wildlife, April 1995. Unimproved grasslands are habitats of great antiquity. They include traditionally managed hay meadows and these can date as far back as Mesolithic times; some have been managed for thousands of years (Crofts & Jefferson, 1999). This habitat has suffered immense destruction with 97% being lost in the fifty years between 1930 and 1984 (UK steering group 1995). The remaining 3% is still declining rapidly. The severe loss of unimproved neutral grasslands in Surrey has mirrored that in the country as a whole. This document heralds a brighter future for neutral and acid grasslands in the county of Surrey. It seeks to conserve, enhance and re-create species-rich, unimproved or semi-improved neutral grasslands. By working together in partnership, government agencies, conservation organisations, farmers, landowners and communities can deliver sustainable management to existing quality grassland, and potentially increase the extent of species-rich grasslands. The Surrey Unimproved Neutral and Acid Grassland Habitat Action Plan forms part of the Surrey Biodiversity Action Plan and sits alongside a series of county specific Habitat Action Plans (HAPs) and Species Action Plans (SAPs). Closely associated Surrey Habitat Action Plans: Farmland, Floodplain Grazing Marsh, Lowland Heathland, Urban Biodiversity Action Plan.2. HABITAT DEFINITION
Both neutral and dry acid lowland grasslands are listed as key habitats by the UK Steering Group (1995) and are priorities for conservation. Neutral grassland is a term that refers to grasslands, meadows and pastures which occur on soils where extremes of pH are not combined with a tendency to be extremely dry or wet. Unimproved grassland refers to land where there has not been any significant degree of agricultural intensification. The term unimproved will be used here to describe both completely unimproved and semi-improved grassland. Unimproved neutral grasslands are species rich and tend to have a high proportion of broad leaved herbaceous plants to grasses; this is what gives meadows and pastures such an abundance and variety of flowers from early in the year. They have few or no woody shrubs and a vegetation height of less than one metre. However where grassland has not been grazed or cut, invading scrub is likely to be present, threatening the diversity of the grassland flora. Pastures are grazed, resulting in a relatively low or varied sward. Meadows are left to grow a high sward and cut for hay at least once a year, after which autumn grazing may occur. However, in the UK Biodiversity Action Plan, Tranche 2 (1999), lowland meadows are taken to include most forms of unimproved neutral grassland across the enclosed lowland landscapes of the UK. In terms of National Vegetation Classification plant communities, they primarily embrace each type of MG5 Cynosurus cristatus - Centaurea nigra grassland, MG4 Alopecurus pratensis - Sanguisorba officinalis floodplain meadow and MG8 Cynosurus cristatus - Caltha palustris flood-pasture (see table 1 for definitions). The definition is not restricted to grasslands cut for hay, but also takes into account unimproved neutral pastures where livestock grazing is the main land use. On many farms across the UK the use of particular fields for grazing pasture and hay cropping has alternated through time. This may result in a subtle change of floristic composition, but the characteristic NVC plant community remains the same. Lowland meadows are a high priority habitat. Outside the farmed landscape, such grasslands can be found in recreational sites, churchyards, roadside verges, commons and other locations. These unimproved neutral grasslands are of high nature conservation value, with Semi-natural neutral grasslands of very high conservation value are a scarce resource nationwide. In Surrey these are: MG5, MG11 and MG13. Neutral* grasslands with high botanical nature conservation value by NVC type, known to occur in Surrey (after The Lowland Grassland Management Handbook, 1999) MG1- Arrhenatherum elatius (false oat-grass) grassland: Some stands of the various sub-communities may be semi-natural and have high botanical nature conservation value. The Pastinaca sub-community occurs on calcareous soils in south and east England while the Centaurea and Filipendula sub-communities are widely distributed on suitable soils in lowland Britain. MG5- Cynosurus cristatus – Centaurea nigra (crested dog’s-tail, black knapweed) lowland hay meadow and pasture: Widely scattered throughout the British lowlands. The community covers a wide range of soil types, and sub-communities reflect this. Galium verum sub-community has affinities with chalk grassland and Danthonia sub-community with acid grasslands. •MG11- Festuca rubra - Agrostis stolonifera - Potentilla anserina (red fescue, creeping bent, silverweed) inundation grassland: Scattered localities in lowland England characteristic of areas frequently inundated with fresh or brackish water. Only one sub-community (Lolium perenne) found inland and often agriculturally improved. •MG13- Agrostis stolonifera - Alopecurus geniculatus (creeping bent, marsh foxtail) inundation grassland, silver meadows: Scattered localities in lowland areas throughout Britain usually in river floodplains. Fragmentary occurrence alongside watercourses and on the edges of ponds. A plant community of particular importance in providing feeding areas for wildfowl.- null
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- also known as mesotrophic. Thus mesotrophic grassland or MG. null
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The biodiversity of Surrey’s lowland unimproved grasslands
The variety of plants found in and near unimproved grassland supports a much larger fauna than that found in and near improved grassland. Unimproved hay meadows are noted more for their special plant communities because the sudden hay cut removes the habitat for animals, especially invertebrates. Grazing is a more gradual process and grasslands that are grazed rather than cut support a richer invertebrate fauna. Hay meadows have their own unique communities, as well as being an important part of mosaic habitats.a) Mammals
Typical grassland mammals in Surrey include field vole Microtus agrestis, common shrew Sorex araneus and pygmy shrew Sorex minutus. The mole Talpa europaea is now a common feature in meadows and pastures. The Brown hare Lepus europaeus, which is globally threatened, is now rare in Surrey, being dependent upon a habitat mosaic of grassland and crop fields. Wood mouse Apodemus sylvaticus may also be found, especially where the field vole is rare or absent. Field voles, although still common, are in decline in Britain. They are an important prey item for many raptors such as owls and kestrels and are also taken by badgers, foxes, stoats and weasels. Intensive agriculture, particularly cutting for silage several times a year, removes both food and cover for field voles and prevents the normal summer increase in numbers. Voles will not thrive where the sward is tightly grazed or, in wetter areas, where the tussock structure is lost with intensive grazing. Headlands left uncut around field margins, high cuts and cutting from the centre outwards all help with small mammal numbers where the traditional hay meadow management has ceased. In uncut unimproved grassland the harvest mouse Micromys minutus may build nests out of wide-bladed grass species. The nests are made by weaving together strips of the living, still attached, leaves, which thus remain green throughout the growing season. The harvest mouse has declined due to intensive agriculture and loss of habitat and in Surrey is now more likely to be found in the wet grasslands of the western heaths. A variety of bat species can be observed in flight over unimproved grassland, feeding upon the wealth of invertebrates occurring in association with the habitat. In particular the dung beetle populations found in association with grazed pasture are vital foraging habitat for serotine bats, Eptesicus serotinus. These are widespread across Surrey and southern England but are felt to be in steep decline. Natterer’s bats Myotis nattereri use unimproved grasslands for feeding, either catching prey in the air or gleaning insects from the grass whilst low in flight. Proximity to pastures is essential for the greater horseshoe bat Rhinolophus ferrumequinum for which there are one or two recent records in Surrey. The greater horseshoe bat used to have maternity roosts at several sites in Surrey but no longer breeds here. Increasing the extent of this habitat could help to encourage such species to return to breed in Surrey again.b) Flora
Underlying geology, soil type, hydrology and the historic and recent management regimes of a site determine the floristic composition of grasslands. Neutral grasslands with their rich mix of grasses and dicotyledonous herbs are the habitat of a number of nationally rare (NR) or nationally scarce (NS) vascular plant species including greater yellow rattle Rhinanthus angustifolius (NR), downy-fruited sedge Carex filiformis (NR), narrow-leaved water dropwort Oenanthe silaifolia (NS) and dwarf mouse-ear Cerastuim pumilum (NS). Green-winged orchid Orchis morio and adder’s-tongue fern Ophioglossum vulgatum are good indicator species being dependent on unimproved neutral grassland. Some very rare plants grow in acid grasslands in Surrey. Chamomile Chamaemelum nobile (NS, BAP 3 and LL (long list of Globally Threatened /Declining Species)) although rare can be found on several of Surrey’s cricket pitches. Also rare in Surrey hoary cinquefoil Potentilla argentea is found in good numbers on acid grassland at Frensham Common. The following are extremely rare in Surrey: Smooth cat’s-ear Hypochaeris glabra (NS, LL), Deptford pink Dianthus armeria (NS, P (priority list of Globally Threatened /Declining species)) and maiden pink D. deltoides (NS).c) Birds
Breeding birds of lowland grasslands are declining in numbers in Britain and on the continent. This decline is associated with loss and fragmentation of their habitat. The needs of birds vary greatly with some requiring a short sward and some a relatively high sward, often a range of heights is needed by one species. Birds associated with lowland dry grasslands in Surrey are mentioned below, with indication given if they are Red (R) or Amber (A) Data species. Very few bird species nest on the ground in open grassland. In Surrey the skylark Alauda arvensis (R), woodlark Lullula arborea (R) and the meadow pipit Anthus pratensis will do so. Many other birds feed on, in or over grassland, often nesting in the hedges and nearby scrub and woodland. The green woodpecker Picus viridis (A) is a regular visitor, raiding the nests of the yellow meadow ant. Barn owls Tyto alba (A) use grasslands as an important part of their habitat mosaic. The kestrel Falco tinnunculus preys on the high density of small mammals present in this habitat. In the summer months swallows Hirundo rustica and swifts Apus apus sweep low across the grassland, thriving on the rich abundance of insect life. Post breeding gatherings of several species, such as lapwings Vanellus vanellus (A) occur in dry lowland grasslands. Other typical species include grey partridge Perdix perdix (R), starling Sternus vulgaris, rook Corvus frugilegus, wheatear Oenanthe oenanthe, corn bunting Emberiza calandra (R), curlew Numenius arquata (A) and whinchat Saxicola rubetra.d) Amphibians & Reptiles
The ponds and seasonal pools once widespread in the countryside and often associated with old meadows, pastures and commons are home to a variety of amphibians with frogs Rana temporaria and toads Bufo bufo venturing out into grasslands in search of prey. Smooth (or common) newt, Triturus vulgaris, palmate newt, T. helveticus, and the great crested newt, T. cristatus, are all found on unimproved grassland. Often all three species can be present; e.g. at Bookham Common. However the palmate newt is found primarily on acid grassland, often those associated with heaths. The great crested newt (a priority BAP species) spends only four weeks a year in water, it is rare in Surrey and unimproved grasslands are an important habitat for this species. Grass snakes Natrix natrix, common lizard Lacerta vivipara and slow-worm Anguis fragilis are all found in unimproved grassland in Surrey.e) Insects
Lowland grasslands will support different invertebrate communities depending on the way the grass is managed. The sudden cut that occurs on hay meadows prevents many species from becoming established as they cannot tolerate such a drastic change, especially if it comes at a critical stage in their life cycles. The gradual process of grazing permits insects to complete their life cycles and allows hill-building ants to be present. However many insects of hay meadows may not breed in the hay meadows themselves, but in hedgerows, headlands and nearby woodlands. These insects may spend much of their lives in meadows collecting pollen and nectar from the rich variety of flowers present there. Headlands left uncut around the edges of hay meadows and pastures can enhance insect numbers, by acting as a refuge. Neutral grassland that is grazed but not cut for hay supports a range of common butterfly species such as common blue Polyommatus icarus, small copper Lycaena phlaeas and meadow brown Maniola jurtina. The painted lady Cynthia cardui and clouded yellow Colias croceus are migratory species that visit both meadows and pastures to feed in the summer months, and may breed successfully in uncut grassland. Fields cut for hay can support large populations of meadow brown, a butterfly which lays its eggs in the short vegetation after a cut. Although it is a widespread butterfly it has lost a large proportion of its populations with the loss of traditional hay meadows. Small skippers Thymelicus sylvestris, Essex skippers T. lineola, gatekeepers Pyronia tithonus, orange tips Anthocharis cardamines and others breed in tall grassland along hedgerows and headlands around the edges of meadows and pastures. Several species of moths are specific to and therefore dependent on lowland neutral grassland. The grass rivulet Perizoma albulata is a typical species of old meadows where its larvae feed on yellow rattle. The forester Adscita statices, whose larvae feed on sorrel, has declined severely in recent years and is currently known on only four sites in Surrey. Some moths are threatened by over-grazing as their cocoons are spun high up on grasses and other plants. Some examples of these are the six-spot burnet Zygaena filipendulae, the narrow-bordered five-spot burnet Z. lonicerae and the burnet companion Euclidea glyphica. Resident members of the grasshopper community include meadow grasshopper Chorthippus parallelus, field grasshopper C. brunneus, common green grasshopper Omocestus viridulus, Roesel’s bush-cricket Metrioptera roeselii, long-winged conehead Conocephalus discolor, short-winged conehead C. dorsalis and common groundhopper Tetrix undulata. The yellow meadow ant Lasius flavus is a distinctive feature of older grasslands with its hills indicating a relative lack of disturbance. A variety of bumblebees that feed on nectar and pollen occur in these grasslands, for example the common carder bee Bombus pascuorum, whose nests are parasitized by the field cuckoo bee Psithyrus campestris. Glow-worms Lampyris noctiluca feed on grassland molluscs. An individual meadow may be home to many species of parasitic wasps, each possessing a complex relationship with its host. For acid grassland many species of invertebrates present are specialists and do not occur in other grasslands. Many species of solitary bees and wasps search for nectar or excavate their homes in sandy soils on acid grassland. Flowers such as cat’s ears Hypochaeris radicata and the rare H. glabra, hawkweeds Hieracium spp. and hawkbit Leontodon spp. provide nectar for Andrena humilis a mining bee, which feeds only on (is oligolectic on) yellow composite flowers and supports a rare parasite cuckoo bee Nomada integra. Also dependent on yellow composites is the bee Dasypoda hirtipes. In taller grassland, or in the rough edges, short-tongued wasps feed on the globules of nectar exuded from flowers of umbellifers. The spider-hunting wasp Aporus unicolor hunts the trap-door spider in short acid grassland (as well as calcareous grassland). Dung beetles can be found, such as the three-horned minotaur beetle Typhoeus typhoeus which collects rabbit droppings for its larvae. The hornet robber fly (a BAP species) Asilus crabroniformis is dependent on the larvae of dung beetles, on which its larvae feed. Eutolmus rufibarbis is a grey-coloured robber fly whose larvae live in light sandy soil and feed on insect larvae around the roots of grasses. The field-cricket Gryllus campestris (RDB 1, endangered in Britain) lives on acid grasslands on heathlands. It became extinct in Surrey but has been reintroduced, with some success, to several sites (Baldock, 1999). Reintroduction has been made possible through English Nature’s species recovery programme. The reintroduction programme in Surrey is still active and the crickets are monitored in the spring when the males are calling.f) Fungi
The Waxcaps ( Hygrocybe and Camarophyllopsis species) and their associates, are important indicator species for the health of neutral to acid unimproved dry grasslands. Since 1996 the British Mycological Society is continuing a survey of 156 sites throughout the British Isles on an annual basis, to quantify the conservation values of grasslands and their waxcap populations. The best sites are to the West and North of Britain. However Surrey is home to some notable species, especially in grassland in Churchyards. Surrey records include Hygrocybe calyptriformis, H. intermedia, H. punicea, H. lacmus, H. quieta, H. irrigata (unguinosa); together with Camarophyllopsis hymenocephala and C. atropuncta. Important associates include Entoloma incanum, Dermoloma cuneifolium, and D. josserandii var. phaeopodium. Clavaroids, such as Clavaria vermicularis, Clavulinopsis corniculata and C. luteoalba and also Microglossum olivaceum contribute to the profile of healthy grasslands in Surrey. These species are very habitat sensitive, and will disappear on “improved” sites. Hygrocybe calyptriformis is a noted BAP species. Both neutral and acid grasslands are particularly important for fungi when the soil has not been disturbed, by such methods as ploughing, and is still in its natural form. The vast majority of fungi do not produce visible fruiting bodies (macro-fungi), for most are microscopic and live hidden in the soil. Ninety percent of plants have mutually beneficial relationships with micro- or macro-fungi, called mycorrhizal associations. Although microscopic these fungi can cover large areas and be wide-reaching. It has proved impossible to grow more than a handful of species in culture or experiments, and they are easily destroyed by soil disturbance. The complex underground interactions between fungi and plants and between different species of fungi are known only very superficially (Merryweather, 2001, and Gange & Brown, 1997).3. CURRENT DISTRIBUTION AND STATUS
“Old pastures hardly exist in Surrey now - they have nearly all been ploughed, drained and re-seeded, and perennials such as the Green-winged Orchid, Orchis morio, which formerly grew in them in plenty, are scarce.” Lousley (1976) describing the appalling loss of unimproved grasslands in Surrey. A total area of 330 ha of unimproved acid and neutral grassland was noted for the whole of the South East of England in the 1998 South East Biodiversity Audit (The Biodiversity of South-east England: An Audit and Assessment, The Wildlife Trusts & RSPB, 1998). It is estimated that less than 30,000 ha of acid grassland remain in the UK (UK Biodiversity Group, 1998). The figures for Surrey are as yet unknown, but low. Recent conservation survey findings estimate that less than 15,000 ha of good quality neutral grassland survives today in the UK (The Lowland Grassland Management Handbook, 1999). Cynosurus-Centaurea (MG5) grassland, the typical community of unimproved hay meadows and pastures, has sustained the greatest losses. As it occurs on relatively dry, even terrain it is very easy to improve agriculturally. Thus it has become a highly fragmented habitat and is restricted to small, isolated islands. It is an important habitat of high conservation priority. Recent estimates for cover in England and Wales indicate that there is between 5,000-10,000 ha of MG5 community left in total. Lolium perenne grasslands (MG7) now constitute the majority of neutral grassland habitat in Britain today. They have arisen as a result of agricultural intensification through the addition of fertilizer and/or ploughing up and reseeding of unimproved neutral grassland. Such swards are managed for grazing and also silage production, which has widely replaced traditional hay-making. An intermediate community between improved and unimproved neutral grassland is observed in Lolium perenne – Cynosaurus cristatus grassland (MG6). This type of grassland arises when swards have only been partially improved or when fertiliser application is reduced. As a rule this type of grassland contains few uncommon species and generally exhibits a low botanical value; however they are of great potential value for re-creating better quality neutral grassland. L. Dudley Stamp’s Surrey volume of “The Land Utilisation Survey of Britain” describes the state of flux between grassland and crops in Surrey: “From contemporary records one is left with the impression that the bulk was ploughed at the end of the eighteenth century. In 1866-78 the predominantly arable character is still marked; approximately two fields out of every three were ploughed and one must remember that this includes the heavy lands of the Weald. Then followed a steady change as arable land decreased and grassland increased. The two occupied roughly equal areas in 1890; there was the usual temporary rise in the proportion of arable land, in 1918-1919, and then a renewed decline. By 1938, less than one field in every four was ploughed.” The above demonstrates that Surrey’s landscape was subject to major change long before the intensification which occurred after World War Two, and that this continued in the following decades (after L. Dudley Stamp, 1942) Report of the Land Utilisation Survey of Britain, part 81: Surrey, p 369). Soil damage has occurred on some grassland sites which have then been returned to pasture or meadow usage. Mickleham Gallops is an example of this. It was ploughed for a few years during the war. When it was returned to grazed grassland it never recovered all the species that it had lost. Around the edges of the site where ploughing did not occur orchids still grow, although to this day they have not recolonized the central areas. One explanation for this is the disruption to the complex fungal communities of the soil, especially those involved in mycorrhizal associations (Merryweather, 2001). Related to this: a site which has been heavily overgrazed and is then abandoned will have a sward of little botanical interest, but, if it has an undamaged soil it will have a great potential for restoration. Thus the history of a site as well as its present biodiversity is important. A survey review of this habitat in Surrey, by Surrey Wildlife Trust in 1985, indicates a 25% loss in unimproved grassland in the 10 years between 1975 – 1985 (Lindley, 1985). If the rate of loss continued, at approximately 1,000 ha per decade, the extent of unimproved neutral grassland would be reduced to virtually nothing in the following 30 years. This indicates an alarming decline that has seemingly gone unchecked and indeed intensified in recent years. The actual extent of Surrey’s unimproved grasslands is unknown. The few sites that are protected as SSSIs are detailed in table1.1 below; however the areas given are the total areas of each site. The actual area of unimproved grassland of high quality within each site is not on record. The uniqueness of the acid grassland / neutral grassland mosaic, which occurs in Surrey is evident in table 1.1. Table 1.1 Surrey’s Sites of Special Scientific Interest Containing Unimproved and/or Semi-improved Neutral Grassland:| SSSI | NVC Type | Area (Ha) of site actual area of grassland considerably less and unknown. | Natural Area |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blindley Heath | MG1, 9, U4 | 25.1 | Low Weald |
| Bookham Commons | U4, MG1, 6 | 151.4 | London Basin |
| Charterhouse to Eashing | MG5, 6, 7 | 66.8 | Wealden Greensand |
| Chertsey Meads (denotified) | MG5a, 5b, 6b, 6c | 70 | London Basin |
| Dumsey Meadow | MG5a, 5b | 9.62 | London Basin |
| Epsom and Ashtead Common | U4b, 20, MG1,1a,1b, 6, MG6a, 6b, 7, 9, 9b, 10, MG25, 25a | 358.4 | London Basin |
| Lingfield Cernes | MG6, 7 | 10.1 | Low weald |
| Papercourt | MG6 | 69.4 | London Basin |
| Reigate Heath | U1b, MG6, 7, 1, M23 | 59.6 | Wealden Greensand |
| Runnymede (& Langham Ponds) | MG5a, 5b, 6, 7 | 25.9 | London Basin |
| Staines Moor | U1, MG5a, 5b, 6 | 513.6 | London Basin |
| Thorpe Hay Meadow | MG5a, 5b, 6 | 6.4 | London Basin |
| Thundry Meadows (& Charleshill) | U1, 4, MG5a, 6, M23 | 10.4 | Wealden Greensand |
| Wey Valley Meadows | Mostly M with some MG. | 78.8 | Wealden Greensand |
| Key to NVC community types: MG = mesotrophic (neutral) grassland, M = mire, | |||
| U = calcifugous (lime-hating i.e. acid-loving) grasslands and montane communities. |
Unimproved grassland by Natural Area in Surrey
English Nature, working closely with the Countryside Commission, has defined a series of 120 Natural Areas covering the whole of England. These reflect locally distinctive areas of countryside in terms of wildlife distribution, underlying and surface geology, land use, natural processes and landscape pattern and their various interactions. The boundaries of Natural Areas do not follow administrative boundaries, but follow variations in the character of the landscape. They therefore offer a more effective framework for planning and achievement of nature conservation objectives than do administrative boundaries. Neutral and dry acid grasslands occur in the following four Natural Areas overlain by the administrative County of Surrey.The Low Weald
The characteristic soil of this Natural Area is clay, giving a neutral to moderately acid pH. A high proportion of permanent grassland occurs within this Natural Area but much is of an improved status. Consequently it is of low conservation value. A shift from hay cropping to the increased use of silage has also taken its toll. Traditional unimproved meadows and pastures are now very scarce. However, some examples still remain in the inaccessible corners of farms or on common land. Blindley Heath SSSI contains an example of unimproved neutral grassland. Much of this fragmented habitat occurs outside the SSSI system that would confer statutory protection. Many patches of neutral grassland have now been identified as being Sites of Nature Conservation Importance (SNCIs); however this offers no legal protection.The Wealden Greensand
The flood meadows of the River Wey contain fragments of unimproved neutral grassland existing within the more extensive blocks of improved grassland. Most of the dry acid grasslands remaining in Surrey are found in the Wealden Greensand Natural Area on the characteristic sandy soils of commons and parkland, as patches within heathlands, within heavily grazed pony paddocks, on road verges and on some village greens and sports pitches such as at Reigate Heath SSSI.The High Weald
A small portion of the High Weald Natural Area occurs in the south-east of the county. The High Weald is characterised by dispersed settlements and small, irregular fields distributed amongst the extensive woods and shaws. These are all draped over a deeply incised, ridged and faulted landform of clays and sandstones. The High Weald natural areas contains a large number of small-unimproved acidic and neutral meadows (some 850ha of unimproved grassland across the Weald). However, within Surrey there is a large area of grassland managed for cattle and sheep grazing and this tends to consist predominantly of agriculturally improved grassland.The London Basin
The London Basin’s national significance for grassland has been identified as ‘Notable’ within the ‘English Nature Research Report No. 171, Lowland Grassland in Natural Areas: National assessment of significance’ (1996). The report identifies the key grassland types within the London Basin; one of which being neutral grassland. Species-rich grassland sites would have been characteristic in the pastoral landscape of the London Basin, which existed before the intensification of agriculture that occurred from the early 20th century. Today the unimproved neutral grassland habitat occurs as elsewhere, in small, isolated pockets, an exceptionally good example being Thorpe Hay Meadow, an SSSI owned and managed by Surrey Wildlife Trust. Dry acid grasslands of the London Basin Natural Area occur primarily within heathlands on the sandy Bagshot Beds that overlay the London clay. Although important examples remain, declines in unimproved acid grassland have been much more dramatic than on the Greensand. Away from heathland sites, Staines Moor SSSI still supports areas of U1 acid grassland on drier parts, within the damper floodplain grassland.North Downs
The North Downs Natural Area is classically known for its underlying chalk geology on which calcareous grassland grows. In areas the chalk is capped by a layer of clay with flints; this supports heath and acid grassland, e.g. the SSSI Headley Heath. neutral grassland can be found on cappings and at the bottom of slopes.4. FACTORS AFFECTING THE HABITAT
The intensification of agricultural practice is by far the chief, but not the exclusive reason for the decline in unimproved neutral grassland. The resultant fragmentation greatly increases the likelihood of species’ extinction in the remaining isolated pockets of unimproved grassland. A variety of factors have led to the decline in quality, and reduction in extent, of lowland unimproved grassland as detailed below. Its fragmentation brings increased risk of species extinctions in the small remnant areas. These factors need to be addressed to ensure conservation of this habitat:- Agricultural improvement in the form of: ploughing, re-seeding, fertiliser treatment, slurry application, arable conversion and drainage (neutral grassland), liming (acid grassland).
- The decline of hay-making and the increase of early-cut silage production (neutral grassland).
- Application of herbicides and pesticides.
- Run-off of fertilizer applications on neighbouring land. These habitats are sensitive to even slight increases in soil fertility.
- Abandonment leading to the establishment of rank overgrowth, bracken and scrub encroachment. Lack of grazing of commons is a problem.
- Commons in particular face problems with scrub encroachment and lack of facilities for grazing. There is difficulty in establishing fencing due to public perception and the need for Secretary of State approval. The budgets for publicly owned commons are often insufficient for the scale of management that many sites need to reverse the decline in open habitats that have occurred over the last fifty years.
- Increased stocking levels. Heavy grazing impoverishes the floral community. It creates unwelcome increases in soil fertility. Poaching or other sward damage can be a problem at field entrances and where animals go to drink from a waterway. The latter can also create serious erosion problems.
- On-site supplementary stock feeding. Often associated with high stocking levels. It increases the problems of increased fertility and localised poaching.
- The use of chemicals on stock animals such as the de-wormer ivomectin. Faeces containing ivomectin will not support normal fungal populations, or invertebrates such as dung beetles.
- Decline in livestock businesses, and a lack of suitable grazing stock. Especially old breeds with a large rumen volume which is required for digesting nutritionally poor forage.
- Recreational pressures, including over-intensive scrambling, mountain biking, horse riding and walking.
- Intensive management of roadside verges. With no clear restoration policy for restoration after disturbance from road works.
- Inappropriate tree planting, degrading unimproved grassland and adding to problems of habitat fragmentation. Afforestation particularly with softwoods on light sandy soils (acid grassland).
- Translocation by developers. Where this has occurred, monitoring has not continued long enough to give a realistic idea of the long-term success of translocation. It is a practice that is not acceptable as a conservation method (Bullock et al, 1995, and Merryweather, 2001).
- The impact of development, i.e. road building, residential and industrial expansion, mineral extraction, leisure facilities e.g. golf course expansion. Both from adjacent disturbance and direct land take.
- Agri-environment grants do not address grassland management well. They focus higher premiums for restoration and creation rather than traditional management.
- Inadequacy of information on the extent and locations of the habitat. This is a prerequisite for approaching owners about management plans and for acquiring land. Also important for an effective conservation strategy.
- Change of generation and ownership. When land changes hands, traditionally managed meadows may be at risk from agricultural improvement, neglect or inappropriate management.
- A decline in the perceived agricultural value of species-rich pasture & hay in farming regimes (mostly neutral grassland).
- The high nutrient-retention in clay soils of neutral grasslands, making them sensitive to any agricultural improvement, and a problem in restoration.
- Atmospheric pollution. The impacts are not fully understood at present, but Nitrogen is certainly increasing on grassland, neutrification of acid grassland from the M3 and M25 are a known problem.
- Climate change. The impacts are not fully understood, but it places species that are in isolated habitat blocks in a position where their natural migration response (to climate change) is impeded (Parmesan, 2001). Hotter summers are predicted, this would give southern continental species a competitive edge, especially over those species existing at the southern extreme of their range, which would be expected to become extinct.
5. IMPORTANCE TO PEOPLE AND CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE
Lowland meadows, rich in flowering plants and grasses, are a beautiful sight and an invaluable part of our landscape. The range of colours is an inspiration for artists and the diversity of life a source of fascination for naturalists. Grasslands on commons and heaths are open spaces where one can walk along any path and gaze over the surrounding mixture of habitats. The complex interactions have only recently begun to be explored in depth by ecologists. The fungi of these grasslands are relatively unexplored (Merryweather, 2001). As with any unexamined biological area there is a potential for furthering knowledge, also for discovering new and medically useful compounds. Around 80% of the commonest prescription drugs (in the USA) are based on compounds derived from natural resources (Croft & Jefferson, 1999). Lowland meadows also provide an important link to our past. Their origin dates back to prehistory and they can perhaps provide some clues as to the type of grassland maintained by large grazing herbivores during the Mesolithic more than six thousand years ago (Vera, 2000). The relative lack of disturbance associated with many old meadows and pastures makes them of particular importance to archaeologists who are able to obtain important findings concerning our exploitation of the landscape in past times. Meadow and mead are terms for grass that is conserved and mown for hay; they are derived from an Old-English word meaning ‘to mow’. Most meadows were laid up for hay for only a few months, from April to July or August. For the remainder of the year they were utilised as pasture. In spring, the grass is relatively short, green and pasture-like. By May Day, the fields would be dappled with flowers, with lime-rich areas laden with cowslips and, locally, Green-winged orchids. A hay field prior to harvesting would be a fawn colour, peppered with herbaceous flowering plants. This most evocative part of the meadow season lasts for a few brief weeks. Then the race against time and the elements that was haymaking would begin. Before the onset of mechanisation, this would involve large teams of labourers comprised of the entire farm workforce and additional ‘hired hands’ from nearby villages. A freshly mown meadow looked barren and bare at first, but the cutting stimulated faster growth. Within a month or two a second crop could be ready for harvesting. Larger fields were given over to ‘aftermath grazing’. Those fields existing as lammas lands would revert back to their status as village commons. The traditional date for the annual release of livestock back into the meadows was the 12th August, or ‘lammas’. It seems likely that hay-making was introduced to Britain by the Anglo-Saxons who began to colonize from the fifth century onwards. It is this continuity of management that has brought about the stable floristic assemblages still surviving in the last remaining pockets of this rich habitat. In Medieval England, hay meadows were the most valuable land in the parish, worth three times as much as arable land, and far more than enclosed pasture (Rackham, 1986). Complex tenurial regulations existed to ensure their conservation and prevent misuse. The ancient common-land system required the assent of a whole community to instigate change. Such archaic laws ensured the continued survival of hay meadows over many centuries.6. BENEFITS TO THE COMMUNITY AND THE PRIVATE SECTOR
Old unimproved meadows still have their economic uses today. They continue to supply sweet hay for dairy calves and racehorses, pastures for ponies and traditional livestock breeds and more recently, suppliers of wildflower seed. The range of economic uses has yet to be fully explored. In addition they are not completely understood and are important in research. Good examples of unimproved grassland provide an important educational tool and enable children and adults alike to appreciate their visual beauty, rich biodiversity and to understand the historical factors leading to their development, maintenance and loss. Meadows owned by conservation organisations are extremely popular amongst visitors, both the human and the animal kind. Much of the surviving habitat owes its existence to the Agri-environment incentives that have enabled farmers and landowners to continue less intensive management practices. If future generations are to enjoy the benefits of this habitat into the 21st century and beyond, we must accept that conservation comes with a cost incurred and that semi-natural habitats including lowland meadows exhibit their own inherent value that is priceless.7. POTENTIAL
There is much potential for improving the status and extent of Surrey’s semi-improved and unimproved grasslands. The three main areas being: 1) The protection of existing sites. 2) Ensuring the establishment of good management systems for all sites. 3) Expanding the extent of wildflower grassland. 1) To protect existing sites a strategy for acquisition of threatened and vulnerable sites can be adopted by conservation bodies. There is very little of the lowland meadow and pasture habitat left in Surrey. Because of its conservation importance, it is desirable to ensure that management agreements are established for all surviving sites. 2) Potentially all lowland meadows in Surrey can be brought under agreed management systems by 2005. The uptake of practical management incentives needs to be boosted. 3) Restoration and re-creation of lowland meadows, and grasslands. With improved and semi-improved swards this will depend upon the following management factors:- Cessation of all inorganic/organic fertilizer input. The depletion of nutrients may take many years after the cessation of fertilizer application
- The adoption of low-intensity management involving light grazing, hay-cutting or a combination of both, depending on the type of grassland being restored.
- Consideration of botanical restoration options. Several studies currently in progress are investigating the use of seeding and turfing with wild species in restoration and re-creation. Recovery of botanical richness may be slow in semi-improved swards as the residual effects of fertilizer application favours a few species which are very competitive.
- The proximity of high-quality grassland,
- The length of time since high-quality grassland was present,
- The quality of the flora present,
- The current nutrient levels of the soil and the rate at which these diminish.
- The physical characteristics of the soil and the site in general.
- The area (size) of the habitat present, both established and under restoration.
8. CURRENT ACTION
i. Site protection
The working document, “The future of Surrey’s landscape and woodlands” (SCC Environment, 1997) is designed to guide and support decisions that affect Surrey’s countryside. It draws attention to:- The increase in horse pastures (these tend to be too heavy for invertebrates of the topsoil).
- The decline of landscape diversity.
- The standardisation of roadside corridors.
- A horse-pasture management forum.
- A preparation of detailed local landscape strategies.
- A survey of roadside verges.
iii. Research and monitoring
The SNCI habitat survey project has identified a large number of sites containing areas of unimproved grassland, and the location of each site containing a constituent NVC community has been entered onto a GIS system. A number of research institutions across the UK are conducting work on management treatments and their effect upon habitat composition. In addition, ongoing trials are exploring the possibilities for habitat restoration and expansion. As a rule, new findings are disseminated by the statutory agencies and non-governmental organisations to farmers and landowners as and when they arise.Funding mechanisms for lowland grassland management and restoration in Surrey
Within Surrey a number of schemes are available to farmers and landowners to assist in the management of lowland unimproved grasslands.Agri-environment schemes
Countryside Stewardship Scheme
The Countryside Stewardship Scheme makes annual and capital payments for improvement of the diversity and natural beauty of the countryside. This includes management and restoration of unimproved and semi-improved grasslands and the creation of wildflower grasslands on ex-arable land. The scheme is run by DEFRA/RDS and is open to farmers and non-farming land managers, voluntary bodies, local authorities and community groups. The level of payment available varies depending on the work being undertaken, an example is £85 per hectare for conservation management of lowland pasture or £115 for hay meadows. The scheme is limited to land where a ten-year agreement can be made. Also the land must not be subject to management conditions through another grant scheme or through an existing legal requirement.Organic Aid scheme
The Organic Aid Scheme is run by DEFRA / RDS and provides annual payments to facilitate conversion to organic produce and to support the retention and appropriate management of important wildlife habitats and features. By reducing fertilizer and pesticide application the diversity of some grasslands can be expected to improve, especially where management is in conjunction with the Countryside Stewardship Scheme. The scheme is available between 5 and 10 years for any agricultural land in England not already converted to fully organic produce. The highest rate of payment is during the first years when the costs of conversion are greatest with grants between £50-450 per hectare for a 5 year period. English Nature Payments Biodiversity Grants Scheme The Biodiversity Grants Scheme is open to any organisation providing the project restores priority species and habitats, encourages community involvement or implements the targets in the UK Biodiversity Action Plan. Grants are not available for work on National Nature Reserves or buildings and are not normally available for survey research or data collection. The payments vary between £250-5,000 per annum for a maximum of 3 years with 50% funding being provided per scheme. In some cases the payments will be made on the basis of a decreasing annual contribution (e.g. 50% in the first year, 40% in the second year etc.). However voluntary time can account for up to 80% of matching funds. Wildlife Enhancement Scheme (WES) A scheme overseen by English Nature, centring on payments for landowners and managers whose land forms part of a particular SSSI, for carrying out agreed positive management tasks. Annual and capital payments enable the landowner to follow an agreed traditional grassland management regime. Reserves Enhancement Scheme A scheme overseen by English Nature, similar to WES, but only available for SSSIs which are managed as wildlife reserves. Grants are given to trusts within the Wildlife Trust Partnership and to some other Voluntary Conservation Organisations to assist them to manage their SSSI reserves to maintain their special wildlife qualities, increase the work by volunteers and their enjoyment by people. Other Grant Schemes Heritage Lottery Fund (http://www.hlf.org.uk) The Heritage Lottery Fund provides grants that are directed towards theme-based projects for the enhancement of the countryside or nature conservation. The theme may focus on specific habitats such as lowland meadows and may cover a number of areas or regions. The Heritage Lottery Fund can also be used to buy land. The Fund is a non-governmental scheme with all the money being provided by the national lottery. The fund is open to applications from charities and community organisations but not private organisations. There is a maximum grant of 90% for schemes under £100,000 or, if the scheme exceeds this, a 75% grant is provided with match funding being required. At least half of match funding should consist of financial contributions from your own or other sources with the rest made up in kind (e.g. made up with volunteering time). Applicants have to sign up to manage the land for 25 years after the end of the project and must either own the land specified or have a long lease. In most cases the grants will vary between £5,000 and £100,000 with the projects lasting up to three years. Surrey Wildlife Trust is utilising Heritage Lottery Funding to ensure its Thorpe Hay Meadows Nature Reserve is appropriately grazed. England Rural Development Programme The England Rural Development Programme aims to fund schemes to conserve and improve the environment and to allow rural businesses (including farming) to adapt and develop to changing circumstance. Over £1.6 billion will be available over the next 5 years, the majority of which will be spent on agri-environment schemes. Other schemes, however, include the Rural Enterprise Scheme (RES), which will fund such activities as farm diversification or the marketing of quality agricultural products. The Vocational Training Scheme (VTS) provides funding not only for development of business or marketing skills, but also for training in conservation and environmental skills. DEFRA is keen to see integration of these different schemes, so that, for example, livestock grazed on agri-environment scheme land is marketed locally or that farm workers can receive training in care of alternative breeds. Appeals A number of organisations, both nationally and locally, organise wildlife appeals to acquire funding for the conservation and restoration of grasslands. Examples include ‘Plantlife’ and Wildlife Trust appeals.9. OBJECTIVES
The National Habitat Action Plan Objectives and proposed targets for Lowland Unimproved Neutral and Acid Grassland (UK Biodiversity Group, Tranche 2 Action Plans, 1998) are :- null
- null
- null
- null
- null
- null
- null
- the depletion of unimproved lowland neutral and acid grassland throughout the UK. null
null
null
null
null
- null
- null
- null
- null
- null
- null
- the hectarage of all existing neutral and acid grasslands by preventing loss and damage. null
null
null
10. TARGETS
- null
- null
- null
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- have identified and mapped all remaining unimproved neutral and acid grasslands and to have sites designated where appropriate by 2005. null null null null
- null
- null
- null
- null
- null
- null
- null
- null
- null
- a strategy to promote grassland biodiversity upon roadside verges and to deliver appropriate management at ‘priority’ sites. null
null
null
null
null
null
null
null
null
11. PROPOSED ACTION
Table 11.1 POLICY AND LEGISLATION ACTION POTENTIAL DELIVERERS YEAR (to be complete or in place by) MEETS OBJ No PRIORITY Lead Partners Current Action 2003 2005 2010- null
- null
- null
- null
- null
- null
- null
- null
- null
- to notify remaining unimproved grasslands as SSSI, SNCI, and LNR where appropriate. null
null
null
- null
- null
- null
- null
- null
- null
- null
- null
- all SSSIs containing unimproved neutral grassland are subject to an appropriate management plan. EN CLA, CMPs, CoL, DEFRA, Farmers, FWAG, Landowners, MoD (DE), NFU, NT, SWT, WMI 2 null null null null null null null null
- null
- null
- null
- null
- null
- null
- null
- null
- training courses for landowners, contractors, graziers, advisers and officers in practical grassland management, creation and enhancement techniques and grant schemes etc. null
null
- null
- null
- null
- null
- null
- null
- null
- null
- null
- to identify and inform the inventory of all unimproved and semi-improved neutral and acid grassland sites and their condition. DEFRA FWAG, CMPs, EN, Farmers, LA, Landowners, MoD (DE), NFU, NT, Plantlife, SBRC, SCC, SFC, SGWG, SNCLG, Universities, WMI 2 null
null
null
- null
- null
- null
- null
- null
- null
- null
- null
- awareness of new scientific research and funding, ensuring best practice management and restoration of grasslands in Surrey. DEFRA EN null null null null null null null null
12. MONITORING AND REVIEW
The Surrey Grassland Working Group comprising representation from those organisations listed in Appendix III will carry the report forward to implementation and by meeting on a biannual basis provide a strategic framework for the conservation and restoration of lowland neutral and acid grasslands as priority habitats in Surrey. Progress towards delivering the Habitat Action Plan is to be reported to the Surrey Biodiversity Partnership Steering Group (SBPSG) on an annual basis as part of the overall reporting procedure for the Surrey Biodiversity Action Plan. The Surrey Lowland Unimproved Neutral and Acid Grassland Habitat Action Plan will be reviewed by its working group five years after its publication. It is the responsibility of the working group to remain aware of wider developments concerning research, policy and funding for this habitat so as to inform and enhance opportunities for the habitats’ conservation at the county level.13. REFERENCES & FURTHER READING
Arnott, J. et al. (1979) Survey of Old Meadow Sites South East Region: Surrey. Nature Conservancy Council. Baldock, D. W. (1999) Grasshoppers and Crickets of Surrey. Surrey Wildlife Trust. Pp111. Bullock J., Kodder K., Manchester S. and Stevenson M.J. (1995). A review of information on species transloction. Natural Environment Research Council/ Joint Nature Conservation Council. Cloughley, P. & Wicks, D (1998) The Biodiversity of South East England: An Audit and Assessment. Hants & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust. Collins, G. A. (1995). Butterflies of Surrey. Surrey Wildlife Trust. Pp 87. Collins, G. A. (1997). Larger Moths of Surrey. Surrey Wildlife Trust. Pp333. Crofts, A. & Jefferson, R.G. (1999) The Lowland Grassland Management Handbook 2nd Edition. English Nature/The Wildlife Trusts. Drewett, J. (1987) The Nature of Surrey. Barracuda Books Ltd, Buckingham. Dryden, R. (1997) Habitat Restoration Project: Factsheets and Bibliographies. English Nature Research Reports No. 260 Dudley Stamp L., 1942. Report of the Land Utilisation Survey of Britain, part 81: Surrey. Edgar, R.D.M. (1995) South East England Habitat Resources Survey. English Nature. English Nature & The British Horse Society (1997) Horses, grasslands & Nature Conservation. EN. English Nature. Natural Area Profiles: The High Weald , London Basin, The Low Weald and Pevensey Levels, Wealden Greensand. Follet, P. (1996). Dragonflies of Surrey. Surrey Wildlife Trust. Pp87. Gange, A.C. & Brown, V.K. (eds.) 1997. Multitrophic Interactions in Terrestrial Systems. Blackwell, Oxford. Hawkins, R.D. (2000). Ladybirds of Surrey. Surrey Wildlife Trust. Pp136. Hill J.K., Thomas C.D. and Huntley B., 2001. Impacts of Climate and Habitat availability on range changes in the Speckled Wood butterfly. In: Impacts of climate change on wildlife (eds. Green R.E., Harley M., Spalding M. and Zockler C.). RSPB, UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre, English Nature, WWF-UK. Lindley A., 1985. Surrey’s Vanishing Wildlife, A Habitat Survey Review 1975-85, A study of loss and gain in the county. The Surrey Wildlife Trust Merryweather J. (2001). Comment: Meet the Glomales – the ecology of mycorrhiza. British Wildlife. Vol 13, Number 2. Pp 86-93. Morris, R.K.A. (1998). Hoverflies of Surrey. Surrey Wildllife Trust. Pp244. NCC (1988) The conservation of meadows and pastures. NCC. Parmesan, C. (2001). Effects of climate change on butterfly distributions. In: Impacts of climate change on wildlife (eds. Green R.E., Harley M., Spalding M. and Zockler C.). RSPB, UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre, English Nature, WWF-UK. Rackham, O., 1986. The History of the Countryside. J.M. Dent. Rodwell, J.S. (1992) British Plant Communities Volume 3: Grasslands and montane communities. Cambridge. Spooner, Dr B, (1999). Fungi of Surrey’s Unimproved Grasslands (personal correspondence). 2nd July 1999. Steven, G. (1990) A Preliminary Botanical Survey of Unimproved Neutral and Acidic Grassland in Surrey. Nature Conservancy Council: South East Region. Surrey County Council, (1997). The future of Surrey’s landscape and woodlands. SCC Environment. UK Biodiversity Group, 1998. Tranche 2 Action Plans Volume II – terrestrial and freshwater habitats. UK Biodiversity Group/English Nature. Pp. 86. UK steering group, 1995. Biodiversity: The UK Steering Group Report Volume 2: Action Plans. English Nature. Vera, F. W. M. (2000). Grazing Ecology and Forest History. CABI Wallingford. Wycherley, J. & Anstis, R. (2001). Amphibians and Reptiles of Surrey. Surrey Wildlife Trust. Pp112. www.ukbap.org.ukAPPENDIX 1
KEY BIODIVERSITY SPECIES ASSOCIATED WITH LOWLAND UNIMPROVED NEUTRAL AND DRY ACID GRASSLANDS IN SURREY COMMON NAME SCIENTIFIC NAME TAXA PRESENCE IN SURREY UK BAP LIST / other UK status Bumblebees (generic) Bombus spp Bee Mainly common, generalist species, with B. ruderarius the rarest. P Skylark Alauda arvensis Bird Local resident, passage migrant and winter visitor P Meadow pipit Anthus pratensis Bird Locally common resident, common passage migrant and winter visitor SOCC Kestrel Falco tinnunculus Bird Moderately common resident SOCC Grey partridge Perdix perdix Bird Scarce resident P Green woodpecker Picus viridis Bird Common resident SOCC Barn owl Tyto alba Bird Scarce resident SOCC Lapwing Vanellus vanellus Bird A local breeding species, rare. Numbers are augmented by winter visitors. SOCC This year (2002) the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) will be surveying 24 Surrey sites that were last surveyed in 1982. Results will give an indication as to the effect of loss of habitat over the last 20 years. Waxcap fungi (generic) Hygrophorus spp. Fungi Unknown fungi Hygrocybe calyptriformis Fungi Rare P Yellow meadow ant Lasius flavus Hymenoptera, ant Common and widespread Serotine bat Eptesicus serotinus Mammal Rare, declining IUCN Vulnerable Brown hare Lepus europaeus Mammal Rare P Common shrew Sorex araneus Mammal Unknown Pygmy shrew Sorex minutus Mammal Unknown Roesel’s bush-cricket Metrioptera roeselii Orthoptera Scarce / but increasing NS Great crested newt Triturus cristatus Amphibian Rare P Green-winged orchid Orchis morio Vascular plant County rarity Downy-fruited sedge Carex filiformis Vascular plant Extremely rare RDB 3 Narrow-leaved water dropwort Oenanthe silaifolia Vascular plant County rarity NS Greater yellow rattle Rhinanthus angustifolius Vascular plant County rarity SOCC RDB 1 Yellow rattle Rhinanthus minor Vascular plant Local Devil’s-bit scabious Succisa pratensis Vascular plant Widely scattered Saw-wort Serratula tinctoria Vascular plant Rare/scarce and declining Pepper-saxifrage Silaum silaus Vascular plant Local Dyer’s greenweed Genista tinctoria Vascular plant Scarce and declining Ox-eye daisy Leucanthemum vulgare Vascular plant Very common / but representative Ragged robin Lychnis flos-cuculi Vascular plant local Great burnet Sanguisorba officinalis Vascular plant County rarity Greater butterfly orchid Platanthera chlorantha Vascular plant Local / scarce Adder’s-tongue fern Ophioglossum vulgatum Vascular plant Local Moonwort Botrychium lunaria Vascular plant Extinct / county rarity Chamomile Chamaemelum nobile Vascular plant (acid soil) Rare LL Silvery-leaved cinquefoil Potentilla argentea Vascular plant (acid soil) Rare Smooth cat’s ear Hypochaeris glabra Vascular plant (acid soil) Very rare NR, LL Deptford pink Dianthus armeria Vascular plant (acid soil) Extremely rare P Maiden pink D. deltoides Vascular plant (acid soil) Extremely rare Key RDB 3 listed in Red Data Book (Perring & Farrell, 1983). Nationally rare. RDB 2 listed in Red Data Book (Perring & Farrell, 1983). Nationally vulnerable RDB 1 listed in Red Data Book (Perring & Farrell, 1983). Nationally endangered NS Nationally scarce (occur in 16 - 100 of the 10km squares of the national grid) NR Nationally rare (occur in 1 - 15 of the 10km squares of the national grid). Red Data Book species. P priority species (formerly short and middle list species) see the UK Steering Group, (1995) LL Long list of Globally threatened / declining species, see the UK Steering Group, (1995) SOCC Species of Conservation Concern. IUCN International Union for the Conservation of Nature.APPENDIX II
LOWLAND HAY MEADOWS AND PASTURE IDENTIFICATION Features that indicate unimproved grassland: • A high proportion of broadleaved plants to grasses • Fine-leaved grasses not dense/coarse tussocks (unless it is wet grassland) • Grassland which tends to look yellowy-green but not bright emerald • A wide range of different plant species in the sward (don’t be fooled by a colourful monoculture of Buttercups) • Anthills - the sward may have been enriched but it is unlikely to have been ploughed or harrowed • A patchy appearance to the sward where damp flushes or stands of different species occur • Sward height is usually lower in a sown ley or improved grassland • Usually, but not always, smaller fields, often of an irregular shape A large amount of coarse species, such as nettles, docks, thistles or ragwort suggests that inappropriate management is occurring. MG5 Centaurea nigra – Cynosurus cristatus grassland: the main neutral grassland community of Wealden unimproved meadows and pastures More or less constant species: Species which are usually abundant: Red fescue Meadow buttercup Crested dog’s-tail Common sorrel Common knapweed Yarrow Common bird’s-foot-trefoil Selfheal Ribwort plantain Autumn hawkbit Yorkshire fog Smooth meadow-grass Cock’s-foot Perennial rye-grass (often present - rarely Red and white clover prominent in sward) Creeping bent Sweet vernal grass MG5a Lathyrus pratensis sub-community This community occurs on neutral soils and is the most common and widespread sub-community. Prominent species are: Meadow vetchling Daisy Ox-eye daisy Few strong calcicoles or acidophiles occur in this kind of grassland MG5b Galium verum sub-community Occurs on moderately calcareous soils. Typical species are: Quite strongly calcicolous species can be present, for example: Lady’s bedstraw Upright brome Yellow oat-grass Hoary plantain Downy oat-grass Salad burnet Bulbous buttercup Cowslip Glaucous sedge MG5c Danthonia decumbens sub-community Occurs on more acid soils and is the sub-community most typical of unimproved grassland in the High Weald of Sussex, Surrey and Kent. Of most conservation interest. Confusingly, heath grass (Danthonia decumbens) need not be present. Typical species are: More rarely occurring, but suggesting MG5c are: Tormentil Dyer’s greenweed Field woodrush Saw-wort Heath grass Meadow thistle Common bent Lousewort Devil’s-bit scabious Betony More calcicolous species, like carnation sedge and quaking grass, can occur in areas of local base enrichment, such as wet flushes.APPENDIX III
Glossary Most glossary words can be found in the introduction to “The Surrey Biodiversity Action Plan”. Useful words not found in the introduction are included here. annual - a plant that completes its life cycle within one year. calcareous soil - chalk soil. Calcicole - a plant species confined to, or most frequently found on, chalk soils. Dicotyledons , or dicots. - plants with net-venation in the leaves e.g. dandelion (unlike the parallel-venation of monocotyledons e.g. grasses). One of two great divisions of angiosperms. ephemeral - a very short-lived organism. larvae - animals in an immature but active state, markedly different from the adult (singular: larva). mosaic species - a species which needs a mixture of habitats to live in. rumen - the first stomach of a cud-chewing ungulate, such as a cow. slurry - liquid waste from farm animals. tranche - a portion. umbellifer - any plant of the carrot and hemlock family (Umbelliferae), the flowers are grouped into umbels, e.g. cow parsley. These form a flatish layer composed of many tiny flowers and are attractive to many insects.APPENDIX IV
SURREY LOWLAND UNIMPROVED NEUTRAL AND DRY ACID GRASSLAND WORKING GROUP Working Group Lead: Sue Webber Surrey Wildlife Trust Working Group Members: Jill Barton & Giles Groome Surrey Wildlife Trust Georgina Terry & Ralph Hobbs NaturalEngland? Dawn Brickwood Weald Meadows Initiative Mark Stevenson Department for the Environment Farming and Rural Affairs Jane Atkinson Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group Rob Fairbanks, Dave Symmonds Surrey Hills AONB Barry Phillips Surrey Flora Committee John Edwards Surrey County Council This Habitat Action Plan has been prepared by Sue Webber and Jay Doyle, of The Surrey Wildlife Trust, on behalf of the Surrey Biodiversity Partnership. The Surrey Biodiversity Partnership wishes to acknowledge the financial support of the Environment Agency, English Nature, Surrey County Council and Surrey Wildlife Trust. Many thanks to all those who have helped with their time and expertise: David Baldock, Derek Smith, Gail Jeffcoate, Hugh Evans, John Pontin, Julia Wycherley, Graham Collins, Jeffery Wheatley, Mervyn Newman, Mike Coates, Mike Edwards, Ray Tantram, Richard Anstis, Ross Baker, Roger Hawkins, Roger Morris and the members of the above working group. I offer my sincere apologies if I have missed anyone off the list. Sue Webber, Biodiversity Officer, Surrey Wildlife Trust. Surrey Wildlife Trust: School Lane, Pirbright, Surrey, GU24 OJN. 01483 488055.
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