Identification & Mapping

A hedgerow is defined as a line of trees or shrubs over 20m long and less than 5m wide, provided that at one time the trees or shrubs were more or less continuous. (from UK Steering Group on Hedgerows, published in English Nature's Hedgerow Survey Handbook*).

A native hedgerow is defined here as one in which over 80% of the woody plants are native species.

A hedgerow tree is an isolated tree, of whatever species, age or origin, which has been deliberately or incidentally allowed to grow within a native hedgerow.

Condition Assessment

Follow DEFRA's Hedgerow Survey Handbook (Appendix 9)* which combines measures of height, width, integrity, nutrient enrichment and other factors.

* DEFRA (2007) Hedgerow Survey Handbook � A standard procedure for local surveys in the UK. Prepared on behalf of the Steering Group for the UK . DEFRA, London.

Identification & Mapping

Ancient woodland includes all woodland sites with evidence of continuous wooded cover since 1600 AD. The definition includes Planted Ancient Woodland Sites (PAWS).

Planted Ancient Woodland Sites (PAWS) are woodland sites which contain evidence of former ancient woodland, or for which there is recorded evidence of former ancient woodland, and which have subsequently been planted with coniferous or broadleaved trees.

There is a current inventory of ancient woodlands (and PAWS) over 2ha in extent. There are known to be inaccuracies in this inventory and further work is planned to revisit these sites and update the inventory.

In addition to these definitions, rare native woodland stands types of relevance to the Durham BAP will be further defined at a later stage, but will broadly follow the National Vegetation Classification (Rodwell). These stand types are subject to current and ongoing inventory work.

Condition Assessment

There is a standard condition assessment for Ancient Woodlands (JNCC 2004*)

There will be a baseline for condition for all sites surveyed, but it will be difficult to repeat this work regularly. For sites recorded in unfavourable condition, records of current positive interventions will give the site �recovering' status.

* JNCC, (2004) Common Standards Monitoring Guidance for Woodland , Version February 2004, ISSN 1743-8160

Identification & Mapping

This priority habitat encompasses all woodland which is not ancient (established since 1600), and which contains predominantly broadleaf species. This includes plantation as well as semi-natural or secondary woodland.

Mature broadleaf woodland dominated by non-native broadleaf species such as sycamore and beech are important in the context of the Durham BAP area and are included in this definition, however all new plantation relating to targets for this priority habitat should be of native species.

It should be noted that native but non-broadleaf species such as yew and juniper can be important components of this priority habitat.

An important exclusion to this definition, however, is of broadleaf plantation woodland which has been planted, inappropriately, on another DBAP priority habitat, or on land which would have met the definition of another DBAP priority habitat in the previous 30 years.

Condition Assessment

Because of the large extent of this resource and the difficulty of measuring its condition overall, the extent of this habitat which is in active management (as measured by statistics from Forestry Commission grant schemes) will be taken to indicate the extent in good condition.

There is no overall target set for the extent or condition of Scrub, and as a large scale transitional community it is difficult to map. However, for the purposes of this plan a coastal strip has been defined as a 500m buffer from the coast (mean high water), within which the cover of scrub will be monitored. A target has been set for the extent of scrub within this coastal strip.

Identification & Mapping

Scrub is comprised of scattered or dense stands of naturally regenerated locally native tree and shrub species, generally under 5m tall.

Condition Assessment

No condition assessment has been defined for this habitat

NOTE: Scrub which meets one of the following definitions is recognised by Natural England is being of high environmental value.

Scrub on calcareous soils with three or more of the following species: way-faring tree, wild privet, dogwood, spurge laurel, black bryony, hawthorn or spindle.

Scrub on peat soils with two or more of the following species: tea-leaved willow, eared willow, goat willow, grey willow, bay willow, purple willow, osier.

Wood pasture or parkland are vegetation structures rather than particular plant communities. They are matrices of grassland, heathland and/or woodland habitats which contains large open-grown or high forest trees (often pollards) at various densities (following the UK BAP definition and Defra's T03 definition for parkland and wood pasture)*.

Veteran trees are in-field, boundary or woodland trees which are over mature and with evidence of decay, often having been kept alive through management such as pollarding. It is not possible to use size precisely as a guide to maturity for individual species, because diameter or circumference depends on a number of other factors, including soil type and past and present competition. However a rule of thumb has been developed and is presented in the table below. Veteran trees also contain some or all of the following features:

From the Veteran Trees Initiative / Woodland Trust

In-field trees of this nature often indicate the presence of former wood pasture or parkland

Veteran Tree Rule Of Thumb Trunk Diameters

These 'rules of thumb' collate the maximum trunk sizes recorded by Mitchell (1974) for each species and adapting categories of 'potentially interesting', 'valuable' and 'truly ancient' described by Read (2000) to relate to these maximum trunk sizes

Identification & Mapping

For the purposes of monitoring, a Veteran Tree will be defined as any tree in the �valuable' or �truly ancient' columns in the table above.

It is obviously important for recruitment to also monitor trees in age classes below. Whichever monitoring methodology is adopted for this target, data on species and diameter at breast height should be recorded for all trees in the sample which fall into the �potentially interesting' column or above.

Parkland will be defined and mapped through the Durham County Council's Historic Landscape Character Assessment.

There is insufficient understanding of Wood Pasture in the Durham context at present to allow a definition.

Condition Assessment

For Veteran trees

Any Parkland which is covered by funding from Environmental Stewardship or a Woodland Grant Scheme will be assumed to be in favourable condition, until such time as further work is undertaken to determine a more appropriate condition assessment . See Defra's condition assessment in the T03 definition of wood pasture & parkland for further guidance.*

Any Wood Pasture (once defined) which is covered by funding from Environmental Stewardship or a Woodland Grant Scheme will be assumed to be in favourable condition, until such time as further work is undertaken to determine a more appropriate condition assessment. See Defra's condition assessment in the T03 definition of wood pasture & parkland for further guidance.**

*DEFRA (2005) Higher Level Stewardship: Farm Environment Plan � Guidance handbook. www.defra.gov.uk

** DEFRA (2007) Hedgerow Survey Handbook � A standard procedure for local surveys in the UK . Prepared on behalf of the Steering Group for the UK. DEFRA, London.

Reedbeds are wetlands dominated by stands of common reed ( Phragmites australis ), where the water table is at or above ground for most of the year (swamps). Phragmites australis must cover more than 60% of the swamp community for the habitat to meet this definition. Phragmites australis Reedbed is a type of Fen community that is of particular value to many birds.

Condition Assessment

1. Cover of scrub within the reedbed must be less than 10%.
2. Surface water is present over at least part of the reedbed for most of the year.
3. Cover of undesirable species (docks, thistles, ragworts, Indian (Himalayan) balsam) must be less than 5%.

Adapted from the Defra's W08 reedbeds definition.*

* DEFRA (2005) Higher Level Stewardship: Farm Environment Plan � Guidance handbook. www.defra.gov.uk

Rivers and streams are naturally dynamic habitats with a constant or seasonal flow of water. In their unmodified state rivers are dynamic features, which interact with their floodplains enabling a range of wetland habitats to develop such as grazing marsh, wet woodland and fen habitats including reedbed. This habitat definition covers any flowing water, including rivers, streams, ditches and their associated riparian habitat. Both shingle beds and eroding river banks support a range of specialised invertebrates, including very rare beetles. Small streams and ditches are important, particularly as corridors for mobile species such as the otter and kingfisher. Rivers and their banks are both important.

Note: Further work by specialists is required to develop guidelines for the identification of river reaches which will be priorities for UK BAP

Floodplain grazing marsh is an area of lowland grassland within a floodplain, which is seasonally inundated with water. The grassland may or may not be species rich. Species-poor versions are, none-the-less, important as habitat for wading birds. Species rich versions of this type of grassland should be additionally recorded under lowland meadows and pasture (see definition).

Exposed riverine sediments (ERS) are mineral deposits (normally sand, gravel, pebble with cobble in this context) in river channels that are exposed during low flows, particularly in the spring and summer. The scouring action of winter floods plays a vital role in producing suitable habitat (namely exposed insolated substrate), by removing vegetation and also finely divided organic matter that would promote the growth of lush material.

Blanket Bog and Upland Wet Heath share many floristic characteristics which make them difficult to differentiate, but which separate them both from Upland Dry Heath. In broad terms all three habitats contain dwarf shrubs such as heather and cross-leaved heath, but Sphagnum mosses are sparse or absent on dry heath.

A standard definition differentiates these two habitats on the basis of the depth of peat (blanket bog on more than 50cm of peat, and wet heath on less than 50cm of peat), however this is often difficult to ascertain in the field, and we treat the two habitats as one broad habitat for the purposes of this plan.

Identification & Mapping

The definition of upland for the Durham BAP is all land within the North Pennines Natural Area.

The definition of this habitat is upland wetland vegetation characterised by Sphagnum mosses, cotton grasses and dwarf shrubs (especially heather and cross-leaved heath).

This definition aligns with the definitions M06 and M04 (wet component) by Defra*

The definition also encompasses NVC communities as follows: Bog pools M2, M3, Blanket Bog M17, M18, M19, M20, M25, wet heath M16, H21a . (Rodwell 1991)**

Condition Assessment

Not yet agreed.

* DEFRA (2005) Higher Level Stewardship: Farm Environment Plan � Guidance handbook. www.defra.gov.uk

** Rodwell, JS (ed.) (1991) British plant communities. Volume 2. Mires and heaths . Cambridge University Press, Cambridge

A particular community type matching the NVC community OV37 (Rodwell)*, and only found within the North Pennines Natural area for the purposes of this plan.

Identification & Mapping

Generally short open vegetation of fine-leaved grasses, flowers, mosses and lichens on spoil and gravel from mineral extraction or river gravels, principally associated with lead, or associated with metal-rich ultrabasic exposures. A very rare habitat type, found in the North Pennines, Yorkshire Dales, Derbyshire, the Mendips, Tyne Valley, Tees Valley and areas downstream.

Typical grasses include: common bent, red fescue, sheep's fescue, sweet vernal-grass.

• If one or more of the following wild flower indicator species are occasional in the sward then the grassland meets the definition.

Condition Assessment

1. Cover of bare ground, including cobbles, gravel and encrusting lichens must be between 20% and 90%.

2. Cover of undesirable species (creeping thistle, spear thistle, curled dock, broad-leaved dock, common ragwort, common nettle, cow parsley, hogweed, coarse grasses) less than 10%.

3. Cover of trees and scrub less than 5%.

Adapted from Defra's G10 calaminarian grassland definition*.

DEFRA (2005) Higher Level Stewardship: Farm Environment Plan � Guidance handbook . www.defra.gov.uk

** Rodwell J (ed.) 1998 . British Plant Communities, Volume 3 Grasslands and montane communities. Cambridge University Press.

The definition of upland for the Durham BAP is all land within the North Pennines Natural Area.  

Most upland acid grassland is relatively species-poor but occasionally very species-rich examples are found which are closely related to the NVC community U4c (Rodwell 1998)*. This is a poorly understood type of grassland. The description in British Plant Communities is based only on a small number of samples from the Peak District. In 2006 and 2007 similar vegetation was found several times in the North Pennines, in mostly small patches on unmown banks within upland hay meadows, but it may also occur in other situations in the uplands.

This type of grassland may be very important for the following rare or uncommon plants:

Identification & Mapping

Typical grasses and rushes include: common bent, red fescue, crested dog's-tail, sweet vernal-grass, and field wood-rush.  

The typical acid grassland herbs tormentil and heath bedstraw are normally present. Sometimes other species normally associated with acid grassland are also present including heath rush, purple moor-grass, sheep's fescue, heather, bracken, wavy hair-grass, mat grass, hard fern and bilberry.  

This vegetation is highly species rich, normally with more than 20 species per square metre.  

To meet the definition at least three of the following indicator species should be present and usually at least one of these is frequent:

In addition the vegetation will usually contain at least five of the following:

Condition Assessment

•  Cover of wild flowers and sedges throughout the sward (excluding undesirable species) more than 30%.

•  At least 20 species present per square metre.

•  Cover of litter/thatch less than 30%.

•  Cover of bare ground (including localised areas e.g. rabbit warrens) less than 10%.

•  Cover of undesirable species (creeping thistle, spear thistle, curled dock, broad-leaved dock, common ragwort, common nettle, false oat-grass, tufted hair-grass, bracken) less than 10%.  

Averis A, Averis B, Birks J, Horsfield D, Thompson D & Yeo M. (2004) . An illustrated guide to British upland vegetation. Joint Nature Conservation Committee.

Rodwell J (ed.) 1998 . British Plant Communities, Volume 3 Grasslands and montane communities . Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.

The definition of upland for the Durham BAP is all land within the North Pennines Natural Area.

Upland Screes and Rock habitats are part of the Annex 1 habitat Inland Rock, and includes Acid Screes, Calcareous Screes, Calcareous Rocky Slopes with Chasmophytic vegetation, Acid Rocky Slopes with Chasmophytic vegetation, Upland tall herbs, and also recently exposed rock (e.g. worked quarries with potential for recolonisation).

Identification & Mapping

This habitat is broadly defined as vegetated areas of rocky substrates or exposed rock with potential for vegetation, within moorland grazing units of upland areas. This includes vegetation growing out of crevices, cracks and ledges on exposed rocks, including cliffs, scree, rubble and rocky slopes.

Condition Assessment

1. Cover of bracken, scrub and trees less than 25%.

2. Cover of weeds (e.g. creeping and spear thistles, docks, brambles, common ragwort, common nettle) or non-native species less than 1%.

3. Less than 50% of live leaves (broad-leaved plants), fronds (ferns) or shoots (dwarf shrubs) showing signs of grazing or browsing.

4. Cover of disturbed bare ground less than 10%.

Adapted from Defra's M07 upland cliffs & screes definition*

* DEFRA (2005) Higher Level Stewardship: Farm Environment Plan � Guidance handbook. www.defra.gov.uk

The definition of upland for the Durham BAP is all land within the North Pennines Natural Area.

The best upland calcareous grassland matches CG9 or CG10 ( Rodwell 1998)**.

Identification & Mapping

Species-rich, semi-natural grassland generally dominated by fine-leaved grasses, on calcareous soils over carboniferous limestone in upland areas. Managed primarily by grazing. Often occurs in parts of large scale enclosures with other less species-rich grassland types.

Typical grasses include: common bent, crested hair-grass, meadow oat-grass, red fescue, sheep's fescue, sweet vernal-grass, quaking-grass.

• If at least two of the following wildflower indicator species are frequent and another two at least occasional in the sward then the grassland meets this definition.

• If three indicator species are occasional or four are present (but not limited to field corners or edges) then the grassland meets this definition but must be recorded as being in poor condition

Condition Assessment

1. Cover of bare ground (including localised areas e.g. rabbit warrens) less than 10%.
2. Cover of undesirable species (creeping thistle, spear thistle, curled dock, broad-leaved dock, common ragwort, common nettle, false oat-grass) less than 10%.
3. Cover of wild flowers and sedges throughout the sward (excluding undesirable species) more than 20%.
4. Cover of herbs indicative of nutrient enrichment (daisy, creeping buttercup) less than 25%.

Adapted from Defra's G08 upland calcareous grassland definition.*

* DEFRA (2005) Higher Level Stewardship: Farm Environment Plan � Guidance handbook. www.defra.gov.uk

**Rodwell J (ed.) 1998 . British Plant Communities, Volume 3 Grasslands and montane communities . Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.

Identification & Mapping

The definition of upland for the Durham BAP is all land within the North Pennines Natural Area.

Heath vegetation with at least 25% cover of dwarf shrubs (heathers, bilberry, crowberry and western gorse).

Heath characterised by frequent cross-leaved heath and wetland species such as bog-mosses (Sphagnum) and/or purple moor-grass, heath rush and deergrass should be recorded as upland wet heath / blanket bog.

Heathland mosaics with more than 75% acid grassland or other habitats do not meet the definition and should be mapped as alternate habitats (e.g. acid grassland) or divided into appropriate parcels for mapping separately.

Condition Assessment

1. Cover of dwarf shrubs must be at least 75%, with at least two dwarf shrub species frequent.

2. At least 10% of the area of dwarf-shrub heath remains unburnt throughout the burning rotation.

3. There must be a range of age classes of heather present, with cover of young (pioneer stage) heather between 25% and 50% and cover of old (mature/degenerate stages) between 10% and 30%.

4. No more than 33% of heather shoots grazed (when assessed between February and April), or flowering heather plants are at least frequent in autumn.

Adapted from Defra's M04 upland heath definition.*

* DEFRA (2005) Higher Level Stewardship: Farm Environment Plan � Guidance handbook. www.defra.gov.uk

The definition of upland for the Durham BAP is all land within the North Pennines Natural Area.

The best upland hay meadows match the MG3 community (Rodwell) with some gradation into MG5 in more low lying areas.

As well as the main MG3 community, upland hay meadows often contain other areas of species rich grassland within the field boundary. In the wetter meadows the main community is more like a species-rich, upland version of MG8 than MG3. The meadows often contain smaller areas of other types of species-rich grassland on steep uncut banks, among rock outcrops or lead mining waste or on different soil types.

Identification & Mapping

The following definition is an amalgam of the structure of DEFRA's G09 definition for upland haymeadow (which includes damper MG8-type communities) and the positive indicator list from EN's non-statutory site condition assessments for MG3.

Upland Haymeadows conform to the following:

•  Species-rich neutral grassland on moist, free-draining soils in the North Pennines Natural Area.

•  At least three indicators occasional or four indicators present (but not limited to field corners or edges) from the following list:  

Follow the non-statutory site condition assessment for MG3.

Both this condition assessment and the G09 condition statement* set the bar relatively low for good condition, and so an additional higher tier of condition may be added at a later date.

Enhancement of DBAP habitat in poor condition to met the above condition assessment contributes to the �increase extent of habitat in good condition' target

Restoration of non-BAP habitat to habitat meeting the above definition (even in poor condition), would contribute to an �increase extent of habitat' target.

* DEFRA (2005) Higher Level Stewardship: Farm Environment Plan � Guidance handbook. www.defra.gov.uk

The habitat comprises mosaics of bare ground with, typically, very early pioneer communities on skeletal substrates, more established open grasslands, usually dominated by fineleaved grasses with many herbs, areas of bare ground, scrub and patches of other habitats such as heathland, swamp, ephemeral pools and inundation grasslands.  High quality examples may be characterised as unmanaged flower-rich grasslands with sparsely vegetated areas developed on poor soils/substrates.
Invertebrate faunas can be species-rich and may include many uncommon species, such as dingy skipper and grayling.  Exotic plants provide for an extended flowering season and, with the floristic and structural diversity of the habitat mosaic, contribute to the value of the habitat for invertebrates.
Some areas are important for birds such as little ringed plover, as well as more widespread, but UK BAP priority species, including skylark and grey partridge.  The habitat provides secure breeding and feeding areas commonly absent from land under agricultural management.

Identification & Mapping

Brownfield land has some mosaics of open ground,less than 30% shrub or tree cover, and may contain one or more of the plants (or species groups) from the following list.

The main criteria for brownfield land of high nature conservation value are one or more of the following;

• Habitats typical of the soil/substrate conditions concerned which demonstrate the characteristic  mosaic of bare ground, pioneer communities, flower-rich grassland and other habitat patches with associated structural and topographical features.

• Areas that have retained bare ground and pioneer communities over an extended period, demonstrating arrested succession.

• Areas that support either the last remaining examples where the habitat was formerly widespread/extensive, or rare/specialised types of this habitat for example where the nature of the substrate is particularly unusual.

• Presence of UK BAP priority species, Durham BAP priority species or Red Data Book/List species.

• Importance for a significant assemblage of key species groups.

When mapping the habitat, areas of scrub, wet flush or more lush vegetation should be included as part of the habitat's structural diversity, unless these elements take the habitat outside of the definition. In places brownfield sites have been landscaped/planted with trees, but still retain areas of brownfield habitat. Estimates of tree cover should apply to each individual habitat area rather than the entire land parcel.   

Notes
Later successional stages on brownfield land may become important as semi-natural habitats such as lowland heath and neutral or calcareous grassland in their own right, and conform to those definitions. We are not concerned with these stages within this definition.
Sites with communities intermediate between brownfield land and later successional stages such as heath or grassland may in fact be excluded from either definition. It is our intention that these communities should also be classified as DBAP habitats and further work will be done to establish a working definition for these communities. Indicators for these communities may include heathers, heath grass ( Danthonia decumbens ) and field woodrush ( Luzula campestris ).

Condition Assessment

Identification & Mapping

The definition of maritime is all land within 500m of the coast (mean high water mark)

Maritime grassland is defined as any grassland meeting the definition for lowland meadows and pasture or magnesian limestone grassland which lies within the maritime zone.

Condition Assessment

Follow the condition assessment for lowland meadow and pasture or magnesian limestone grassland as appropriate.

Identification & Mapping

To be defined following a habitat audit.

Condition Assessment

To be defined following a habitat audit.

Identification & Mapping

The definition of lowland for the Durham BAP is all land outside the North Pennines Natural Area.

Semi-natural grassland generally dominated by fine-leaved grasses on nutrient-poor, free-draining soils in the lowlands. Mosses and/or lichens are sometimes frequent. Managed primarily by grazing. Some sites may be species-poor (dominated, for example, by wavy hair-grass). However lowland acid grassland is a scarce resource and any site is likely to be considered of high value.

Typical grasses include: common bent, early hair-grass, heath-grass, sheep's fescue, sweet vernal-grass, wavy hair-grass.

• If at least one of the following wild flower indicator species are frequent and another three at least occasional in the sward then the grassland meets the definition for this habitat.

• If three indicator species are occasional, or four are present at lower frequency (but not limited to field corners or edges) then the habitat meets this definition but must be recorded as being in poor condition .

Where lowland acid grassland occurs as part of a lowland heath mosaic it should additionally b e recorded as lowland heath, unless the cover of heather is insufficient for it to meet this definition .

Condition Assessment

1. Cover of undesirable species (creeping thistle, spear thistle, curled dock, broad-leaved dock, common ragwort, common nettle, rosebay willowherb, marsh thistle, musk thistle, greater plantain) less than 5%.

2. Cover of bare ground (including localised areas e.g. rabbit warrens) less than 10%.

3. Cover of scrub and bramble less than 5%.

4. Cover of coarse grass species, such as yorkshire-fog and cock's-foot, must be less than 20%.

Adapted from Defra's G05 lowland dry acid grassland definition.*

* DEFRA (2005) Higher Level Stewardship: Farm Environment Plan � Guidance handbook. www.defra.gov.uk

Identification & Mapping

The definition of lowland for the Durham BAP is all land outside the North Pennines Natural Area.

Dry heath, wet heath and valley mire communities in the lowlands on acidic soils and shallow peat, typically comprising heathers, gorses, fine grasses, wild flowers and lichens in a complex mosaic, usually with at least 25% cover of heathers and other dwarf shrubs.

Condition Assessment

1. Cover of dwarf shrubs must be between 25% and 95%, with at least two species frequent.

2. There must be a range of age classes of heather present, with cover of young (pioneer stage) heather between 10% and 15% and cover of old (mature/degenerate stages) between 10% and 30%.

3. Cover of undesirable species (bracken, injurious weeds, invasive non-native plants) must be less than 10%.

4. Cover of trees/scrub must be less than 15%.

Adapted from Defra's M03 lowland heath definition.*

* DEFRA (2005) Higher Level Stewardship: Farm Environment Plan � Guidance handbook. www.defra.gov.uk

Identification & Mapping

The definition of lowland for the Durham BAP is all land outside the North Pennines Natural Area.

Species-rich, semi-natural grassland (meadows or pastures) on free-draining, neutral soils in the lowlands and upland fringes, including species-rich flood plain grassland. Managed by cutting and/or grazing.

Typical grasses include: cock's-foot, common bent, crested dog's-tail, red fescue, meadow fescue, sweet vernal-grass, yellow oat-grass, yorkshire-fog.

• If at least two of the following wildflower indicator species are frequent and another two at least occasional in the sward then the grassland meets the definition for this habitat.

• If three indicator species are occasional or four are present at lower frequencies (but not limited to field edges or corners) then the grassland meets the definition but it must be recorded as being in poor condition.

Species rich grasslands which conform to this definition and are seasonally inundated by floodwater should be recorded as lowland meadows and pastures, and also as Floodplain Grazing Marsh.

Condition Assessment

1. Cover of undesirable species (creeping thistle, spear thistle, curled dock, broad-leaved dock, common ragwort, common nettle, marsh ragwort, cow parsley, bracken) less than 5%.

2. Cover of wild flowers and sedges throughout the sward (excluding undesirable species) more than 20%.

3. Cover of bare ground (including localised areas e.g. rabbit warrens) less than 10%.

4. Cover of invasive trees and shrubs must be less than 5%.

Adapted from Defra's G06 lowland meadows definition.*

* DEFRA (2005) Higher Level Stewardship: Farm Environment Plan � Guidance handbook. www.defra.gov.uk

Identification & Mapping

The definition of lowland for the Durham BAP is all land outside the North Pennines Natural Area.

Species-rich, semi-natural grassland on magnesian limestone in the lowlands. Managed primarily by grazing.

Typical grasses include: blue moor-grass, cock's-foot, common bent, downy oat-grass, meadow oat-grass, quaking-grass, sheep's fescue, upright brome, yellow oat-grass.

• If at least two of the following wild flower indicator species are at least frequent and another three at least occasional in the sward then the grassland meets the definition.
• If only three indicator species are occasional in the sward or four species are present at a lower frequency (but not limited to field edges or corners) then the habitat meets this definition but must be recorded as being in poor condition.

Condition Assessment

1. Cover of undesirable species (creeping thistle, spear thistle, curled dock, broad-leaved dock, common ragwort, common nettle) less than 5%.

2. Cover of wild flowers and sedges throughout the sward (excluding undesirable species) more than 30%.

3. Cover of bare ground (including localised areas e.g. rabbit warrens) less than 10%.

4. Cover of invasive trees and shrubs must be less than 5%.

Adapted from Defra's G04 lowland calcareous grassland definition.*

* DEFRA (2005) Higher Level Stewardship: Farm Environment Plan � Guidance handbook . www.defra.gov.uk

The particular community - Blue Moor grass / Small Scabious ( Sesleria albicans / Scabiosa columbaria ) grassland - is a NVC community of lowland calcareous grassland which occurs uniquely within Europe in the Durham Magnesian Limestone Natural Area. This community is included in the definition for Magnesian Limestone Grassland, but because of its rarity is defined separately as an additional monitoring target.

Identification & Mapping

The community should conform to the description of CG8 (Rodwell 1992*) . For rapid identification of this habitat and mapping the presence of Blue Moor grass (Sesleria albicans) is taken as the defining feature of CG8 in the Durham area.

Condition Assessment

Condition Assessment should follow the non-statutory condition assessment for CG8 grassland.

* Rodwell J S (1992) British Plant communities Volume 3 Grasslands and Montane Communities . Cambridge University Press. Pages 211-217.

Road verges contain a variety of habitats, but in the Durham context their main value lies in the species rich grassland communities that have managed to survive in parts. These botanically species rich verges also have value for invertebrates.

Identification & Mapping

To meet the definition a road verge of conservation importance must

1: contain at least 5 species from the following list within at least one 20m linear section.  

(Derived from lists for lowland calcareous grassland and lowland meadow in DEFRA's HLS-FEP handbook * with some adjustment for Durham .)

or

2: contain any of the red-listed* lady's mantles Alchemilla acutiloba , A. glomerulans , A. monticola , A. subcrenata , A.wichurae , or Northern Hawks-beard - Crepis mollis.

or

3: be a recorded breeding site for any Durham BAP invertebrate species.

For the purposes of mapping a road verge parcel needs to be contained within a reasonable management unit (e.g between field entrances or road junctions).

Condition Assessment

There is currently no condition assessment defined for this habitat, although species lists from fixed quadrats on a sample of road verge parcels are recorded regularly to monitor species loss / gain.  

* DEFRA (2005) Higher Level Stewardship: Farm Environment Plan � Guidance handbook. www.defra.gov.uk

*JNCC (2007). Conservation Designations for UK Taxa � downloadable spreadsheet. jncc.gov.uk

Identification & Mapping

To qualify as the priority habitat a grassland compartment needs to contain five or more species of Hygrocybe, or to contain one of the UKBAP species for waxcap grasslands listed below:

Hygrocybe calyptriformis

Hygrocybe spadicea

Microglossum olivaceum

Condition Assessment

There is currently no condition assessment for this habitat.

References

DEFRA (2005) Higher Level Stewardship: Farm Environment Plan � Guidance handbook. www.defra.gov.uk

DEFRA (2007) Hedgerow Survey Handbook � A standard procedure for local surveys in the UK . Prepared on behalf of the Steering Group for the UK . DEFRA, London .

JNCC (2007). Conservation Designations for UK Taxa � downloadable spreadsheet . jncc.gov.uk

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