Lowland Meadows
Habitat Description
Lowland Meadows occur on neutral soils in river corridors and floodplains. They include most forms of unimproved neutral grassland over the enclosed lowland landscape. This plan includes grasslands cut for hay and unimproved neutral pastures grazed by livestock. The plan focuses on meadows with low-input nutrient regimes, which have a specialist group of scarce and declining plant species. In Northamptonshire it includes the following NVC communities:
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MG4 Alopecurus pratensis - Sanguisorba officinalis (meadow foxtail great burnet) floodplain meadow. MG5 Cynosurus crustatus - Centaurea nigra (crested dogstail common knapweed) grassland. MG8 Cynosurus cristatus - Caltha palustris (crested dogstail marsh marigold) flood pasture. |
Flood Meadows MG4 Grassland
Areas that experience periodic inundation in winter, but have good sub-surface drainage and water retentive soils, allowing the water table to fall in spring, can support species-rich MG4 plant communities. Example: River Ise and Meadows SSSI.
Grazed Hay Meadows MG5 Grassland
This is the typical grassland community of grazed hay-meadows managed in the traditional fashion in lowland Britain. Example: Grafton Regis Meadow Nature Reserve.
Water Meadows - MG8 Grassland
Water meadows can occur naturally but often result from careful water level management; ditch water levels are kept high in summer to prevent either drying out or water-logging of the soil. Such habitats develop species-rich vegetation communities. Example: Bugbrooke Meadows SSSI.
Within Northamptonshire there are 88ha of grassland within 8 SSSI's that are classed as containing MG5 grassland. There is 66ha of MG4 grassland within 5 SSSI's, while only one SSSI of 9.8ha contains any MG8 grassland. A further 22ha of MG4 type grassland, 15 ha of MG5 type grassland, 20 ha of MG4/8 type grassland and 8ha of MG4/5 type grassland can be found on LNRs and WT Reserves. All sites are identified on Figure LM1.
Further remnants are spread across the county with some being contained in Local Wildlife Sites, others in potential Wildlife Sites and several in private sites.
Current UK Status and Trends
Substantial decline; 97% in the last 70 years.
Estimated Current Northants Resource
In the region of 250ha in SSSI, LNR and The Wildlife Trust Reserves. Remnants in Local Wildlife Sites and potential Wildlife Sites.
Progress Towards BAP Targets 2002-2007
Maintenance of current resource on The Wildlife Trust Nature Reserves by grazing management. Creation of several sites across the county such as Crowfield Common and Barnes Meadows.
Lead Partner
The Wildlife Trust
Main Issues and Threats
General Strategy
Targets Actions Associated National Priority Species
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Specific Management Required for Associated Species
Species |
Northamptonshire Status |
Management Prescriptions |
Key Sites |
Northern lapwing |
Breeding |
Graze pastures and wetlands. |
Nene Valley |
Targets
Target Code |
Target Type |
Target Description |
Target Units |
Northants Baseline Resource |
Target |
By |
Unit Cost £ |
Total Cost £ |
NOR_LME_T1 |
Maintain Extent |
Maintain the current extent of at least LWS-standard Neutral Grassland. |
Hectares |
300 |
No Loss |
2015 |
200/ha/yr |
60,000/yr |
NOR_LME_T2 |
Restoration |
Restore 60 ha of Neutral Grassland to LWS-standard from semi-improved or neglected grassland by 2015. |
Hectares |
0 |
60 |
2015 |
453/ha + 200/ha/yr |
27,180 initial + 12,000 |
NOR_LME_T3 |
Expansion |
Establish 30 ha of LWS-standard Neutral Grassland from arable or improved grassland by 2015. |
Hectares |
0 |
30 |
2015 |
561/ha + 280/ha/yr |
16,830 initial + 8400/yr |
Actions
Action Code |
Action Description |
Lead Partner |
Support Partner(s) |
Related Target |
NOR_LME_HS_A1 |
Maintain lowland meadow on Sywell Country Park and Fermyn Woods Country Park under stewardship arrangements. |
Northants County Council |
NOR_LME_T1 | |
NOR_LME_HS_A2 |
Maintain 18 ha of meadows at Barford, Barnes, Boddington, Bugbrooke, Ditchford, Farthinghoe, Great Oakley, Kingsthorpe, Mill Crook and Grafton Regis, Tailby and Pitsford reserves by grazing and cutting for hay. |
The Wildlife Trust |
NOR_LME_T1 | |
NOR_LME_HC_A3 |
Restore 7.5ha of lowland meadow in the Nene Valley by 2015 through taking on the management or ownership of new sites. |
The Wildlife Trust |
NOR_LME_T2 | |
NOR_LME_HC_A4 |
Restore 20ha of lowland meadow from semi-improved or neglected grassland in the Nene Valley by 2015 through agri-environment schemes. |
Natural England |
RNRP, FWAG |
NOR_LME_T2 |
NOR_LME_HC_A5 |
Restore 2.5ha of wet meadow at Sywell Country Park by 2015. |
NCC |
The Wildlife Trust, Environment Agency |
NOR_LME_T2 |
NOR_LME_HC_A6 |
Create 7ha of herb rich lowland meadow from arable land on the Lyvedon Estate in 2008. |
National Trust |
NOR_LME_T3 | |
NOR_LME_HC_A7 |
Create 20ha of lowland meadow from improved grassland or arable in the Nene Valley by 2015. |
Natural England, Developers |
RNRP, FWAG |
NOR_LME_T3 |