Lowland Meadows

Lowland meadows are species-rich grasslands on neutral soils, characterised by a diverse mixture of native grasses and herbs. They are typically managed for hay cropping with aftermath grazing, or as permanent pasture under low-intensity grazing.

Lowland meadows are found across England and Wales but have undergone a dramatic decline, making them a UK priority habitat.

Lowland meadows occur throughout the UK but are now scarce and fragmented. Key concentrations include:

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• Worcestershire

• South-west England (Somerset, Dorset, Wiltshire)

• East Midlands and East Anglia (Leicestershire, Northamptonshire, Cambridgeshire, Suffolk)

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They also include the flood-meadows of central England and eastern Wales, which depend on seasonal winter flooding and support tall, moisture-loving species such as great burnet and meadowsweet.

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Soil Preferences

Lowland meadows grow on relatively deep soils that are neither strongly acidic nor lime-rich. Their character is shaped by seasonal water availability and the height of the water table, with wetter types particularly sensitive to summer drought and water abstraction.

Inputs

• Restore semi-improved grassland by removing fertiliser inputs

• Recreate meadow habitat on arable or improved grassland using seed introduction

• Introduce wildflower seed through green hay spreading or brush-harvested seed

• Establish yellow rattle (Rhinanthus minor) to reduce dominance of vigorous grasses and open the sward for wildflowers

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Management

• Cut for hay in summer, followed by aftermath grazing

• Time management flexibly to match flowering and seed setting

• Control dominant or invasive species where necessary

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Landscape

• Expand and link existing meadows by restoring nearby land

• Target arable reversion or semi-improved grasslands

• Position meadow creation to strengthen habitat networks and ecological connectivity

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Inputs

• Maintain low nutrient status by cutting and removing hay crops

• Manage water levels to prevent drying or prolonged flooding

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Management

• Adjust grazing pressure to avoid overgrazing or neglect

• Vary timing and intensity of hay cuts and grazing to reflect seasonal conditions

• Use cattle grazing where possible, as cattle are less selective than sheep and help maintain structural diversity

• Introduce seed of missing species into gaps to restore diversity

• Monitor and control invasive species promptly

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Landscape

• Expand meadows by restoring adjacent semi-improved or arable fields

• Retain or reinstate traditional regimes such as Lammas hay cutting systems

• Increase resilience by enlarging sites and improving connectivity

• Plan adaptively for climate change, allowing management to respond to hotter summers and wetter winters

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Lowland meadows in good condition should:

• Support high plant diversity, with up to 35 or more species in 2m²

• Retain low nutrient status, with no dominance of competitive grasses

• Show continuity of low-intensity management such as hay cutting and aftermath grazing

• Contain key species such as yellow rattle, which signals a diverse and well-managed sward

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• Distinctiveness: High (priority habitat)

• Condition Potential: High, sensitive management maintains or improves biodiversity

• Habitat Connectivity: Support pollinators, farmland birds, and small mammals, contributing to wider ecological networks

• Climate Services: Provide carbon storage, regulate water, and build resilience against extreme weather

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🌱 Grasses

• Crested dog’s tail (Cynosurus cristatus)

• Red fescue (Festuca rubra)

• Sweet vernal grass (Anthoxanthum odoratum)

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🌸Herbs and Wildflowers

• Common knapweed (Centaurea nigra)

• Bird’s-foot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus)

• Ox-eye daisy (Leucanthemum vulgare)

• Red clover (Trifolium pratense)

• Yellow rattle (Rhinanthus minor)

• Snake’s head fritillary (Fritillaria meleagris)

• Sulphur clover (Trifolium ochroleucon)

• Field gentian (Gentianella campestris)

• Green-winged orchid (Orchis morio)

• Great burnet (Sanguisorba officinalis)

• Meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria)

• Pepper-saxifrage (Silaum silaus)

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🍄Fungi and Invertebrates

• Waxcap fungi and earth-tongue fungi

• Hornet robber-fly (Asilus crabroniformis)

• Shrill carder bee (Bombus silvarum)

• Butterflies, grasshoppers, bumblebees

• Yellow meadow ant (Lasius flavus)

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🐦 Birds and Mammals

• Linnet (Carduelis cannabina)

• Meadow pipit (Anthus pratensis)

• Bats and small mammals such as the field vole (Microtus agrestis)

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