Hay meadows are listed in Annex 1 of the EC Habitats and Species Directive and are a UK Key Habitat
Marsh fritillary_Ian MacFadyen (NE)

All photographic images used on this site remain the property of the acknowledged organisation and are not to be used for any other purpose without prior approval

Useful Documents & Downloads

Unimproved Neutral Grassland

Lowland damp pasture Wrightington Bar Pasture_Jon Hickling (NE)Lowland hay meadow_Jon Hickilng (NE)

Neutral grasslands are found on moist mineral soils with a pH of between 5 and 6.5. The vast majority of the neutral grassland found in the UK is now species-poor ‘improved’ grassland which has been modified by extensive use of fertilisers, reseeding and drainage. Unimproved neutral grasslands unaffected by agricultural improvement are rare and threatened, both in the UK and in Europe.

The majority of species-rich neutral grasslands are farmed and fall into one of two basic management regimes: pastures, which are grazed for all or part of the year; and meadows, which are usually grazed for part of the year, but are ‘shut up’ (stock are excluded) in late spring to allow the grass to grow prior to the mowing of a hay crop in early or mid summer to provide conserved fodder for the farm’s livestock over winter. There are additionally some neutral grasslands which lie outside the agricultural system, the most extensive of which are roadside verges.

This section provides information on the following grassland types:

  • Lowland Hay Meadows
  • Upland Hay Meadows
  • Lowland Pasture
  • Lowland Damp Pasture
  • Upland Damp Pasture

For further information please see the document for download on this page.