Photo kindly provided by UKHAB ©.

The following is a short summary of the habitat type and how to create/enhance it to a "good" condition. For an informed position, please refer to official up-to-date UKHAB documentation or the UK Government's Condition Assessment Sheet.

This is a neutral grassland (i.e. a grassland that lacks a single indicator species). Dominated by grasses and herbs.

Should meet at least two of three criteria:

1. >15 species m² (including grasses and excluding bryophytes);

2. >30% cover of broadleaved herbs and sedges (excluding White Clover Trifolium repens, Creeping Buttercup Ranunculus repens and injurious weeds);

3. <10% cover of rye grasses and White Clover Trifolium repens.

AND EITHER

≥4 of these indicators at least ‘present’ on the DAFOR scale.

≥3 of these indicators at least ‘occasional’ on the DAFOR scale (but not limited to field corners or edges).

Key Species ("indicator species")

Agrimony (Agrimonia eupatoria)

Autumn hawkbit (Scorzoneroides autumnalis)

Betony (Betonica officinalis)

Bird’s foot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus)

Bitter vetch (Lathyrus linifolius)

Black knapweed (Centaurea nigra)

Bugle (Ajuga reptans)

Burnet saxifrage (Pimpinella saxifraga)

Carnation sedge (Carex panicea)

Chalk milkwort (Polygala calcarea)

Common bistort (Bistorta officinalis)

Common milkwort (Polygala vulgaris)

Common meadow-rue (Thalictrum flavum)

Common sedge (Carex nigra)

Cowslip (Primula veris)

Dropwort (Filipendula vulgaris)

Dyer’s greenweed (Genista tinctoria)

Eyebright (Euphrasia officinalis)

Fen bedstraw (Galium uliginosum)

Field scabious (Knautia arvensis)

Glaucous sedge (Carex flacca)

Goat’s beard (Tragopogon pratensis)

Great burnet (Sanguisorba officinalis)

Greater bird’s foot trefoil (Lotus pedunculatus)

Lady’s bedstraw (Galium verum)

Lady’s mantles (Alchemilla spp.)

Marsh bedstraw (Galium palustre)

Marsh marigold (Caltha palustris)

Marsh valerian (Valeriana dioica)

Meadow vetchling (Lathyrus pratensis)

Meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria)

Heath milkwort (Polygala serpyllifolia)

Narrow-leaved water dropwort (Oenanthe silaifolia)

Orchids (Various)

Ox-eye daisy (Leucanthemum vulgare)

Pepper saxifrage (Silaum silaus)

Pignut (Conopodium majus)

Ragged robin (Silene flos-cuculi)

Rough hawkbit (Leontodon hispidus)

Salad burnet (Poterium sanguisorba)

Saw-wort (Serratula tinctoria)

Sneezewort (Achillea ptarmica)

Tormentil (Potentilla erecta)

Water avens (Geum rivale)

Water mint (Mentha aquatica)

Wood anemone (Anemone nemorosa)

Yellow rattle (Rhinanthus minor)

How to Create / Enhance to a "Good" condition

There are a set of criteria that are used to judge the condition of this habitat. These are listed below.

Condition Assessment Criteria	Criterion passed (Yes or No)
A	The parcel represents a good example of its habitat type, with a consistently high proportion of characteristic indicator species present relevant to the specific habitat type (and relative to Footnote 3 suboptimal species which may be listed in the UKHab description).1 Note - this criterion is essential for achieving Moderate or Good condition for non-acid grassland types only.
B	Sward height is varied (at least 20% of the sward is less than 7 cm and at least 20% is more than 7 cm) creating microclimates which provide opportunities for insects, birds and small mammals to live and breed.
C	Cover of bare ground is between 1% and 5%, including localised areas, for example, rabbit warrens2.
D	Cover of bracken Pteridium aquilinum is less than 20% and cover of scrub (including bramble Rubus fruticosus agg.) is less than 5%.
E	Combined cover of species indicative of suboptimal condition3 and physical damage (such as excessive poaching, damage from machinery use or storage, damaging levels of access, or any other damaging management activities) accounts for less than 5% of total area. If any invasive non-native plant species4 (as listed on Schedule 9 of WCA5) are present, this criterion is automatically failed.
Additional Criterion - must be assessed for all non-acid grassland types
F	There are 10 or more vascular plant species per m2 present, including forbs that are characteristic of the habitat type (species referenced in Footnote 3 and 5 cannot contribute towards this count). Note - this criterion is essential for achieving Good condition for non-acid grassland types only.

Condition Assessment Result	Condition Assessment Score
Acid grassland types (Result out of 5 criteria)
Passes 5 criteria	Good (3)
Passes 3 or 4 criteria	Moderate (2)
Passes 2 or fewer criteria	Poor (1)
Non-acid grassland types (Result out of 6 criteria)
Passes 5 or 6 criteria, including essential criterion A and additional criterion F.	Good (3)
Passes 3 - 5 criteria, including essential criterion A.	Moderate (2)
Passes 2 or fewer criteria; OR Passes 3 or 4 criteria excluding criterion A and F.	Poor (1)

Notes

Footnote 1 - Professional judgement should be used alongside the UKHab description.

Footnote 2 – For example, this could include small, scattered areas of bare ground allowing for plant colonisation, or localised patches not exceeding 5% cover.

Footnote 3 - Species indicative of suboptimal condition for this habitat type include:creeping thistle Cirsium arvense, spear thistle Cirsium vulgare, curled dock Rumex crispus, broad-leaved dock Rumex obtusifolius, common nettle Urtica dioica, creeping buttercup Ranunculus repens, greater plantain Plantago major, white clover Trifolium repens and cow parsley Anthriscus sylvestris. There may be additional relevant species local to the region and or site.

Footnote 4 – Assess this for each distinct habitat parcel. If the distribution of invasive non-native species varies across the habitat, split into parcels accordingly, applying a buffer zone around the invasive non-native species with a size relative to its risk of spread into adjacent habitat, by applying professional judgement.

Footnote 5 – Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended).