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Habitat Type: Vacant or derelict land
Habitat Type: Vacant or derelict land
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Written by Oliver Lewis
Updated over 4 months ago

© Michael Garlick (Licensed under CC BY 2.0). Kindly recommended by UKCEH.

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 Government guidance or the UK Government's Condition Assessment Sheet.

Synonyms: Abandoned plot

These are areas that have been disturbed by previous development or land use on constructed sites but are now abandoned. Includes any open mosaic habitat should be under 0.25 ha in size. The site may or may not contain some vegetation. It may also contain unvegetated, loose bare substrate.

If there is a mosaic of habitats, it is worth checking UKHAB documentation to make sure that it doesn’t meet the criteria for other habitats (see Assessment Questions).

Assessment Questions:

- Is any open mosaic habitat under 0.25 ha in size?

- Are any species on site random and not clearly early successional communities?

If YES, then it is likely “Urban - Vacant or derelict land”. If not, it may be “Open mosaic habitats on previously developed land”.

How to Create / Enhance to a "Good" condition

N/A. The vacant or derelict habitat type is a very low distinctiveness habitat and so there are no specific requirements for management.

Please note that this is a simple guide to help identify the habitat. For a definitive description, please refer to UKHab documentation. Joe's Blooms takes no responsibility for the content of external links.

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