© 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.
Description: Stands of tall perennial or biennial dicotyledons (vascular flowering plants, the seeds have two seed leaves) such as Rosebay Willowherb (Chamerion angustifolium), Common Nettle (Urtica dioica), Hogweed (Heracleum sphondylium )and Alexanders (Smyrnium olusatrum). Includes non-wooded stands of species, such as Lemon-scented Fern (Oreopteris limbosperma), Lady-Fern (Athyrium filix-femina), ferns (Dryopteris spp.) or Great Wood-rush (Luzula sylvatica). Includes non-wooded stands of species, such as Lemon-scented Fern (Oreopteris limbosperma), Lady-Fern (Athyrium filix-femina), Ferns (Dryopteris spp.) or Great Wood-rush (Luzula sylvatica).
If you wish to select this habitat on a habitat selection screen, it can be found under Sparsely vegetated land (see guide).
Exclusions: Excludes upland species-rich ledges (wet and nitrophilous tall-herb edge-communities, along watercoursesand woodland borders in montane areas where they are mainly found on ungrazed mountain ledges, extending out in very lightly grazed situations, this is a separate habitat type - Tall Herb Communities. Definitive description of Tall Herb Community can be found here.).
How to Create / Enhance to a "Good" condition
How to create
Tall forbs habitat often develops due to a lack of management on bare or sparsely vegetated areas, so advice has not been included in Natural England's guides.
How to get a "moderate" rating
At least two of the following will be true:
1. Vegetation structure will be varied, providing opportunities for vertebrates and invertebrates to live, eat and breed. A single structural habitat component or vegetation type will not account for more than 80% of the total habitat area.
2. The habitat parcel will have different plant species that are beneficial for wildlife, for example, flowering species providing nectar sources for a range of invertebrates at different times of year.
3. Invasive non-native plant species and others which are to the detriment of native wildlife will cover less than 5% of the total vegetated area. Information about non-native species will be taken from Schedule 9 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended), Natural England's Horizon-scanning for invasive non-native plants in Great Britain and GB non-native species secretariat
How to get a "good" rating
All of the following will be true:
1. Vegetation structure will be varied, providing opportunities for vertebrates and invertebrates to live, eat and breed. A single structural habitat component or vegetation type will not account for more than 80% of the total habitat area.
2. The habitat parcel will have different plant species that are beneficial for wildlife, for example, flowering species providing nectar sources for a range of invertebrates at different times of year.
3. Invasive non-native plant species and others which are to the detriment of native wildlife will cover 0% of the total vegetated area. Information about non-native species will be taken from Schedule 9 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended), Natural England's Horizon-scanning for invasive non-native plants in Great Britain and GB non-native species secretariat
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.