© Nikki Mahadevan (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 UKHAB documentation or the UK Government's Condition Assessment Sheet.
This habitat consists of Inland rock habitats such as active or disused quarries and mineral extraction sites with low vegetation cover; and not meeting the definition of Inland Rock Outcrop and Scree (natural cliffs and screes on a wide range of rock types, varying from acidic to highly calcareous), Limestone Pavement (outcrops of rock that are typically horizontal or gently inclined, although a few are steeply inclined. The surface has been dissolved by water over millions of years into 'paving blocks', known as clints, with a complex reticulate pattern of crevices, known as grikes, between them) or Calaminarian Grasslands (outcrops of serpentine and river gravels that are rich in heavy metals, as well as with artificial mine workings and spoil heaps).
This habitat excludes unsealed surfaces, disturbed by humans or machines, with no or very low (less than 10%) vegetation cover (i.e. Artificial Unvegetated – Unsealed Surface: Land that has no or very low (<10%) cover of vegetation through direct or indirect human activity, and the soil surface is not sealed with impervious materials and Built Linear Features: Walls, fences and surfaced paths or narrow railways, tracks or roads that are mappable as linear features).
This habitat excludes Sparsely vegetated constructed surfaces such as concrete or ballast (Sparsely Vegetated Urban Land: Urban land with vegetation cover 10-50%. Abandoned or derelict land, usually constructed permeable but can be impermeable where succession is taking).
Description Assessment Questions:
Is it an inland rock habitat?
Can confirm it does it NOT meet the definition of Inland Rock Outcrop and Scree, Limestone Pavement or Calaminarian Grasslands? (definitions above)
Might it be an active or disused quarry?
Might it be a mineral extraction site with low vegetation?
(If YES, then it is likely ‘Other Inland Rock and Scree ’ if NO then say ‘This habitat is likely not Other Inland Rock and Scree ’)
⚠️ Important Information
Other inland rock and scree habitat requires specific conditions and habitat creation and management targets. If targeting this habitat using the SSM, the competent person completing this HMMPT should demonstrate appropriate experience and knowledge. A
The Government have devised four tests to enable you to assess the condition of this habitat:
1. The parcel represents a good example of its specific sparsely vegetated habitat type - the appearance and composition of the vegetation closely matches its UKHab description, with characteristic indicator species consistently present.
2. The cover of bracken Pteridium aquilinum, scrub and trees is less than 25%.
3. There is an absence of invasive non-native plant species (as listed on Schedule 9 of WCA) and species indicative of suboptimal condition make up less than 5% of vegetated ground cover. 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, using professional judgement. Species indicative of suboptimal condition for this habitat type include: Creeping Thistle (Cirsium arvense), Spear Thistle (Cirsium vulgare), Docks (Rumex spp.), Brambles (Rubus spp.), Common Ragwort (Jacobaea vulgaris) and Common Nettle (Urtica dioica). There may be additional relevant species local to the region and or site.
4. Vegetation cover of vascular and non-vascular plants is between 5 and 50%.
Scoring the Condition Assessment Criteria:
Good Condition, if the following criteria are meet:
Pass all four tests
Moderate Condition, if the following criteria are meet:
Pass 3 tests
Poor Condition, if the following criteria are meet:
Pass 2 or fewer of the tests
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.