AUDIT
LINKS
WILDLIFE 2000
MEETINGS


Menu:
Home
Up

London & UK habitats
Woodland
Open Landscapes, Ancient Trees
Acid Grassland
Chalk Grassland
Grassland, Meadow, Pasture
Heathland
Grazing Marsh
Marshland
Reedbed
Tidal Thames
Canals
Ponds, Lakes, Reservoirs
Churchyards & Cemeteries
Railway Linesides
Farmland

Private Gardens
Parks etc
Urban Wasteland
Hedgerows

 

 

The London Biodiversity Audit
(London Biodiversity Action Plan Volume 1)

Framework: Habitat and Land Use Classification for London
Relationship between London habitat and land use classification and habitat types identified in Biodiversity: the UK Steering Group Report

Framework: Habitat and Land Use Classification for London

The London Biodiversity Partnership identified twenty habitat or land use types for London, as listed in the Box below. These were considered to encompass the majority of land in London where biodiversity could be maintained or enhanced.

Audit Habitat Description
Woodland all woodland and scrub habitats: ancient, secondary, ‘recent’, wet
Open Landscapes w. Ancient/Old Trees deer parks, old parkland, wood pasture, other areas with unimproved grassland and scattered old/ancient trees
Hedgerows  all boundary features with trees and shrubs
Acid Grassland  unimproved and semi-improved grassland on nutrient-poor, free-draining soils (e.g. sands and gravels)
Chalk Grassland unimproved and semi-improved grassland on chalk
Grasslands, Meadows and Pasture  unimproved and semi-improved grassland other than acid grassland, chalk grassland or wet grassland, i.e. neutral grassland
Heathland  sites where heather occurs naturally
Grazing Marsh & Floodplain Grassland sites where the habitat is dependent upon a combination of periodic wetting or inundation and grazing or cutting
Marshland  all wet terrestrial habitats e.g. fens, bogs, mires, swamps
Reedbed  sites where common reed is dominant.
Rivers and Streams  all free-flowing watercourses above the tidal limit
The Tidal Thames  all areas of the river Thames and its tributaries below the tidal limit
Canals  the London canal network
Ponds, Lakes and Reservoirs all standing open water
Private Gardens -
Parks, Amenity Grasslands & City Squares all formally managed amenity open space (including sports pitches, school grounds and landscaped areas around institutional buildings)
Railway Linesides all vegetated or natural surfaces within railside boundary fencing
Churchyards and Cemeteries all burial grounds
Urban Wastelands semi-natural vegetation which has developed on an imported or artificial substrate resulting from previous development or disturbance
Farmland  arable fields and agricultural leys

This Framework was used as a basis for identifying habitats for the London Biodiversity Audit.

 

Relationship between London habitat and land use classification and habitat types identified in Biodiversity: the UK Steering Group Report*

*as revised in Tranche 2 Action Plans: Terrestrial and Freshwater Habitats.

London Classification

Broad Habitat Type

UK Priority Habitat in London

Woodland

Broadleaved, mixed and yew woodland

Wet woodland, beech woodland

Open Landscapes with Ancient/Old Trees

Lowland wood pastures and parkland

Lowland wood pastures and parkland

Hedgerows

Boundary and linear features

Ancient and/or species rich hedgerows

Acid Grassland

Acid grassland

Lowland dry acid grassland

Chalk Grassland

Calcareous grassland

Lowland calcareous grassland

Grasslands, Meadows and Pasture

Neutral grassland

Lowland hay meadow

Heathland

Dwarf shrub heath

Lowland heathland

Grazing Marsh and Floodplain Grassland

Grazing marsh

Grazing marsh

Marshland

Fens, marsh and swamp

Fens

Reedbed

Fens, marsh and swamp

Reedbeds

Rivers and Streams

Rivers and streams

Chalk rivers

The Tidal Thames

Rivers and streams

Estuaries

Canals

Standing open water and canals

-

Ponds, Lakes and Reservoirs

Standing open water and canals

Eutrophic standing waters

Private Gardens

Built up areas and gardens

-

Parks, Amenity Grasslands and City Squares

Built up areas and gardens, improved grasslands

-

Railway Linesides

-

-

Churchyards and Cemeteries

Built up areas and gardens

-

Farmland

Arable and horticulture, improved grasslands

Cereal field margins

Back to London Biodiversity Audit Introduction

Home