Flower-rich meadows are an important part of our heritage, our landscape and our natural capital. They are a resource that we should pass on in good condition to future generations.
Meadow was once the dominant land use on almost all the floodplains in England, but 98% of our flower-rich meadows have been lost during the last century through drainage, changes in agriculture and development activities. The remnants, though protected by National and European law, are at risk from our changing environment. As they are located on floodplains, they are particularly sensitive to changes in rainfall pattern; and being rich in species, they are sensitive to the increasing burden of pollution and excess nutrients.
The Partnership defines floodplain meadows as species rich lowland meadows on land that is liable to flood.
Such meadows generally support the Great Burnet-Meadow Foxtail plant community (National Vegetation Classification (NVC), Mesotrophic Grassland (MG)4), the Marsh Marigold-Crested Dogstail plant community (NVC MG8) and native Perennial Rye Grass communities such as MG7C.
The great burnet-meadow foxtail plant community (NVC MG4) is largely restricted to lowland river floodplains or stream sides in England. It has high biodiversity value because stands are species-rich and may support rare plants. It is now a rare plant community with less than 1500 hectares estimated as remaining. Most sites occur south and east of a line from the Tees to the Severn estuaries. A high proportion (75%) of remaining fragments are less than 10 hectares in extent.
The grassland type occurs on free-draining circum-neutral alluvial loam soils where there is a high water table in autumn / winter or regular surface flooding.
The crested dogstail - marsh marigold grassland community is usually found in slightly wetter meadows than the Great Burnet-Meadow Foxtail community. It may be found with MG4, gowing in the wetter areas and is commonly found on old water meadows.
