Lowland hay meadows and pastures

Meadows characterised by crested dog’s tail and common knapweed are generally associated with lowland areas and are nationally widespread but declining. Consequently, lowland meadow continues to be on the UK list of priority habitats for biodiversity action. Typical species of these meadows are red fescue, crested dog's-tail and common bent-grass, with a range of wild flowers such as bird's-foot trefoil, meadow vetchling, common cat's-ear and yellow rattle. Less common species are meadow saxifrage, green-winged orchid, common twayblade and lesser butterfly-orchid. These meadows are of national biodiversity importance.

The majority of pastures in the Yorkshire Dales National Park are largely agriculturally improved. However, there are a number of pastures which, due to less intensive management, are more species-rich. The majority consist of fine-leaved grasses such as red fescue, common bent and sweet vernal-grass along with variable amounts of crested dog'- tail, Yorkshire fog and perennial rye-grass. The variety of plants depends on the intensity and pattern of grazing and levels of fertiliser but can be very diverse and include vetchlings, adder's-tongue fern, betony, tormentil, autumn hawkbit and field wood-rush. A second type of pasture is associated with damp poorly drained pastures adjacent to pools and watercourses and occurs infrequently in the Yorkshire Dales. In the spring these pastures are often easily picked out in the landscape by the yellow carpet of marsh marigold. They are still dominated by grasses but can include a range of wetland herbs such as water forget-me-not, marsh willowherb and marsh bedstraw. Lowland meadows and pastures are of high biodiversity importance. For more information about grassland and marsh plants follow the links below.