Why are grassland ecosystems important?

Species-rich grasslands are one of our most important habitats in the UK. They support a huge range of wildlife including wildflowers, fungi, invertebrates, reptiles, amphibians, small mammals, bats and birds. A fifth of all priority species for conservation in the UK are associated with grassland habitats

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It took around 6,000 years to create the species-rich grassland for which the UK is globally famous for. Since the 1930’s we have lost 97% and counting. During the Second World War, 6 million acres of grassland were ploughed to grow crops, and this started a process in which we would see the area of meadow decline.

Habitat loss is a major drive of species decline and the loss of meadow habitat has had a catastrophic impact on pollinating insects

• Every square kilometre in the UK has lost an average of 11 species of bee and hoverfly since the 1980’s

• Over a third of bumblebee species have declined by 70%

• 56 moth extinctions since 1914

• 76% of butterfly species have declined over the past 40 years

The UK is home to some of the most important Waxcap fungi grasslands in the world, with Wales supporting over half of these. Yet many of these species are in decline as a result of habitat loss and changes to their environment. Preservation of fungi-rich grasslands is important as once they are lost, their loss is total in that it can never be restored.

By implementing a new management regime that is more sympathetic to biodiversity, we can restore and enhance these grasslands as habitat for pollinators and other wildlife throughout the Vale of Glamorgan.