Pixton park grassland NVC survey 2018 and 2019.
Abstract
In 2018 and 2019 grassland surveys were carried out by staff from the Natural England Field Unit of land within and adjoining Pixton Park, Dulverton Somerset in order to identify any communities with potential to be notified features of a proposed Site of Special Scientific Interest. The surveys revealed a total of ~8.8 hectares of grassland referable to the National Vegetation Classification calcifugous grassland community U4b Festuca ovina - Agrostis capillaris - Galium saxatile grassland, Holcus lanatus - Trifolium repens subcommunity of which almost 7 hectares lie within the area now recognised as Pixton Park. This community falls within the definition of the Priority Habitat Lowland Dry Acid Grassland, however the examples here also have notable affinity with the mesotrophic community MG5 Cynosurus cristatus - Centaurea nigra grassland which forms part of the Priority Habitat Lowland Meadows. Data collected in all the areas mapped as this community were compared with Natural England's published guidelines for assessing condition of SSSI habitat features and were judged as being in unfavourable condition by reason of an insufficient frequency of positive indicator species being present.