Biodiversity Action Plan
Unimproved Pastures
Unimproved
pastures are enclosed fields of unimproved acid, neutral and calcareous grassland, which can be found
in all three natural areas of the Peak District.
In England and Wales the resource declined by an estimated 97% between the 1930s and mid-1980s.
Unimproved pastures can support interesting populations of wildflowers, as well as skylarks and brown hares (both nationally important species). They are increasingly recognised as important habitats for fungi, the Longshaw Estate in the Dark Peak being the top British site for brightly coloured waxcap fungi.
Unimproved
Pastures Action Plan (285KB) 
Revised BAP Targets
- Maintain the current extent (about 2744-4047 ha) of unimproved pastures in the Peak District by 2010
- Achieve favourable (or recovering) condition on 412 ha (95%) of unimproved pastures within SSSIs by 2010
- Achieve favourable (or recovering) condition on 1155-1806 ha (50%) of unimproved pastures outside SSSIs by 2010
- Initiate the expansion of 10 ha of species-rich unimproved pasture by 2010
