At first glance grassy places in towns and cities may all look the same. But look closer and you can find plenty of
variation. Are all grasslands equally valuable for wildlife? The Grassland Quality Survey to help
you assess the quality of grassland in your local area. You do not need any prior experience of identifying plants.
The survey is focused on recording positive and negative features of:
- Habitat structure. A grassland with a more diverse structure provides a greater range of places for different species to live.
- Botanical quality. A variety of plants provides food for a range of animal species.
The survey should be completed at the same time each year (June or July) to reduce bias and variation in the results.
While creating the survey booklet we wanted to make sure it was accessible, and hopefully easy to follow. Which means the sections contain only the essential information needed to complete the survey.
In addition to the booklet below, we have also created some PDFs which add more context to the different surveys and indicators, and extra support for getting started.
Grassland Quality Survey Booklet
Grassland Quality Survey information for setting up the survey
Grassland Survey information on habitat structure and botanical quality surveys
Ecological surveying and monitoring is a big part of the Green Corridors York project. It is important for several reasons — baseline species and habitat data show us which species can be found in an area and it gives us an indication of the condition of that habitat. This allows us to plan our practical management appropriately. Building on this data and collecting records regularly over time shows us how the habitat is changing and can inform us of species inclines and declines so that any necessary action can be taken.
We are keen to involve as many volunteers and members of the community as possible. If you would like to support the Green Corridord York Citizen Science program please contact the St Nicks Ecology Officer