Oakland Pasture

Also within

Worcestershire County

Condition (Natural England)

Geology & landscape

Geological Period: Triassic

Description

Description Oakland Pasture is situated in north Worcestershire immediately north east of the village of Dodford. It overlies a medieval ridge and furrow system. The sloping eastern part is cut for hay, while the western part on level ground is currently unmanaged. The pastures lie on neutral soils derived from the underlying Mercia Mudstones of the Triassic Period. The special interest of the site lies in the diversity of the semi natural grassland sward. The vegetation conforms to the meadow vetchling Lathyrus pratensis sub community of the mesotrophic neutral grassland characterised by crested dog’s tail Cynosurus cristatus and common knapweed Centaurea nigra. Characteristic grasses include abundant common bent Agrostis capillaris, sweet vernal grass Anthoxanthum odoratum, red fescue Festuca rubra, Yorkshire fog Holcus lanatusand yellow oat grass Trisetum flavescens. The ridges are floristically rich, with frequent common bird’s foot trefoil Lotus corniculatus, red clover Trifolium pratense, common vetch Vicia sativa and oxeye daisy Leucanthemum vulgare. Other characteristic species include agrimony Agrimonia eupatoria, hairy hawkbit Leontodon hispidus, autumn hawkbit Scorzoneroides autumnalis, yellow rattle Rhinanthus minor, salad burnet Poterium sanguisorba, ribwort plantain Plantago lanceolata and cowslip Primula veris. Over fifty spikes of the common spotted orchid Dactylorhiza fuchsii have been recorded on the lower slopes. The hedges are dominated by hawthorn Crataegus monogyna, with field maple Acer campestre, ash Fraxinus excelsior and blackthorn Prunus spinosa.

Species mentioned

Insects to look out for

These moths, butterflies and beetles are known to feed on plants recorded at this site, and carry a notable UK conservation status — but a host-plant being present doesn't mean the insect has actually been recorded here. Treat this as "worth watching for," not a confirmed sighting.

Host-plant data: Cook et al. (2025), Traits data for the butterflies and macro-moths of Great Britain and Ireland, 2024, UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology / Butterfly Conservation; and Padovani et al. (2020), Database of Insects and their Food Plants (DBIF), UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (both Open Government Licence). Contains data supplied by UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology.