Mappp.co - Wall Lands

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Condition (Natural England)

Favourable (7)

Unit	Feature	Condition	Area (ha)	Assessed
SK225530	—	Favourable	1.03	2012-02-07
SK227528	—	Favourable	2.38	2012-02-07
SK227529	—	Favourable	1.56	2012-02-07
SK227530	—	Favourable	0.81	2012-02-07
SK229530	—	Favourable	1.04	2012-02-07
SK230529	—	Favourable	0.86	2012-02-07
SK230530	—	Favourable	0.62	2012-02-07

Habitats

Lowland meadow and pasture, Traditional orchard

Description

Description Wall Lands SSSI is a nationally important site for its lowland unimproved neutral grassland. The grassland consists mainly of the nationally scarce National Vegetation Classification NVC type MG5 crested dog’s tail Cynosurus cristatus – common knapweed Centaurea nigra grassland. General description The site consists of an extensive series of species rich grasslands managed as meadow and pasture and separated by defunct but species rich hedgerows, with all but one situated on the gentle west facing slopes of a small valley on damp clay soils. Collectively these grasslands represent one of the largest blocks of enclosed unimproved grassland in Derbyshire outside of the Peak District. Much of the site comprises agriculturally unimproved, species rich grassland characterised by a diverse and rich range of native grasses and herbs. Grasses such as red fescue Festuca rubra, crested dog’s tail Cynosurus cristatus, common bent Agrostis capillaris, Yorkshire fog Holcus lanatus and sweet vernal grass Anthoxanthum odoratum all occur in abundance, whilst on damper ground tufted hair grass Deschampsia cespitosa is prominent. Throughout is a diverse range of characteristic herbs which include an abundance of common knapweed Centaurea nigra, bird’s foot trefoil Lotus corniculatus, ribwort plantain Plantago lanceolata, meadow vetchling Lathyrus pratensis, oxeye daisy Leucanthemum vulgare and yellow rattle Rhinanthus minor. On steeper drier slopes, stands of grassland are particularly herb rich and distinguished by frequent betony Betonica officinalis and devil’s bit scabious Succisa pratensis, along with autumn hawkbit Scorzoneroides autumnalis, rough hawkbit Leontodon hispidus, tormentil Potentilla erecta and the locally uncommon bitter vetch Lathyrus linifolius. Also present in small quantities is the adder’s tongue fern Ophioglossum vulgatum. Where there is impeded drainage on the lower wetter slopes, stands of taller marshy vegetation occur but these are also species rich, comprising a mix of the characteristic grassland species together with a range of rushes, such as sharp-flowered rush Juncus acutiflorus and soft rush Juncus effusus, small sedges, including carnation sedge Carex panicea, star sedge C. echinata and glaucous sedge Carex flacca and herbs including an abundance of great burnet Sanguisorba officinalis and meadowsweet Filipendula ulmaria with ragged-robin Silene flos-cuculi.

Species mentioned

Show the 26 species mentioned in the description, with red-list status

English name search for this in other sites	Latin name search with Google	IUCN / Red List	Type	Family
adders-tongue fern	Ophioglossum vulgatum	LC	fern	ophioglossaceae
common bent	Agrostis capillaris	LC	grass	poaceae
sweet vernal grass	Anthoxanthum odoratum	LC	grass	poaceae
crested dog's tail	Cynosurus cristatus	LC	grass	poaceae
tufted hair grass	Deschampsia cespitosa	LC	grass	poaceae
red fescue	Festuca rubra	LC	grass	poaceae
Yorkshire fog	Holcus lanatus	LC	grass	poaceae
betony	Betonica officinalis	VU	herb	lamiaceae
black knapweed	Centaurea nigra	LC	herb	asteraceae
meadow sweet	Filipendula ulmaria	LC	herb	rosaceae
bitter vetch	Lathyrus linifolius	VU	herb	fabaceae
meadow vetchling	Lathyrus pratensis	LC	herb	fabaceae
rough hawkbit	Leontodon hispidus	LC	herb	asteraceae
oxeye daisy	Leucanthemum vulgare	LC	herb	asteraceae
birdsfoot trefoil	Lotus corniculatus	LC	herb	fabaceae
ribwort plantain	Plantago lanceolata	LC	herb	plantaginaceae
tormentil	Potentilla erecta	LC	herb	rosaceae
yellow-rattle	Rhinanthus minor	DD	herb	orobanchaceae
great burnet	Sanguisorba officinalis	LC	herb	rosaceae
greater hawkbit	Scorzoneroides autumnalis	LC	herb	asteraceae
ragged-robin	Silene flos-cuculi	LC	herb	carophyllaceae
devils-bit scabious	Succisa pratensis	VU	herb	caprifoliaceae
sharp-flowered rush	Juncus acutiflorus	LC	rush	juncaceae
soft rush	Juncus effusus	LC	rush	juncaceae
glaucus sedge	Carex flacca	LC	sedge	cyperaceae
carnation sedge	Carex panicea	NT	sedge	cyperaceae

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.

Species	Status	Via host-plant
Black-veined moth Siona lineata	Critically Endangered	Centaurea nigra, Lotus corniculatus
New forest Zygaena viciae	Critically Endangered	Lathyrus pratensis, Lotus corniculatus
Straw belle Aspitates gilvaria	Endangered	Lotus corniculatus
Marsh moth Athetis pallustris	Endangered	Plantago lanceolata
Wood white Leptidea sinapis	Endangered	Lathyrus linifolius, Lathyrus pratensis, Lotus corniculatus
Heath fritillary Melitaea athalia	Endangered	Plantago lanceolata
Glanville fritillary Melitaea cinxia	Endangered	Plantago lanceolata
Scarce vapourer Orgyia recens	Endangered	Filipendula ulmaria
Least minor Photedes captiuncula	Endangered	Carex flacca
Slender scotch Zygaena loti	Endangered	Lotus corniculatus
Mouse moth Amphipyra tragopoginis	Vulnerable	Lotus corniculatus
Dingy skipper Erynnis tages	Vulnerable	Lotus corniculatus
Marsh fritillary Euphydryas aurinia	Vulnerable	Plantago spp., Succisa pratensis
Satyr pug Eupithecia satyrata	Vulnerable	Centaurea spp., Filipendula ulmaria, Rhinanthus minor
Garden dart Euxoa nigricans	Vulnerable	Plantago spp.
Grayling Hipparchia semele	Vulnerable	Deschampsia cespitosa, Festuca rubra
Silver studded blue Plebejus argus	Vulnerable	Lotus corniculatus
Grizzled skipper Pyrgus malvae	Vulnerable	Potentilla erecta
The anomalous Stilbia anomala	Vulnerable	Deschampsia cespitosa
Grey chi Antitype chi	Near Threatened	Plantago lanceolata
Garden tiger Arctia caja	Near Threatened	Plantago spp.
Latticed heath Chiasmia clathrata	Near Threatened	Lathyrus pratensis
Small heath Coenonympha pamphilus	Near Threatened	Agrostis spp., Cynosurus cristatus, Festuca spp.
Autumnal rustic Eugnorisma glareosa	Near Threatened	Plantago spp.
Grey pug Eupithecia subfuscata	Near Threatened	Betonica officinalis, Centaurea spp.
Scarce forester Jordanita globulariae	Near Threatened	Centaurea nigra
Wall Lasiommata megera	Near Threatened	Agrostis spp., Holcus lanatus
Rosy minor Litoligia literosa	Near Threatened	Carex flacca

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.

Plant communities

MG5 — Lowland meadow and pasture, Traditional orchard

Cynosurus cristatus-Centaurea nigra grassland

Matches 20 species from the description above: Agrostis capillaris, Anthoxanthum odoratum, Carex flacca, Carex panicea, Centaurea nigra, Cynosurus cristatus, Festuca rubra, Filipendula ulmaria, Holcus lanatus, Juncus effusus, Lathyrus pratensis, Leontodon hispidus, Leucanthemum vulgare, Lotus corniculatus, Ophioglossum vulgatum, Plantago lanceolata, Potentilla erecta, Rhinanthus minor, Scorzoneroides autumnalis, Succisa pratensis

Show 81 indicator species

Carex caryophyllea, Carex flacca, Carex panicea, Juncus articulatus, Juncus effusus, Juncus inflexus, Luzula campestris, Brachythecium rutabulum, Calliergonell cuspidatum, Kindbergia praelonga, Pseudoscleropodium purum, Rhytidiadelphus squarrosus, Conopodium majus, Heracleum sphondylium, Pimpinella saxifraga, Achillea millefolium, Bellis perennis, Centaurea nigra, Cirsium arvense, Crepis capillaris, Hypochaeris radicata, Jacobaea vulgaris, Leontodon hispidus, Leucanthemum vulgare, Scorzoneroides autumnalis, Taraxacum officianalis, Cardamine pratensis, Knautia arvensis, Succisa pratensis, Cerastium fontanum, Colchicum autumnale, Lathyrus pratensis, Lotus corniculatus, Trifolium dubium, Trifolium pratense, Trifolium repens, Vicia cracca, Rhinanthus minor, Plantago lanceolata, Plantago media, Veronica chamaedrys, Rumex acetosa, Primula veris, Primula vulgaris, Ranunculus acris, Ranunculus bulbosus, Ranunculus repens, Agrimonia eupatoria, Alchemilla glabra, Alchemilla vestita, Alchemilla xanthochlora, Filipendula ulmaria, Potentilla erecta, Potentilla reptans, Poterium sanguisorba, Galium verum, Silaum silaus, Agrostis capillaris, Agrostis stolonifera, Alopecurus pratensis, Anthoxanthum odoratum, Arrhenatherum elatius, Avenula pubescens, Briza media, Bromus hordeaceous, Cynosurus cristatus, Dactylis glomerata, Danthonia decumbens, Festuca ovina, Festuca rubra, Holcus lanatus, Koeleria macrantha, Lolium perenne, Phleum pratense, Poa pratensis, Poa trivialis, Schedonorus arundinaceus, Schedonorus pratensis, Trisetum flavescens, Ophioglossum vulgatum, Chara curta

MG8 — Coastal floodplain grazing marsh, Lowland meadow and pasture

Cynosurus cristatus-Caltha palustris grassland

Matches 20 species from the description above: Agrostis capillaris, Anthoxanthum odoratum, Carex flacca, Carex panicea, Centaurea nigra, Cynosurus cristatus, Festuca rubra, Filipendula ulmaria, Holcus lanatus, Juncus acutiflorus, Juncus effusus, Leontodon hispidus, Leucanthemum vulgare, Lotus corniculatus, Plantago lanceolata, Rhinanthus minor, Sanguisorba officinalis, Scorzoneroides autumnalis, Silene flos-cuculi, Succisa pratensis

Show 70 indicator species

Carex demissa, Carex distans, Carex flacca, Carex nigra, Carex panicea, Eleocharis palustris, Juncus acutiflorus, Juncus articulatus, Juncus effusus, Luzula campestris, Plagiomnium rostratum, Brachythecium rutabulum, Calliergonell cuspidatum, Kindbergia praelonga, Angelica sylvestris, Achillea ptarmica, Bellis perennis, Caltha palustris, Centaurea nigra, Cirsium palustre, Crepis paludosa, Leontodon hispidus, Leucanthemum vulgare, Scorzoneroides autumnalis, Senecio aquaticus, Taraxacum officianalis, Myosotis scorpioides, Cardamine pratensis, Succisa pratensis, Valeriana dioica, Cerastium fontanum, Silene flos-cuculi, Equisetum arvense, Equisetum palustre, Lotus corniculatus, Lotus pedunculatus, Trifolium pratense, Trifolium repens, Mentha aquatica, Euphrasia nemorosa, Rhinanthus minor, Plantago lanceolata, Veronica chamaedrys, Rumex acetosa, Primula vulgaris, Ranunculus acris, Ranunculus repens, Trollius europaeus, Alchemilla glabra, Alchemilla xanthochlora, Filipendula ulmaria, Geum rivale, Sanguisorba officinalis, Galium palustre, Galium uliginosum, Agrostis capillaris, Agrostis stolonifera, Anthoxanthum odoratum, Avenula pubescens, Briza media, Bromus hordeaceous, Cynosurus cristatus, Dactylis glomerata, Festuca rubra, Glyceria declinata, Holcus lanatus, Lolium perenne, Poa trivialis, Schedonorus pratensis, Dryopteris expansa

MG4 — Coastal floodplain grazing marsh, Lowland meadow and pasture

Alopecurus pratensis-Sanguisorba officinalis grassland

Matches 18 species from the description above: Agrostis capillaris, Anthoxanthum odoratum, Carex panicea, Centaurea nigra, Cynosurus cristatus, Deschampsia cespitosa, Festuca rubra, Filipendula ulmaria, Holcus lanatus, Lathyrus pratensis, Leontodon hispidus, Leucanthemum vulgare, Lotus corniculatus, Plantago lanceolata, Rhinanthus minor, Sanguisorba officinalis, Scorzoneroides autumnalis, Succisa pratensis

Show 71 indicator species

Carex acutiformis, Carex hirta, Carex panicea, Juncus articulatus, Juncus inflexus, Luzula campestris, Plagiomnium elatum, Brachythecium rutabulum, Calliergonell cuspidatum, Kindbergia praelonga, Heracleum sphondylium, Achillea millefolium, Bellis perennis, Caltha palustris, Centaurea nigra, Cirsium arvense, Cirsium palustre, Hypochaeris radicata, Leontodon hispidus, Leucanthemum vulgare, Scorzoneroides autumnalis, Serratula tinctoria, Taraxacum officianalis, Cardamine pratensis, Succisa pratensis, Cerastium fontanum, Equisetum arvense, Lathyrus pratensis, Lotus corniculatus, Trifolium dubium, Trifolium pratense, Trifolium repens, Vicia cracca, Vicia sepium, Fritillaria meleagris, Rhinanthus minor, Plantago lanceolata, Veronica serpyllifolia, Rumex acetosa, Primula veris, Primula vulgaris, Ranunculus acris, Ranunculus bulbosus, Ranunculus repens, Thalictrum flavum, Filipendula ulmaria, Potentilla anglica, Sanguisorba officinalis, Galium verum, Silaum silaus, Agrostis capillaris, Agrostis stolonifera, Alopecurus pratensis, Anthoxanthum odoratum, Arrhenatherum elatius, Briza media, Bromopsis erecta, Bromus hordeaceous, Cynosurus cristatus, Dactylis glomerata, Deschampsia cespitosa, Festuca rubra, Holcus lanatus, Lolium perenne, Phleum pratense, Poa pratensis, Poa trivialis, Schedonorus arundinaceus, Schedonorus pratensis, Trisetum flavescens, Chara curta

MG6 — Coastal floodplain grazing marsh, Traditional orchard

Lolium perenne-Cynosurus cristatus grassland

Matches 12 species from the description above: Agrostis capillaris, Anthoxanthum odoratum, Centaurea nigra, Cynosurus cristatus, Deschampsia cespitosa, Festuca rubra, Holcus lanatus, Juncus effusus, Lathyrus pratensis, Plantago lanceolata, Rhinanthus minor, Scorzoneroides autumnalis

Show 53 indicator species

Juncus effusus, Luzula campestris, Brachythecium rutabulum, Kindbergia praelonga, Rhytidiadelphus squarrosus, Pimpinella saxifraga, Achillea millefolium, Bellis perennis, Centaurea nigra, Cirsium arvense, Cirsium vulgare, Hypochaeris radicata, Scorzoneroides autumnalis, Taraxacum officianalis, Cardamine pratensis, Cerastium fontanum, Lathyrus pratensis, Medicago lupulina, Trifolium dubium, Trifolium pratense, Trifolium repens, Iris pseudacorus, Rhinanthus minor, Plantago lanceolata, Plantago major, Veronica chamaedrys, Rumex acetosa, Rumex obtusifolius, Primula vulgaris, Ranunculus acris, Ranunculus repens, Potentilla anserina, Potentilla reptans, Agrostis capillaris, Agrostis stolonifera, Alopecurus geniculatus, Alopecurus pratensis, Anthoxanthum odoratum, Arrhenatherum elatius, Bromus hordeaceous, Cynosurus cristatus, Dactylis glomerata, Deschampsia cespitosa, Festuca ovina, Festuca rubra, Holcus lanatus, Lolium perenne, Phleum pratense, Poa annua, Poa pratensis, Poa trivialis, Schedonorus pratensis, Trisetum flavescens

W24 — Traditional orchard

Rubus fruticosus-Holcus lanatus underscrub

Matches 9 species from the description above: Agrostis capillaris, Anthoxanthum odoratum, Centaurea nigra, Deschampsia cespitosa, Festuca rubra, Filipendula ulmaria, Holcus lanatus, Lathyrus pratensis, Lotus corniculatus

Show 82 indicator species

Hedera helix, Acer pseudoplatanus, Betula pubescens, Corylus avellana, Fagus sylvatica, Quercus robur, Fraxinus excelsior, Sambucus nigra, Ulex europaeus, Crataegus monogyna, Prunus spinosa, Solanum dulcamara, Brachythecium rutabulum, Hypnum cupressiforme, Kindbergia praelonga, Pseudoscleropodium purum, Anthriscus sylvestris, Chaerophyllum temulentum, Heracleum sphondylium, Arum maculatum, Achillea millefolium, Centaurea nigra, Cirsium arvense, Cirsium palustre, Cirsium vulgare, Hypochaeris radicata, Jacobaea vulgaris, Lapsana communis, Solidago virgaurea, Taraxacum officianalis, Alliaria petiolata, Cerastium fontanum, Silene dioica, Stellaria holostea, Equisetum arvense, Mercurialis perennis, Lathyrus pratensis, Lotus corniculatus, Trifolium repens, Vicia sativa, Vicia sepium, Geranium robertianum, Glechoma hederacea, Stachys sylvatica, Chamerion angustifolium, Epilobium hirsutum, Epilobium montanum, Digitalis purpurea, Veronica chamaedrys, Rumex sanguineus, Primula vulgaris, Ficaria verna, Ranunculus acris, Ranunculus repens, Filipendula ulmaria, Fragaria vesca, Geum urbanum, Potentilla sterilis, Rosa canina, Rubus fruticosus agg., Cruciata laevipes, Galium aparine, Urtica dioica, Viola riviniana, Agrostis capillaris, Agrostis stolonifera, Anisantha sterilis, Anthoxanthum odoratum, Arrhenatherum elatius, Brachypodium sylvaticum, Dactylis glomerata, Deschampsia cespitosa, Elytrigia repens, Festuca rubra, Holcus lanatus, Lolium perenne, Phalaris arundinacea, Phragmites australis, Poa pratensis, Poa trivialis, Trisetum flavescens, Dryopteris filix-mas