Habitats
Along with land use and human activity, habitats are important to both the character and biodiversity of England's landscapes.
The main habitats contributing to England's landscapes
Approximately two-thirds of England is arable, horticultural or improved grassland. The remaining one-third contains the majority of the habitats of biodiversity interest: (625kb)
(see Land Cover Map of England 2000).
Improved grassland, arable and horticultural land account for the majority of the English countryside, particularly in the lowlands. These habitats are heavily influenced by land management practices such as farming, as they are used for food production.
Each area of the country is characterised by a different mix of habitats. For example:
In areas such as The Broads of East Anglia and the Meres and Mosses of Shropshire, wetlands remain prominent and give a unique character to both the landscape and wildlife of the area.
In Suffolk, Devon and Warwickshire there are ancient, hedged landscapes of small woods, orchards and fields with sunken lanes.
Semi-natural woodland occurs in the lowlands of England, providing interest in what are otherwise intensively managed areas.
Limestone pavements in Cumbria and North Yorkshire provide a unique habitat for plants. Apart from the mountainous scenery of The Lake District, and the high limestone fells of the Yorkshire Dales, most of our upland landscapes are moorlands. In the wettest parts of the uplands, such as the Pennines, there are blanket bogs.
The English coast is a series of varied landscapes, rich in wildlife. For example:
The expansive low-lying coasts of East Anglia and Lancashire typically contain intertidal flats and saltmarshes, providing habitat for wading birds.
The white chalk cliffs of south-east England are a famous geological feature. The hard rock cliffs and headlands of Devon and Cornwall provide a dramatic landscape and seascape, whose upper slopes also support grassland and heathland.
Much of the seabed around England consists of a rich variety of substrata ranging from the rocky granite reefs around Cornwall to mobile sandbanks off Norfolk coast. This variety of seabed types, together with the influence of both colder Artic and warmer Mediterranean waters around our shores, results in a diverse range of marine life.
Unfortunately, over much of England, intensive farming, built development and commercial forestry have resulted in habitats that support a very limited biodiversity. At sea, fishing and aggregate extraction, have also had a negative impact on habitats and species.
Habitat descriptions
Find out details of the extent, importance and condition of England's habitats.
Protecting habitats in England through site designation
The most important habitats for biodiversity in England are protected as Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). The distribution of SSSIs reflects the distribution of habitats, with some very large sites in the uplands, on estuaries and the New Forest and Salisbury Plain (see map of semi-natural habitats: (625kb)).
These uninterrupted expanses of intertidal saltmarsh and mudflats, upland heath and blanket bog contrast with lowland habitats, such as meadows, fens and heaths which are often small, isolated sites.
