Grassland
Flower-rich grasslands, full of wildflowers such as orchids, snake's head fritillaries and bird's-foot trefoil support an abundance of insects, from bumblebees to butterflies.
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Meadows and grassland
Suffolk’s grasslands, large and small, are vital for wildlife, providing a haven for a wide range of wildflowers and animals.
Grassland management for invertebrates
Carefully managed grassland is capable of supporting a wide range of insects, which in turn support small mammals such as shrews and bats, and birds such as yellowhammers and song thrushes.
Grassland and scrub
Scrub can be very valuable for a wide range of wildlife, providing a continued source of nectar, fruits, seeds, shelter, breeding and roosting sites. A stand of scrub with varied plant species, age and structure will support a great variety of species.
Grassland management for reptiles
Grassland is a vital refuge for Suffolk's four species of reptile. And with common lizard, slow worm, grass snake and adder all under pressure from fragmentation of habitat, it's important that management techniques take their needs into consideration.
Grassland management for wildflowers
Grasslands swaying with wildflowers are part and parcel of Suffolk's image as a green county, made up of hedged fields, meadows and pastures. But without sensitive management, these grasslands soon become invaded by more vigorous weeds that can overwhelm and replace what is a vital habitat for birds, invertebrates and animals.
Grassland management for butterflies
More than 20 butterfly species regularly breed in Suffolk on suitable grassland and field edge habitat including species-rich pasture, rough grass margins and nettle patches on field edges and awkward corners, scrub, woodland and hedges.
Pond session at Foxburrow
School session: Ponds
Tree session at Foxburrow
School session: Trees
Plant session at Foxburrow
Self-led school session: Plants
Upland calcareous grassland
Limited in distribution, this sweetly-scented, short-cropped, springy grassland is famed for its abundance of rare and scarce species.
Lowland calcareous grassland
Typical of softly rolling pastoral landscapes, the short, aromatic turf of lowland calcareous grassland is flower-rich and humming with insects in the summer. Its long use by humans lends it an…