The Barnsley criteria for selection of a Local Wildlife Site due to its Lowland Meadow or Neutral Grassland habitat are that it should be

≥0.5ha in size and have an affinity with NVC communities MG4 or MG5 [or MG8]

 and/or have 15 or more  species from a list of 50 Neutral Grassland indicator plants including grasses.

It may also be selected because of the fauna that such grassland supports.

Neutral grassland or Lowland Meadow.

There are two SSSI Neutral Grassland or Lowland Meadow sites in Barnsley together with a number of Local Wildlife Sites (see below).

Other examples may not be designated but will be found in areas with shale or alluvial soils, such as on the slopes and valleys of the Dearne, Dove, Little Don and Don rivers and their tributaries.

Of course being managed to sustain a species-rich assemblage of broadleaved flowering plants is necessary as well.

Local Wildlife Sites

Unimproved neutral grassland (lowland meadow)

10 Hollin and Spring Woods

18 Mag Wood Meadow

21 Falthwaite & Lowe Wood

25 Barnsley Canal / Wilthorpe Marsh

31 Sunny Bank, Horse Carr & Storrs Wood

37 Gipsy Marsh

46 Elsecar Reservoir

Italics: semi-improved neutral grassland also within Local Wildlife Site

Semi-improved neutral grassland

 9 Brock Holes

11 Gunthwaite Dam/Clough Wood

13 North Wood

22 Stainborough Park

24 Worsbrough Reservoir

26 Cliffe Wood

27 Carlton Marsh

30 Short Wood & Hay Green

33 Redbrook Pastures

36 Broomhill Flash & Wombwell Ings

38 Old Moor & Wath Ings

39 Bolton-on-Dearne wetland

Local Wildlife Sites.

A number of Local Wildlife Sites include areas of unimproved or semi-improved Neutral Grassland. Those specifically including unimproved or semi-improved Neutral Grassland are listed below.

Semi-improved neutral grassland (continued)

47 Hoyland Bank Wood

48 Bretton Park

51 Barrow Colliery

53 Kendal Scrub Green

55 Parkhill Nature Reserve

58 Wool Greaves Meadow

59 Thurgoland Glow Worm site,

Pye Flatts Meadows, a SSSI near Hoylandswaine, consists of three fields of neutral hay-meadow grassland. Access details (see image above)

Spring Meadows, Alderman’s Head and Cox Croft Meadows SSSI, on the slopes above Langsett, consist of 11 fields traditionally managed for hay crop with late summer mowing.