The Phase 1 Habitat Classification is a standardised system for recording semi-natural vegetation and other wildlife habitats, developed by JNCC, which provides a basic assessment of habitat type and potential importance for nature conservation.
The Phase 1 classification system comprises ten (A-J) broad high level categories and a variable number of second and lower-level categorisations. FieldNotes uses only the two highest levels of the Phase 1 Habitat Classification system for describing sites (the lower level categories duplicate information provided by other site classification systems).
For a full description of the Phase 1 categories and associated field survey techniques see "Handbook for Phase 1 habitat survey - a technique for environmental audit" (ISBN: 0-86139-636-7), which may be purchased from JNCC and is also available as a free download from their website (pdf format).
The top-level categories in the Phase 1 classification scheme are described below.
A. Woodland and scrub |
B. Grassland and marsh |
C. Tall herb and fern |
D. Heathland |
E. Mire |
F. Swamp, marginal and inundation |
G. Open water |
H. Coastland |
I. Rock exposure and waste |
J. Miscellaneous |
The following table summarises the scope and characteristics of Level 2 categories in the Phase 1 classification scheme.
A. Woodland and scrub | |
A1. Woodland | Dominated by trees >5m high when mature, forming a distinct canopy. Includes broadleaved, coniferous or mixed woodlands, and may be natural, semi-natural or plantation. |
A2. Scrub | Dense / continuous or scattered scrub vegetation usually <5m high. Different scrub-communities may predominate on acidic / neutral and basic soils. |
A3. Parkland and scattered trees | Tree cover <30%. |
A4. Recently felled woodland | Category indicates that future landuse is uncertain (ie. no replanting). |
B. Grassland and marsh | |
B1. Acid grassland | Often unenclosed, unmanaged areas on higher land. |
B2. Neutral grassland | Usually enclosed and managed (except roadside verges). |
B3. Calcareous grassland | Often unenclosed; not managed intensively. |
B4. Improved grassland | Intensively managed meadows, often drained. |
B5. Marsh / marshy grassland | Grasslands and wet meadows with a variety of wetland plants. |
B6. Poor semi-improved grassland | Intensively managed, species-poor grasslands. |
C. Tall herb and fern | |
C1. Bracken | Dominant or extensive patches of bracken. |
C2. Upland species-rich ledges | Usually small areas (ledges) with characteristic vegetation. |
C3. Other tall herb and fern | Characteristic vegetation species |
D. Heathland | |
D1. Dry dwarf shrub heath | Dry heaths with significant heather and gorse. |
D2. Wet dwarf shrub heath | Heathlands with significant heather, gorse and wetland species. |
D3. Lichen / bryophyte heath | Dominated by Bryophytes and/or Lichens; <30% vascular plant cover. |
D4. Montane heath / dwarf herb | Montane and snow-bed vegetation types. |
D5. Dry heath / acid grassland mosaic | Mixed Dry Heath (D1) and Acid grassland (B1) vegetation types. |
D6. Wet heath / acid grassland mosaic | Mixed Wet Heath (D2) and Acid grassland (B1) vegetation types. |
E. Mire | |
E1. Bog | Includes Blanket bogs, Raised bogs, Wet modified bogs and Dry modified bogs. Modified bogs contain little or no sphagnum. |
E2. Flush and spring | Includes Acid/neutral flush, Basic Flush and Bryophyte-dominated spring. Associated with moving water. |
E3. Fen | Includes Valley mires, Basin mires and Flood-plain mires. |
F. Swamp, marginal and inundation | |
F1. Swamp | Transitional area between open water and land. Tall emergent vegetation. |
F2. Marginal and inundation | Includes Marginal vegetation lining watercourses and unstable communities which are periodically flooded. |
G. Open water | |
G1. Standing water | Includes lakes, reservoirs, canals, pools, water-filled ditches and brackish lagoons. |
G2. Running water | Rivers and streams. |
H. Coastland | |
H1. Intertidal | Region between tidal extremes. |
H2. Saltmarsh | Saltmarsh and dunes. |
H3. Shingle / gravel above high-tide mark | Often unvegetated. |
H4. Rocks / boulders above high-tide mark | Often unvegetated. |
H5. Strandline vegetation | Characteristic vegetation species. |
H6. Sand dune | Includes dune slacks, open dune and a variety of dune vegetation communities (grassland, heath, scrub). |
H7. Lagoon | Permanent and temporary lagoons. |
H8. Maritime cliff and slope | Includes hard and soft cliffs, ledge vegetation, coastal grassland and coastal heathland. |
I. Rock exposure and waste | |
I1. Natural rock exposures (inland) | Includes inland cliffs, scree, limestone pavements, caves and other rock exposures. |
I2. Artificial exposures and waste tips | Includes quarries, spoil, mines and refuse tips. |
J. Miscellaneous | |
J1. Cultivated / disturbed land | Includes arable, amenity grassland, ephemeral/short perennial and introduced scrub. |
J2. Boundaries / hedges | Includes hedges (intact and defunct), hedgerows with trees, species-rich hedges, walls, ditches and earth banks. |
J3. Built up areas | Includes buildings, caravan sites and artificial sea walls. |
J4. Bare ground | Any type of bare ground not covered previously (cf. bare peat, intertidal, etc). |
J5. Other habitat | Catch-all for undescribed habitat types. |
"Handbook for Phase 1 habitat survey - a technique for environmental audit" (ISBN: 0-86139-636-7)