Limited in distribution, this sweetly-scented, short-cropped, springy grassland is famed for its abundance of rare and scarce species.

Sand and gravel can be found from the shoreline down to the deep sea, attracting a host of burrowing creatures.

These grasslands, occupying much of the UK's heavily-grazed upland landscape, are of greater cultural than wildlife interest, but remain a habitat to some scarce and declining species.

Beautiful displays of flowers spread under the gentle shade of unfurling ash leaves in spring, while in winter the abundant ferns and mosses mean these small, rocky woods retain a watery greenness…

These tiny habitats, the source of our streams and rivers, are fundamental to the well-being of whole water catchments.