Understanding Habitat

3: How is Habitat Classified? Bringing Order to Nature

Learn how to classify habitats like a professional. Explore the 7 primary habitat classes—from woodland to brownfield sites—and discover the specific markers that define our local landscape.

With so many different environments in the world, naturalists need a system to create order and structure. By using a defined, unambiguous system, different surveyors can produce consistent results that aren't just based on personal opinion.

The Professional Standard: Phase 1 Habitat Surveying

One of the most common systems used by professionals is the Phase 1 Habitat Survey. Originally developed by the Nature Conservancy Council (now Natural England), it provides detailed rules for 10 major habitat types.

For example, under this system, a Woodland is subdivided based on very specific math:

Broadleaf Woodland: 90% or more of the trees are deciduous.
Coniferous Woodland: 90% or more of the trees are evergreen.
Mixed Woodland: Any wood that doesn't reach that 90% threshold for either type.

The 7 Basic Habitats of Sidmouth

To make this system usable for everyday nature watching, we have adapted the professional methodology into seven basic classes found within our local project area:

1. Woodland

Areas dominated by trees over five metres tall with a distinct canopy.

Broadleaf: Primarily oak and ash.
Conifer Plantation: Non-natural pine, spruce, or fir.
Amenity: Orchards, parks, or shelter belts.

2. Scrub

Native shrubs usually less than five metres tall.

Hedgerow: Continuous lines of shrubs.
Mixed: Scattered clumps in open areas.

3. Heath

Low-lying areas on acid soils dominated by gorse and heather.

Dry Heath: Sandy soils with ling and bell heather.
Wet Heath: Areas prone to puddling, dominated by cross-leaved heather.

4. Grassland

Includes dry areas dominated by grasses and wet areas filled with rushes and reeds.

Calcareous: Found on chalk or limestone.
Acid: Damp meadows often dominated by soft or hard rush.
Amenity: Lawns and recreational fields.

5. Fresh Water

Areas where fresh water is continually present.

Rivers: Moving water flowing toward the sea.
Ponds: Small areas of standing water.

6. Coastal

Environments influenced by the tides and saline water.

Rocky Shore/Shingle: Stoney or rocky shorelines.
Soft Cliffs: Shorelines formed of eroding soft rock.

7. Brownfield

Totally artificial sites resulting from human activity.

Arable Farmland: Fields used for crops.
Gardens: Managed areas for ornamental plants.
Industrial Remnants: Quarries, redundant railways, and walls.

Before you go

The Classification Challenge

To practice these new definitions, try the "Boundary Search" activity:

Find a "Mixed" Zone: Go to a place where two of the seven classes meet (e.g., where a Woodland meets a Grassland or where a Garden meets a Scrub area).
Apply the 5-Metre Rule: Look at the woody plants. Are they over 5m tall forming a canopy (Woodland), or under 5m (Scrub)?
Identify the "Subdivision": If you are in a grassland, is it "Amenity" (mown like a lawn) or "Acid" (damp with rushes)?