Use of NVC

A common languague

Since its publication during 1991-2000, the NVC has been widely welcomed as providing a much-needed common language in which the character and value of the vegetation of Britain can be understood. It has been accepted as a core standard, not only by the nature conservation and countryside organisations, but also by forestry, agriculture and water agencies, local authorities, non-governmental organisations, major industries and universities. Its popularity is evidenced by the sale of over 10,000 copies of the main volumes.

The NVC in itself is not a monitoring tool, but is used to help furnish protocols for particular monitoring programmes and to develop a conceptual basis for understanding the purpose and practice of monitoring. The predictive capacity of the NVC means that it can also serve as a basis for developing management options for sites or landscapes and as a framework for restoration and design guidelines.

The main terrestrial habitat classification

Importantly, the NVC acts as the main terrestrial habitat classification for:

• the Guidelines for the Selection of Biological Sites of Special Scientific Interest

• UK Common Standards Monitoring Guidance

• the UK Interpretation of Annex I habitats listed under the EC Habitats Directive; (see also An Illustrated Guide to British Upland Vegetation, the European significance of British woodland types, and the European context of British Lowland Grassland)

• detailed (Phase 2) ecological site survey and assessments – it is used widely by the UK conservation agencies and many other organisations to produce inventories and maps of plant communities (see example to right) on designated or threatened sites.