Semi-natural and managed vegetation is often very sensitive to the main drivers of environmental change, ie climate, pollutants and land use practices.

The vegetation protocol is sub-divided as follows:

• Baseline Survey (VB).  Whole site survey with up to 500 systematic 2m x 2m plots. Species presence related to the National Vegetation Classification (NVC)

• Coarse-grain sampling (VC).  50 random 2m x 2m grid plots surveyed every nine years.  Species presence recorded in each of the 25 40cm x 40cm cells of the plot. Where plots fall in woodland, seedlings, dbh, height and dominance are recorded within a surrounding 10m x 10m plot (Woodlands (VW)).

• Fine-grain sampling (VF).  At least 2 10m x 10m plots randomly selected within each NVC type surveyed every three years.  Species presence recorded in 40cm x 40cm cells.

• In addition:    linear features (VH), permanent grass (VP) and cereals (VA)

For details of these elements of the protocol see the Vegetation (V) protocol document (link above).