NEW research showing a startling decline in the state of England's much-loved meadows and pastures has been unveiled in a report by The Wildlife Trusts and Plantlife.

The findings, including data compiled by Worcestershire Wildlife Trust, show that unimproved grasslands - the pure unadulterated meadows where wildflowers and butterflies thrive - are disappearing rapidly from the English landscape. In many areas these losses have actually accelerated in recent years.

Worcestershire is one of the worst hit counties, having lost three-quarters of its unimproved grasslands - in Derbyshire over half have been damaged and in Shropshire almost half have been destroyed. All over the country, butterflies such as the marsh fritillary and chalkhill blue, and wildflowers such as the deptford pink and meadow clary depend on these grasslands and are also in decline.

The report urges that the great potential of the government's agri-environment schemes, which have had a positive effect in a number of areas, must be bolstered by further reform in order to prevent more losses.

The Wildlife Trusts and Plantlife are now calling for the urgent improvement of agri-environment schemes. Recommended measures include:

l The encouragement of more farms to participate in the schemes

l An improved focus on the retention of existing unimproved grasslands

l A greater employment of farmers' skills and knowledge

Colin Raven, director of Worcestershire Wildlife Trust, said: "It is vital that our last remaining wildlife-rich grasslands are protected. The government's agro-environment schemes have been a success in many areas, and this success must be built on to stop the tragic disappearance of what we have left. These initiatives must be improved as a matter of urgency."

Both organisations are also calling for the implementation of the recommendations contained in the Curry Policy Commission Report on the Future of Food and Farming, especially the switching of more funds from the production of food to environmental stewardship.

Visitors at an Open Afternoon in Worcestershire last Saturday at one of Britain's finest remaining wildflower meadows were able to see this fast disappearing feature of the countryside.

Eades Meadow, near Hanbury, is a National Nature Reserve owned and cared for by Worcestershire Wildlife Trust, not normally open to the public in order to protect the fragile habitat, and so it was a special occasion. Guided walks and botanical experts at Eades Meadow gave visitors the opportunity to appreciate the beautiful and rich heritage under threat.

Across Worcestershire, 1,100 hectares of valuable grassland was identified in 1975, but by the 2000 survey 725 hectares had been damaged or destroyed and only 25 per cent remained in good condition, many of them small single fields and vulnerable to loss.

John Cousins, director of agriculture for the Wildlife Trusts, said: "One application of fertiliser or weedkiller can destroy a rich meadow for ever. It is virtually impossible to recreate this kind of habitat so we should do our best to hang on to what we have got."

He added: "It is ludicrous that we spend £2bn a year subsidising farmers to grow food when other things which make our countryside of such value to us, such as the wildlife and biodiversity that are so important to tourism, are neglected."

Mr Cousins stressed that the report was not an attack on farmers, who had to make a living and use their land to the best advantage.

l England's Green Unpleasant Land? Why Urgent Action is Needed to Save England's Wildflower Grasslands, is a joint report by The Wildlife Trusts and Plantlife.