This habitat type includes semi-natural species-rich dry and fresh grasslands on dry and semi-arid calcareous soils, as well as dry boreo-nemoral grasslands, which are both important growth sites of orchids.
The dry and fresh grasslands, which are widespread mainly on the lowlands of Western Estonia and the western islands, but also on the plateau of Northern Estonia, have a flat or a slightly undulating topography. The dry boreo-nemoral grasslands, on the other hand, grow mainly on hills and ridges on drought-sensitive rough and calcareous soils. Both in terms of vegetation (low drought-tolerant species) and ecological conditions, dry boreo-nemoral grasslands are similar to alvar grasslands. There are more dry boreo-nemoral grasslands in Northern and Western Estonia; in Central Estonia, they can only be found on the tops and eskers of lime-rich moraine hills.
Includes the habitat type 2141 (dry boreo-nemoral grassland site type) according to Paal.