TRADITIONAL ORCHARDS
LOCAL BIODIVERSITY ACTION PLAN

Action Completed! Action Completed! Action Completed! Action Completed! ACTION COMPLETED IN 2004-2005

1. Two orchard management workshops held during December 2004.
2. Four pruning workshops held during January and February 2005 – due to the high demand for these workshops, more will be held during early 2006.
3. Over 100 apple trees donated by Cheshire Landscape Trust to Tree Wardens, Tree Guardians, schools and community groups.
4. CLT ran a workshop on ‘Mini-Orchards for Gardens’ at the 2004 Countdown Conference at Chester Racecourse.
5. Held Apple Day (Oct 2004), Blossom Day (May 2005) and Quince Day (Oct 2004) at Norton Priory. 6. Orchards display taken to 2005 Cheshire Show.
7. Draft Orchard Information Pack produced by CLT for Vale Royal Borough Council.
8. Articles on orchards written for various newsletters and magazines, including The Acorn, National Orchard Forum newsletter and Limited Edition magazine.
9. Payments for orchards included in the new Environmental Stewardship Scheme (Higher Level).
10. Partners in the Cheshire Orchard Project continue to give orchard advice on request.

Action Completed! Action Completed! Action Completed! Action Completed!

OBJECTIVES

To sustain and enhance existing orchards throughout the county
To establish a network of community orchards throughout the county to keep the tradition alive and help to carry it forward.
To promote the importance of orchards and fruit growing.

LOCAL TARGETS

No specific targets determined yet.

CURRENT STATUS

Traditional or old orchards are composed of standard fruit trees, planted at a low density. They make a significant contribution to the local landscape and are of considerable value to wildlife. A recent study by the Central Science Laboratory found that more than twice as many bird species are associated with traditional orchards compared to modern, intensively farmed orchards.

Cheshire is not, in a national context, regarded as an area renowned for fruit growing. It does not spring to mind as readily as Kent or Herefordshire, but for all that, Cheshire has a rich history of fruit growing from nursery production to market sales. Orchards were once an important part of the Cheshire landscape. The county supported many orchards and produced a wide range of fruit, with each area having its own speciality or distinctive fruit variety. Most older farms, smallholdings and cottages still have remains of orchard trees either in the garden hedgerow or in grassy paddocks set close to the house. Evidence of orchards is also to be found on Ordnance Survey maps and in field names across the county.

In recent times the number and variety of orchards in Cheshire has declined. However, the loss is far greater than fruit growing alone, along with trees have gone traditional crafts, wildlife havens and landscape features.

THREATS

Intensification of agriculture - traditional orchards were planted at about 150 trees per hectare with pasture beneath. Modern orchards are often planted on dwarf rootstocks at 2,200 trees per hectare, they are grubbed up every 12-15 years, they are sprayed with pesticides (up to once a week during the summer), they are heavily pruned, and a strip of bare earth is maintained beneath the trees.
Increased imports of foreign fruit
Commercialisation of British fruit farming
Removal of traditional orchards for development
Neglect

CURRENT ACTION

Cheshire Orchard Project set up in 1994, which currently has 12 member organisations.
The Cheshire Orchard Audit undertaken in 1996 - 150 separate traditional orchards identified and recorded.
CLT provide free apple trees to schools and community groups to establish school and community orchards.
VRBC provide free fruit trees to local residents.
Awareness raising of orchards and fruit growing through Apple Days, Blossom Days and Quince Days.
Cheshire Orchard Project featured on Common Ground's website.
Articles on orchards and fruit featured in The Acorn (CLT newsletter).
CLT and TLG Orchards run 2 annual orchard workshops - 'Starting Out With Orchards'.
Funding for orchard management and restoration provided through Countryside Stewardship Scheme.
Regular school visits and guided walks around Norton Priory's orchards as part of their ongoing education programme.
All Cheshire Orchard Project members use orchards as a LA21, Sustainable Development, Sense of Place and Local Distinctiveness tool.
Norton Priory holds the NCCPG national collection of tree quince.
Jodrell Bank Science Centre holds the NCCPG national collection of ornamental Malus (crab apple).
Research being undertaken in to the history of orchards in the landscape, with a particular emphasis on south Cheshire.
Of the 6000 known varieties of apple in Britain, 32 are Cheshire varieties. The Cheshire Orchard Project is continuing to build up this number of known Cheshire varieties.
Cheshire Orchard Project attends regular National Orchard Association meetings.

ACTION REQUIRED IN 2006+

Continued research into Cheshire fruit varieties and history of orchards in Cheshire.
Graft onto rootstocks any 'new' varieties of Cheshire apple discovered.
Undertake more surveys of existing and potential orchards.
Continue to encourage schools and community groups to plant school and community orchards.
Arrange the second national orchard conference
TLG Orchards continue to increase their collection of fruit trees with aim to getting NCCPG national collection status.
Establish a Cheshire Orchard Project website.
Continue to give advice to schools, community groups and members of the public regarding orchards and fruit growing.
Target planting of new orchards and restoration of existing orchards in specific areas of the county with a tradition of orchard growing, e.g. Acton Bridge, Kingsley.
Target developers to plant fruit trees in new housing developments throughout Cheshire.
Target shops to sell locally distinct varieties of fruit and target shoppers to buy them.
Continue to update and distribute the Cheshire Orchard Project leaflet.
Continue to develop links with other fruit groups nationally.
4 Pruning workshops to be held in Jan & Feb 2005
Will continue to hold Apple, Blossom and Quince Days at Norton Priory
CLT will continue to donate free apple trees to schools and community groups
CLT, in partnership with TLG Orchards will continue to provide advice and carry out orchard surveys
CLT, VRBC & TLG Orchards will produce an orchard information pack
TLG Orchards will continue to develop the ‘Living Apple Library’ at Briarfields.
Nationally it is required to continue to increase awareness of the value of orchards in the context of reforms to the EU Common Agricultural Policy (in UK to the Environmental Stewardship Programme) and in the Community Strategy/Plan process at local authority levels, also in the Healthy Living and Quality of Life Programmes. All of which are of relevance in Cheshire and can have a positive impact on the extension of orchards and their local biodiversity.
Orchard Management and Pruning workshops to be held in early 2006
Publish the Orchard Information Pack in 2006.

ACTION COMPLETED PREVIOUSLY

'Orchards of Cheshire' book published by Cheshire Federation of Women's Institutes in 1995.
20 school orchards planted with trees donated by CLT since 1998.
43 community orchards planted with trees donated by CLT since 1994.
Fruit trees donated by Vale Royal Borough Council to local residents.
Fruit trees donated by Mersey Forest and funding provided by Mersey Forest for orchards.
First linear orchard planted in Orchard Close, Frodsham.
Joint CLT/CFWI/CCC orchard planted at Marbury Country Park in 1994 to mark launch of Cheshire Orchard Project.
Cheshire Orchard Project became a member of the National Orchard Association following its establishment in 2003.
Launched National Tree Week 2001 by planting a new community orchard at Old Pale Farm Community Woodland, Delamere.
Held first national orchard conference on 28th September 2002 at Norton Priory - open to all members of the public, 50+ delegates attended.
16 orchard surveys undertaken since 1997.
3 meetings of Cheshire Orchard Project held per year.
First Apple Day in Cheshire held in 1991.
Annual Blossom Apple Days held at Norton Priory and Jodrell Bank Science Centre.
First Quince Day held at Norton Priory in 2002.
Articles on Cheshire Orchard Project appeared in Cheshire Life, Women's World magazine, CFWI monthly newsletter, VREN newsletter and various local newspapers.
Cheshire Orchard Project exhibition displayed at Cheshire Show.
Work of the Cheshire Orchard Project featured at the RHS Tatton.
CLT secured funding from WREN Landfill Tax Credits for work undertaken as part of the Cheshire Orchard Project.
First school orchard planted in 1989 at Alvanley Primary School.
Orchard containing 7 Cheshire varieties and 8 other British varieties was planted at Jodrell Bank arboretum in 1990.
Cheshire Orchard Project leaflet produced in 2002
2nd Cheshire Orchard Project Conference held in September 2003 at Tatton Park.
Launch of new Orchard LBAP at Helsby High School as part of Biodiversity for Youth Conference in Oct 2003 – included the planting of a new school orchard.
120 free apple trees donated in 2004 by CLT to schools and community groups, including 85 apple trees to Warrington schools as part of their Healthy Eating initiative.
Ran 4 orchard workshops (2 in Jan & Feb 2004, 2 in Dec 2004)
Held 1 COP meeting in Oct 2003.
Held Apple Day (Oct 2004), Blossom Day (May 2004) and Quince Day (Oct 2004) at Norton Priory.
Orchards display taken to the 2004 Cheshire Show.
Lord Harrison (CLT’s Vice President) tabled 4 questions in the House of Lords in 2004 regarding the possibility of orchards being grubbed up as a result of changes to Defra’s farm payment scheme.
Articles on orchards written for various newsletters and magazines in 2004, including Cheshire Life, The Acorn and National Orchard Forum newsletter.
TLG Orchards planted over 200 fruit trees in 2004 in the Living Apple Library at Briarfields.

ACTUAL LBAP IMPLEMENTERS

Cheshire County Council	Mersey Basin Trust	Tree Guardians
Cheshire Landscape Trust	Mersey Forest	Tree Wardens
Cheshire Wildlife Trust	Norton Priory	Vale Royal Borough Council
Jodrell Bank	rECOrd	Womens Institute
Howarth's Fruit Farm	Tatton Park
Manchester Metropolitan University	TLG Orchards