Going to seed, the great orchards of England that lie abandoned or neglected

By DAVID DERBYSHIRE FOR MAILONLINE
Updated:


Experts say the loss of orchards threatens rare and historic varieties of fruit and will rob birds, insects and animals of vital habitats

Experts say the loss of orchards threatens rare and historic varieties of fruit and will robs wildlife of vital habitats

Nearly half of England’s traditional apple, pear and cherry orchards have been abandoned or are being neglected, a  study has found.

Conservationists say the loss threatens rare, historic varieties of fruit – including traditional apples such as Sheep’s Snout  and Slack my Girdle – and will  rob birds, insects and animals of vital habitats.

Orchards were once a common feature of rural life but since the 1950s nearly two thirds have disappeared, the victims of developers, changing land use and industrial farming.

The People’s Trust for Endangered Species mapped England’s 35,000 traditional orchards using aerial photographs.

A fifth of the orchards were then surveyed by volunteers who found that just nine per cent were in excellent condition, while 45 per cent were in a poor state.

Orchards are a haven for wildlife - including the endangered noble chafer beetle which lives in dead wood and the lesser spotted woodpecker which nests in holes of older trees.

The trees also provide a source of pollen and nectar for bees which are declining, partly because of a lack of suitable food.

Other inhabitants of orchards include long-eared bats, the apple tree lace bag and the orchard park beetle.

They are also home to hundreds of varieties of fruit such as apples and pears, including Peasgood's Nonsuch, Sheep's Snout, Bastard Rough Coat and Slack my Girdle which are all types of traditional apples.

Anita Burrough, who led the study, said a traditional orchard provides food and shelter for at least 1,800 species of wildlife.

She said: ‘The mosaic of habitats that comprise a traditional orchard provide food and shelter for at least 1,800 species of wildlife, including the rare noble chafer beetle which relies on the decaying wood of old fruit trees.

'With this loss of habitat, we also face losing rare English fruit varieties, traditions, customs and knowledge, in addition to the genetic diversity represented by the hundreds of species that are associated with traditional orchards.'

Orchards were once a common feature of rural life but since the 1950s nearly two thirds have disappeared

Orchards were once a common feature of rural life but since the 1950s nearly two thirds have disappeared

The newly compiled list will be used to help protect declining orchards.

Dr Peter Brotherton, head of biodiversity for Natural England which helped fund the study, said: 'Traditional orchards can be biodiversity hot spots, but without proper protection and sensitive management, they can easily slip into decline.

'Up until now, many of these biodiversity gold mines were quietly deteriorating in forgotten corners of the countryside, becoming overgrown or being lost altogether.

'This research has enabled us to pin point their precise location, allowing conservationists to work with local communities and landowners to keep these special sites buzzing with wildlife.'

The study found that orchards cover 42,000 acres of England.

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