Preserving the fruits of our labours

Jan 25 2008 Felicity Martin

THE word ‘orchard’ conjures up images of springtime blossom, autumn harvests of ripe, red apples and rural tranquillity.

In our psyche, orchards are associated with health and happiness. They seem so permanent, yet – while our backs were turned – they have been dwindling away.

More than 90 per cent of Britain’s traditional orchards have disappeared in recent decades. With them go unique habitats for wildlife and an important part of our food and cultural heritage.

Fortunately – almost at the last moment – individual fruit trees and orchards are being valued again. There is a resurgence of interest in safeguarding orchards and planting new ones.

Scotland has had two main areas of ‘commercial’ orchard planting: the Clyde Valley and the Carse of Gowrie.

Whereas the Clyde Valley orchards were planted predominately in the Victorian era to produce fruit for commercial jam making, the Carse of Gowrie orchards are much older. They started as part of the farms and granges owned by medieval abbeys and later contributed to food production for the growing towns and cities in the area.

To safeguard this rich cultural and landscape heritage, the Carse of Gowrie Orchards Project has been set up by Perth and Kinross Countryside Trust, Forestry Commission Scotland and Tayside Biodiversity Partnership.

Its brief is to establish a Forum to engage landowners, farmers and local businesses and – through the Forum – to encourage the preservation and renewal of orchards.

As well as managing orchards for biodiversity, it is recognised that they have the potential to be used for commercial purposes and eco-tourism.

The project leaders envisage that eco-tourism projects could include setting up walking trails connecting historic gardens, orchards and food-based businesses with local accommodation, eating places and villages.

This ties in well with Perth’s new Cittaslow status and could also link in with NHS Healthy Eating projects in the local schools and Carse communities.

With their preservation and renewal, Perthshire’s orchards could start to play a role in all our lives again, and they might even attract visitors who are interested in the ‘Apple Trails of the World’. And wouldn’t it be good to be able to buy local apples – and perhaps cider made from them – at Perth Farmers’ Market?

Why save them?

MANY of Scotland’s heritage varieties of apple originated in Perthshire and Angus, including Bloody Ploughman, Arbroath Oslin, Hood’s Supreme, Lass o’ Gowrie and Tower of Glamis.

On the other side of the Tay, the Newburgh Orchard Group discovered many rare plum, pear and apple varieties when the town’s orchards were surveyed in 2003, and there could be similar gems, as yet unidentified, in the Carse of Gowrie.

These distinctive varieties were developed on the lowlands beside the Tay because they were especially suited to this environment – to the soils, climate and pests. We don’t know yet what value they may have in the future, but time is running out if this gene pool is to be preserved and propagated.

Established orchards also make a significant contribution to the local landscape and add colour as the seasons change. A traditional orchard with widely spaced mature trees surrounded by species-rich grassland and a native hedge also offers one of the best biodiversity ‘hotspots’ available.

The orchard environment supports a great range of plants and animals, including some that have few niches elsewhere. With a mixture of grassland and trees, there is excellent foraging for beetles, moths, butterflies, bumblebees, bats and birds. Veteran fruit trees are particularly valuable for their bark fissures and decaying trunk cavities – perfect for a number of rare invertebrates, lichens and bryophytes.

What’s been done so far

THE first phase of the Carse of Gowrie Orchards Project involved a survey of historic orchards to find out how many still exist.

The survey was carried out in August and September 2007 by Dr Crispin Hayes. Looking at contemporary and historic literature – that went back to the monastic settlements of the 12th century – he compiled a list of 51 orchards to visit.

He found that 28 of these had been lost – mainly during the past 50 years – through clearance for agriculture, benign neglect and housing development.

Of the remaining ones, nine were identified as having particular value in terms of their cultural heritage, economic potential or biodiversity value and a further five, although much diminished, had the potential to be revitalised.

In reporting the results of the survey, he said: “There may only be a relatively small amount of viable orchards remaining in the Carse but the varietal heritage of these should not be underplayed. Fruit trees are, by nature, particularly long lived and their biodiversity value is high.”

On October 16, 2007, an Orchard Seminar was held in Inchture to give feedback to all those who own orchards in the Carse or who are interested in their preservation.

The seminar attracted 85 people and brought together those who could be instrumental in helping to preserve and reinvigorate the orchards. It included advice from Forestry Commission Scotland on the potential grants available to support local orchards, and offered case studies for consideration on how the fruit could be used and marketed.

Existing and potential owners of orchards gained plenty of ideas about future options on how to manage them.

Where now?

THERE was such positive feedback to the Orchard Seminar that a further event was held on December 11 to discuss the next steps.

Here participants discussed their vision for the Carse’s orchards and agreed to form a forum so that local people could decide how to take forward various aspects of the proposed orchard project.

The first meeting of this new Carse of Gowrie Orchard Forum is on Wednesday, January 30 at the Inchture Hotel.

The organisers are keen that as many people as possible with an interest in the future of the orchards should attend. Everyone is welcome, especially if they are orchard owners, local residents or just keen to help safeguard them.

It is also hoped that anyone with an interest in the proposed orchard trails, local food, cultural and eco-tourism aspects will come along, as well as anyone interested in opportunities to sell fruit for juicing or cider.

The project partners have promised to support the Forum as it becomes established and are exploring funding opportunities so that a Project Officer can be appointed to assist the Forum and help progress further research, training and awareness-raising.

Future tasks will include making a more detailed survey of heritage fruit trees within the Carse to establish the condition and variety of each tree, and working with Tayside Biodiversity Partnership to draft a ‘Tayside Traditional Orchards Habitat Action Plan’.

The Forum presents a very real opportunity for local people to preserve and capitalise on a unique part of their heritage. I look forward, in a year or two, to describing a Carse orchard trail in the PA’s Let’s Go Walking.

How to get involved

WHATEVER your interest in orchards, there are plenty of forthcoming opportunities to learn more and join with others in ensuring a bright future for them.

You can read more about the project on Perth and Kinross Countryside Trust’s website, www.pkct.org, and under News at www.taysidebiodiversity.co.uk.

Wednesday, January 30, at 7pm in the Inchture Hotel – the first official meeting of the Carse of Gowrie Orchard Forum. Everyone interested in these orchards and their uses is welcome, but please let Rachel Higgins of the Tayside Biodiversity Partnership know if you will be attending, as numbers are needed for refreshments, seating etc. – tel. 01382 433042; email: Rachael.Higgins@ dundeecity.gov.uk

Saturday, January 26 – half day practical pruning at a Carse orchards (details to be confirmed). Choice of morning or afternoon sessions. Bring own pruning tools if possible. £12 per person. Book via Rachel Higgins (details above).

Monday, January 28 – lunchtime seminar, Tayside House, Dundee. John Hancox of Glasgow will give a presentation on the proposed “Scottish Children’s Orchard’ idea. Any organisations or local authority staff keen to find out about this unusual greenspace idea is welcome to book. Very limited spaces: first come, first served. No charge. Book via Rachel Higgins (details above).

Saturday, February 23, at Errol Community Hall – the Tayside Biodiversity Partnership will be running a workshop in which teachers, Tayside residents, local authority staff and older children are invited to take part in an informal day to look at “how to design your own orchard”, “incorporating orchards into the curriculum”, and “encouraging wildlife in new and old orchards”. There will be a trip to a traditional orchard during the day and, weather permitting, to also plant a few fruit trees somewhere. Further details will be available soon from Rachael Higgins (see above), or Catherine Lloyd at Tayside.biodiversity@ukf.net.