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tahir

Peoples Trust for Endangered Species

Looks interesting:

http://www.ptes.org/index.php?page=203
Nick

Damn you. Going to have to get involved, no?
tahir

Me? Don't think so. Too busy, I'd hope some do though, looks really good, they're into orchards too.
Nick

I meant me, actually. Someone banged on my door last year, following a freecycle arrangement, and took a load of my apples to make cider. He identified all the old/rare species I have and went away happy. Even brought me back some cider this spring. Course, I didn't write down the species, or his email address, so, have to wait for him to come back and harvest this autumn.
yummersetter

I did something along these lines a couple of years ago - can't remember now if it was PTES but I know I just couldn't bring myself to put an arm down any of the holes in my apple trees to scoop up the gunge at the bottom and inspect for Noble Chafer droppings - I don't think it was a terribly detailed survey but I registered the old orchard anyway.

I just hope that registration doesn't come back to haunt me if I ever want to make any changes to the orchard in the future and some official wants it 'preserved' exactly as it was at that point. I think it's thoughts like that which keep landowners round us from volunteering information.
tahir

yummersetter wrote:
I just hope that registration doesn't come back to haunt me if I ever want to make any changes to the orchard in the future and some official wants it 'preserved' exactly as it was at that point. I think it's thoughts like that which keep landowners round us from volunteering information.


There is that, no idea how much of an issue it is though. This has just been posted on the UK Tree Care site:

Quote:
With regard to the comments about traditional orchards: Traditional
orchards are now recognised as a Priority Habitat under the UK BAP. I
sit on the steering group for the habitat action plan and am also
managing the project to produce the inventory of traditional orchards in
England so would be happy to help answer any questions that people may
have. I can be contacted directly via www.ptes.org/orchards


I've just asked her about it from a landowner's perspective
Nick

What does that mean? They have to be preserved (legally?) or what?
tahir

Nick wrote:
What does that mean? They have to be preserved (legally?) or what?


Maybe, in some extreme cases some kind of protection might be sought. Let's see what they say.
yummersetter

just had a look a their forms and website, yes that's the people, in Battersea.

Now I'd be interested in being a local orchard 'volunteer' except that I don't think that kind of work should be voluntary i.e. unpaid. If you're putting in your time, travel costs, experience and intelligence, should that be unrewarded?
bodger

Months of reading here for anyone interested in old orchards and the wildlife they support.
I've had this as a favourite for years.

http://www.commonground.org.uk/links/l-apples.html#video
yummersetter

tahir wrote:

Maybe, in some extreme cases some kind of protection might be sought. Let's see what they say.


I think that you'd need it if you start walking round orchards here with your clipboard full of PTES survey forms without asking the owner's permission

alltogethernow Git orf me laaand
tahir

Here's the latest and most full response:

Anita wrote:
As an individual organisation PTES are raising awareness about the importance of orchards at the same time as producing the national orchard inventory. The inventory is being produced by analysing aerial photographs followed by local volunteers "ground-truthing" to confirm what we have found and completing a simple survey form. This information is then fed into a MapInfo data base which will be available to everyone via the Natural England website. During the "ground-truthing" phase, volunteers also distribute information (in the form of leaflets and species fact sheets) to orchard owners which explains why orchards are important and where they can go for help with grants, pruning, restoration, planting and grafting etc.

There is a massive network of orchard groups, professional bodies and individual amateurs and experts out there all working to protect the habitat. Work is also underway to get a national fruit sharing scheme up and running as ultimately we are aware that the best way to protect the habitat is by making orchards economically viable.

The conservation work is focussed on traditional orchards - those planted at low densities, on vigorous rootstocks and managed without the use of chemicals where trees grow old and develop veteran tree features. Intensively managed orchards (bush orchards) have a limited life span and are consequently less bio-diverse. The setting is unimportant - as long as there are 5 or more fruit trees at no more than 20m apart which are traditionally managed, it's an orchard!

If you are working on old fruit trees in orchards in Worcestershire, Herefordshire and Gloucestershire you also need to be aware of the rare noble chafer beetle. Do call me if you require more specific information about traditional orchards.
yummersetter

'The Living World' did a broadcast about this on Sunday morning
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00kwfst/The_Living_World_Ancient_Orchards/
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