Traditional Orchards. Key associated species. Mistletoe

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1 Traditional Orchards Key associated species Bat spp Bullfinch Fieldfare Figure 0f Eight Moth Mistletoe Noble Chafer Red-belted Clearwing Redwing Stag Beetle Traditional orchards are composed of standard fruit trees at a low density - approximately 150 per hectare. There may be many varieties of fruit trees in a given block, leading to an extended period of flowering and fruiting, benefiting both insects in pollination and birds and mammals which feed on the fruit. The grassland beneath old orchards may be species rich unimproved grassland, and may be grazed by sheep or cattle. The combination of old individual trees, within grassland, creates a habitat structure with similarities to wood pasture and parkland. Trees within old orchards can be over 60 years old. Fruit trees decay more quickly than most British hardwoods and therefore provide good habitats for deadwood dependent invertebrates. Additionally crevices and hollows provide nesting sites for birds such as spotted flycatchers and roosts for bats. The bark also supports a wide variety of mosses and lichens. The fruits can provide a valuable source of food for wintering birds such as thrushes and for invertebrates including butterflies, bees, wasps and ants. Traditional orchards often also provide additional habitats. The hedges surrounding orchards, not only protect the fruit trees from frost and wind damage, but also provide additional habitats for wildlife. Orchards may also contain ponds. Modern orchards are planted with many more (2,200) trees to the hectare. They have a very limited number of varieties and are grubbed up after years. They are grafted onto dwarfing rootstock and are pruned heavily each year. A sterile strip of bare earth is maintained under the trees and during the summer months may be sprayed every 7 days. However certain BAP species such as Linnet and Bullfinch are found in higher number in modern orchards 1. Current Status in UK 1.1 In 1950 there were 108,555 ha of orchards in England, but since then the area has declined by 57%. 1

2 However the Ordnance Survey census in 2000 showed 47,000 ha of orchards in England with 28,750 being traditional in character. 1.2 Recent research by Natural England shows that the decline in traditional orchards has been much greater than this as the figures also contain intensive orchards. Severe declines have continued and even increased over the last 20 years in some areas. 2. Historical Status in Buckinghamshire 2.1 On the first Ordnance Survey maps (1880s) covering Buckinghamshire there are 157 orchards identified, covering a total of 516ha. The majority of these are to the south of the Chilterns Ridge, with particular orchard hotspots, around Beaconsfield and just to the north of Slough. Concentrations of orchards also exist around Eddlesborough and Cheddington. 2.2 Buckinghamshire has a number of fruit varieties of historical and local significance. Dessert Apples Ball s Pippin was introduced 1923 by nurseryman JC Allgrove of Langley. Cox s Orange Pippin was planted as a pip from a Ribston Pippin x Blenheim Orange in 1825 by Richard Cox of Colnbrook, Slough and introduced by Small & Son in Now three-quarters of all dessert fruit commercially grown in this country are Cox. Feltham Beauty was raised at Veitch Nursery, Langley, described Langley Pippin raised by the family firm of James Veitch, a Chelsea nurserymen in the late 1800s. Veitch s son opened a nursery at Langley, near Slough hence the name. Cooking Apples Arthur Turner variety was raised by Charles Turner of Slough and first exhibited in Small s Admirable raised in about 1859 by Mr F Small, nurseryman at Colnbrook, Slough. Dual Purpose Apples Cox s Pomona was raised by Richard Cox, Colnbrook Lawn, Slough around 1825, at the same time as Cox s Orange Pippin. Damsons Aylesbury Prune was once the staple of a local jam making industry around Aylesbury, and along the upper greensand belt. It is still found in remnant orchards and hedgerows. 2

3 Plums Local varieties include Allgrove s Superb, Bullace Langley and Stewkley Red. Cherries One local variety is the Prestwood Black. 3. Buckinghamshire Current Status 3.1 The Historic Land Classification mapped 130 sites covering 375 ha using current Ordnance Survey maps. Some of these sites may be traditional orchards, though many may have been cleared or only contain the remnants of the original orchard. Others may be modern orchards with limited biodiversity interest. 3.2 The table below shows the number of orchard sites across in each district in the 1880s, on current OS Maps and those current sites that occupy old orchard sites (though these may be modern orchards replanted on old sites). Aylesbury Vale Chiltern Milton Keynes South Bucks Wycombe Total Orchards Sites in 1880s ha Orchards on current OS maps Sites ha Current orchards on old orchard sites Sites ha Additionally being marked as an orchard on the OS map does not necessarily mean that the orchard still exists. A study of aerial photographs of sites shown as orchards on both 1880s and current maps shows that approximately 16% may still be traditional orchards. 3.4 Around 50% have been partially cleared but may still have old orchard trees existing and about 32% have been cleared (though some may still have old orchard trees in hedgerows) or may now be managed intensively. 3

4 Aylesbury Vale Chiltern Milton Keynes South Bucks Wycombe Total Trad Sites Orchard ha Partially cleared - Old Trees Surviving Sites ha Sites Cleared / Unknown ha There has been active promotion in the planting of new community orchards in Milton Keynes in recent years and if well managed these sites will in the future become important for biodiversity. 3.6 Environmental Stewardship (Higher Level Stewardship) targets the maintenance and restoration of traditional orchards and the creation of new traditional orchards on old orchard sites. 4 Current factors affecting the habitat Agricultural intensification 4.1 Old orchards are grubbed out for more economically productive use Neglect 4.2 Lack of understanding of importance of old orchard trees Development 4.3 Many orchards have been sgrubbed out for development sites or have been split up and developed and though some trees remain they are now in private gardens 5. Objectives 5.1 It is important that Habitat Action Plan objectives and actions are considered in conjunction with those in Generic Issues (see Chapter 6, Generic Issues). All Generic objectives and actions apply to each individual Habitat Action Plan. 5.2 The objectives of the are as follows 1. Halt the loss of traditional orchards 2. Establish new orchards, planted in the traditional manner, with traditional and local fruit varieties 4

5 3. Increase knowledge and appreciation of the value of old orchards, for their contribution to biodiversity and also their cultural and landscape value 6. Biodiversity Opportunity Areas 6.1 Traditional Orchards may be a Priority Habitat in the following Biodiversity Opportunity Areas Central Chilterns Chalk Rivers Chess Valley Colne Valley Gomm Valley Hambleden and Wormsley Valleys Medmenham Milton Keynes City Prestwood Radnage Valley South Bucks Heaths & Parklands South Western Commons Thame Valley Thames Valley Upper Hughenden Valley Whaddon Chase Actions Map current extent of all traditional orchards in county Assess condition of all traditional orchards in county Designate traditional orchard sites as Local Wildlife Sites where appropriate Produce management advice for traditional orchard owners Targets T1 T2 T3 Maintain extent (number of sites) of Traditional Orchards in Bucks Achieve condition of Traditional Orchards (no of sites with trees appropriately managed for biodiversity?) Create new community orchards with traditional and local fruit varieties 5

6 National Target Code Target Action Start End Action location Lead Other Orgs Target total TO1 Maintain extent (number of sites of traditional Orchards in Bucks TO1/1 Maintain extent (number of sites of Aylesbury Vale TBA traditional Orchards in Aylesbury Vale TO1/2 Maintain extent (number of sites of Chiltern TBA ] traditional Orchards in Chiltern TO1/3 Maintain extent (number of sites of Milton Keynes TBA ] traditional Orchards in Milton Keynes TO1/4 Maintain extent (number of sites of South Bucks TBA ] traditional Orchards in South Bucks TO1/5 Maintain extent (number of sites of Wycombe TBA ] traditional Orchards in Wycombe TO2 Achieve condition of Traditional Orchards TO2/1 Achieve favourable condition of Aylesbury Vale TBA ] ] tradional orchards in Aylesbury Vale TO2/2 Achieve favourable condition of Chiltern TBA ] ] tradional orchards in Chiltern TO2/3 Achieve favourable condition of Milton Keynes TBA ] ] tradional orchards in Milton Keynes TO2/4 Achieve favourable condition of South Bucks TBA ] ] tradional orchards in South Bucks TO2/5 Achieve favourable condition of Wycombe TBA ] ] tradional orchards in Wycombe TO3 Create new community orchards with traditional and local fruit varieties TO3/1 Create new community orchards with Aylesbury Vale TBA Aylesbury Vale TO3/2 Create new community orchards with Chiltern TBA Chiltern TO3/3 Create new community orchards with Milton Keynes TBA Milton Keynes TO3/4 Create new community orchards with South Bucks TBA South Bucks TO3/5 Create new community orchards with Wycombe TBA Baseline 6

7 Wycombe 7