Orchard Mapping/PTES Survey Results

[Ann Smith]

Traditional Orchard Project Data Online (7/12/09 update)

The People’s Trust for Endangered Species (PTES) is producing the traditional orchard inventory on behalf of Natural England to support the traditional orchard Habitat Action Plan. The inventory will complement other habitat inventories available through the Natural England website. It is being produced to national inventory standards agreed with Natural England and is now available to download for free via the Natural England publications download page and via the MAGIC website.

This digital inventory is based on combining existing survey data with aerial photograph interpretation mapping together with ground-truthing survey work by local volunteers. As well as the GIS data set and an excel spreadsheet, the background documents outlining how the data is gathered and displayed are also available to download.

Whilst aerial photograph interpretation has been shown to be one of the most useful sources of information for identifying traditional orchards, inaccuracies and omissions will still occur. Consequently local knowledge and ground-truthing are vital components in making this inventory an accurate and robust data set. So far over 200 dedicated volunteers have been involved in the project and their support and hard work is much appreciated.

The ground truthing work is ongoing. Volunteer surveyors not only confirm the presence of a traditional orchard but collect additional survey data that is entered into the database and used to produce a condition category for each orchard. The survey methodology is being used across the country to ensure consistency so if you are if you are currently running or planning an orchard project in your area or know of a volunteer group who would be interested in participating in the ground-truthing work, then please let me know as I would be happy to discuss how we can work together to maximise efficiency and reduce duplication of effort.

I must stress that the inventory is still in progress and is yet to be completed for all counties of England. If you have any local knowledge that you could share with us to improve the accuracy of the inventory in your local area, we would be very grateful to receive it.

The data set will continue to be updated regularly as new information comes to us from volunteers, orchard owners, orchard groups, record centres etc. The project will continue until March 2011.

Please visit the orchard pages on our website http://www.ptes.org/orchards and for further information please do not hesitate to contact Anita Burrough anita@ptes.org.

Anita Burrough, Orchard Project Officer, People's Trust for Endangered Species, 15 Cloisters House, 8 Battersea Park Road, London SW8 4BG 020 7498 4533 http://www.ptes.org

To log an orchard contact us to obtain a PTES survey form.