Orchard Surveys - Traditional Orchard Inventory and Peoples Trust for Endangered Species
The Peoples Trust for Endangered Species www.ptes.org have now mapped traditional orchards across England. This is invaluable pioneering work and will be extended to Wales. The Gloucestershire Orchard Group has been assisting with orchard surveys in Gloucestershire. Surveys were carried out from aerial studies and then ground-truthing using local knowledge and volunteer surveyors. Anita Burrough, Orchard Project Officer for the Peoples Trust for Endangered Species, has coordinated the entire project with Steve Oram and a dedicated team of volunteers, including other orchard groups across the UK. Data has also been gathered on remnant orchards by Steve Oram, separately, which is also extremely useful.
If you know of an orchard in Gloucestershire (non commercial) or are fortunate enough to own one, please do request an Orchard Survey form by contacting Gloucestershire Orchard Group coordinator Ann Smith on info@gloucestershireorchardgroup.org.uk or tel 01452 855677 or contact the Peoples Trust for Endangered Species (see below).
Traditional orchards are a fantastic habitat for wildlife and can host up to 1800 species of plants and animals, including the rare Noble Chafer beetle. For a factsheet on this beetle and examples of other wildlife, please see the GOG website Wildlife page (under Orchards) www.gloucestershireorchardgroup.org.uk/orchards/wildlife/ and www.gloucestershireorchardgroup.org.uk/orchards/wildlife/noble-chafer/
You can also help survey the mistletoe marble moth and learn about mistletoe, lichens and the deadwood-loving fungus chicken-of-the-woods.
A factsheet entitled "Traditional Orchards, a guide to wildlife and management" is available from Ann Smith (Gloucestershire Orchard Group) or the Peoples Trust for Endangered Species, as well as extra Noble Chafer factsheets and Orchard Survey forms for events etc at no charge. Natural England have also published Technical Information Notes, including one entitled "Orchards and Wildlife" see www.gloucestershireorchardgroup.org.uk/orchards/technical-information-notes/
For orchard surveys involving identification of the varieties of fruit, please visit the Gloucestershire Orchard Group Identification page www.gloucestershireorchardgroup.org.uk/varieties/identification/
Anita Burrough gives an update on the project below:
(February 2012 update)
Traditional_orchard_inventory_county_summary_ gloucestershire_ed 2.pdf www.ptes.org/files/1659_traditional_orchard_inventory_county_summary__gloucestershire_ed_2.pdf
Please find above the most recent information about the Gloucestershire section of the traditional orchard inventory which has just been updated. The inventory complements other habitat inventories and is available through the Natural England website www.gis.naturalengland.org.uk/pubs/gis/GIS_register.asp and via MAGIC www.magic.gov.uk (GOG suggests going to Interactive Map then Habitat Inventories then traditional orchards are bordered in RED)
A full report of the inventory and the project that created it can be found in the NECR077 Natural England Commissioned Report, Traditional orchard project in England – the creation of an inventory to support the UK Habitat Action Plan. (naturalengland.etraderstores.com/NaturalEnglandShop/NECR077).
Summaries for each county are available on our website - (the summary for Gloucestershire is linked to above) together with the most recent PTES newsletter from the project. Frequently Asked Questions about the inventory can also be found on our website www.ptes.org/orchards.
We have also created Google Maps of the inventory which are also available on our website and provide an excellent visual overview www.ptes.org/orchardmap
PTES continue to be committed to orchard conservation and are currently working towards the production of a similar inventory for Wales. We will also continue to recruit volunteers and co-ordinate the ground-truthing of as many orchards in England as possible.
It is still vital that people feed in to this inventory in order to maintain and improve its accuracy, so if you have any local knowledge, for example information about newly planted or restored orchards, that you could share with us to improve the accuracy of the information 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.
I am going on maternity leave from February 10th but Lauren Alexander will be taking over the role and will be happy to help you in my absence. For further information about the project please visit www.ptes.org/orchards or please do not hesitate to contact Lauren (Lauren@ptes.org) or Steve Oram (steve@ptes.org) if you have additional questions.
I am so grateful for all the continued support that we have received for this project.
Many thanks and best wishes.
Anita Burrough
Orchard Project Officer
People's Trust for Endangered Species 15 Cloisters House, 8 Battersea Park Road, London SW8 4BG
Tel: 020 7498 4533 Fax: 020 7498 4459 www.ptes.org Reg. charity no. 274206
Visit www.ptes.org/orchards for information about the traditional orchard inventory.
Visit www.orchardnetwork.org.uk - website of the Traditional Orchard Habitat Action Plan (HAP) Group.
