Orchards were included as a national Biodiversity Action Plan habitat in 2007. They have been identified as a local BAP habitat in South Gloucestershire because of the importance of orchards within the authority. The Action Plan can be downloaded from the 'Biodiversity Action Plan' page. Historically orchards occurred throughout South Gloucestershire with high concentrations around Hanham, Kingswood, Bitton, Frampton Cotterell and Winterbourne, the whole Severnside and most of the smaller villages. Concentrations of orchards across the country have been found in Kent, Devon, Somerset and the three counties of Gloucestershire, Worcestershire and Herefordshire. The concentration of old orchards in ‘former’ Gloucestershire (including present day South Gloucestershire) is therefore of national importance.
Orchards are a distinctive part of South Gloucestershire's heritage, making a significant contribution to biodiversity, landscape character and local distinctiveness. Some areas have distinctive fruit varieties. The apple ‘Eden’ was developed in Rockhampton and there is a plum variety specific to Frampton/ Winterbourne. The most important orchard sites for wildlife are the older, traditional orchard sites with standard trees, because these tend to be neglected and contain over mature trees of a variety of species including apple, pear and plum. They support many insect species and a wide range of bird and bat species. Modern orchards, often consisting of small, bush trees intensively managed with pesticides, are of much more limited value for wildlife.
An estimated ninety per cent of South Gloucestershire's old orchards have been lost in the last 75 years. Old orchards mostly remain as small numbers of remnant trees and even an individual fruit tree can be an important wildlife and landscape feature. Today small managed orchards exist mainly in gardens, schools and community nature reserves and there are very few large commercial orchards left.
Orchards can be protected under Tree Preservation Orders, Environmental Impact Assessment regulations and Sites of Special Scientific Interest.
Celebrating our heritage
Orchards are enjoying a revival of interest across the country at the moment. In South Gloucestershire local communities and landowners are coming together to celebrate their our orchards. Community orchards are springing up in villages and towns and celebratory days are being held - Orchard Harvest days, Apple Days and Perry Pear Day are held in the Autumn and in the winter there are Wassailing days organised to encourage a bumper harvest in the coming year.
Events and activities for Autumn 2010
Wickwar Village Picnic
Saturday 18th September - 10.00am to 4.00pm
Wickwar Playing Fields, Wickwar, Wotton-under-Edge, GL12 8JZ (ST721884)
Local fete which will include the unveiling of two new display boards at 2pm in the new community orchard, which have been funded by a South Gloucestershire Council Environmental Grant scheme. There's an opportunity to talk with volunteers involved in setting up the orchard, allotments and a new apiary.
Cider making Tour
Saturday 2nd October - 11.00am and 2.00pm
Riddle's Cider, Oak Farm, Oldbury Lane, Thornbury, BS35 1RD
Take a tour of the cider orchard and learn to identify varieties of apples such as Yarlington Mill and Sheep's Nose, see the cider making process using a 100 year old cider press. Maximum 30 per tour.
Please telephone Matthew Riddle on 07877 413298 to book a place.
Apple Picking Day
Saturday 9th October - 9.00am to 1.00pm
Oldbury Power Station, BS35 1RQ. (ST608944)
Join in a fun day out picking apples to be processed into apple juice and cider. Be a part of bringing under-used orchards back into life. Good family day out. Booking essential.
Please call Neil Phillips on 07885 214291 for further details and to reserve your place.
www.orchardeye.com
Orchard Harvest Day
Sunday 10th October - 10.30am to 3.30pm
Winterbourne Medieval Barn, Church Lane, Winterbourne, BS36 1SE
Celebrate the richness and variety of English fruit at this 14th Century historic barn. Lots of events and stalls on the day with activities for children - fun for all ages.
Please call John Morris on 01454 863581 for further details.
Apple Day at Willsbridge Mill
Sunday 10th October - 12noon to 5.00pm
Avon Wildlife Trust, Willsbridge Valley Local Nature Reserve, Willsbridge. BS30 6EX (ST 664707)
Annual event at the Mill celebrating the wildlife and cultural traditions associated with our local orchards. Orchard games, display of traditional varieties, apple pressing, apple tasting and chutney demonstrations.
Please call Joe McSorley on 0117 9177270 for further details.
www.avonwildlifetrust.org.uk
Wildways Orchard Conservation
Monday 11th October - 10.30am to 12.30pm
Grimsbury Farm, Kingswood. BS15 9SE. (ST663733)
Muck in with a bit of practical work including mulching and pruning around the old and new orchard trees. No experience necessary, tools provided. Wear old clothes and boots. Meet in main car park
at farm, Grimsbury Rd, Kingswood.
Please call Sally Pattison on 01454 863556 for further details.
Wildways Orchard Discovery Walk
Tuesday 12th October - 10.30am to 12.30pm
Staple Hill, BS16 5LR. (ST650759)
Gentle walk along the Bristol Bath Railway Path to Mangotsfield, Pomhprey Hill and Rodway Common. Meet at Fountain Square, High Street, Staple Hill.
Please call Sally Pattison on 01454 863556 for further details.
Wildways Orchard Conservation
Thursday 14th October - 10.30am to 12.30pm
Cock Road Ridge Nature Reserve, Longwell Green. BS15 9LA. (ST653623)
Muck in with a bit of practical work including mulching and pruning around the old and new orchard trees. No experience necessary, tools provided. Wear old clothes and boots. Meet at Longwell Green Leisure Centre.
Please call Sally Pattison on 01454 863556 for further details.
Autumn apple bake
Friday 15th October - 10am to noon
Grimsbury Farm, Grimsbury Road, Kingswood.BS15 9SE (ST663733)
This event is suitable for adults with special needs and wheelchair users. An invitation to learn how to make healthy but delicious recipies using fruit harvested locally. £3 fee but you get to take away something you have baked! Maximum 10 people.
Please call 01454 863592 to book a place.
Perry Pear Day
Saturday 16th October - 11am to 4.30pm
Dyrham Park, Dyrham nr Bath. SN14 8ER
It's Perry Pear Orchard harvest time! Come along for tastings and tips on growing your own pears and other soft fruit. Guided walks, demonstrations, children's trail and a Perry Pear menu in the Tea-rooms. Normal admission charges apply.
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-dyrhampark
Wildways Big Apple Day
Sunday 17th October - 10.00am to 2.00pm
Grimsbury Farm, Kingswod. BS15 9SE. (ST663733)
Bring your own apples, have them pressed by the Scrumping Project and take away a bottle of your own apple juice! Or leave your apples for the Scrumping Project to make into cider. Meet at car park at Grimsbury Farm, Grimsbury Road, Kingswood.
Please call Sally Pattison on 01454 863556 or John Morris on 01454 863581 for further details.
National Apple Day
Thursday 21st October
Events being held around South Gloucestershire schools and the Council's new offices in Yate.
Please call John Morris on 01454 863581 for further details.
Horton Apple Day
Saturday 23rd October - 10am to 2.00pm
Horton Village Hall, nr Chipping Sodbury
Annual event held at this local village beneath the Cotswold escarpment - apple games and advice from local organisations and companies on teh management of fruit orchards.
The Orchard conservation workshops listed above are free. The Wildways Project is supported by South Gloucestershire Council and Natural England, through the BIG Lottery Fund.
Watch out for news on Wassiailing events in January 2011
Community orchards in South Gloucestershire
There is growing demand from local people wishing to turn small parcels of land into orchards, where people of all ages can come and sit and enjoy the open space and reap the rewards in the autumn by collecting the free fruit. South Gloucestershire Council supports this popular movement by providing advice and funding (where appropriate) to enable groups to set up orchards in their area.
There are a number of community orchards already established in the area, supported by a network of local people who help manage them:
• Winterbourne (Frampton) Community Orchard,
(managed by Mr Fruit in conjunction with South Gloucestershire Council)
Grid Ref: 366700, 181875 Post code for nearest access point to orchard: BS36 2AB
• Thornbury Community Orchard,
(managed by Sustainable Thornbury in conjunction with South Gloucestershire Council)
Grid Ref: 364487, 191041 Post code for nearest access point to orchard: BS35 1JY
• Cock Road Ridge
(owned by SGC & managed in partnership with the Friends of Cock Road Ridge)
Grid Ref: Post code for nearest access point to orchard:
• Wick Village Hall
Grid Ref: 370343, 172740 Post code for nearest access point to orchard: BS30 5RG
• Willsbridge Mill
(leased to Avon Wildlife Trust)
Grid Ref: 366469,170682 Post code for nearest access point to orchard: BS30 6EX
• Leap Valley, Downend
(owned by SGC & managed in partnership with the Friends of Leap Valley)
Grid Ref: 365429, 178265 Post code for nearest access point to orchard: BS16 6PZ
http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/bristol/hi/people_and_places/nature/newsid_8374000/8374637.stm
• Grimsbury Farm, Kingswood
(owned by SGC &managed in partnership with the Friends of Grimsbury Farm)
Grid Ref: 366349,173170 Post code for nearest access point to orchard: BS15 9SE
• Three Brooks Local Nature Reserve Community Orchard, Bradley Stoke
(owned by SGC & managed in partnership with the Three Brooks Nature Conservation Group & Green Gym)
Grid Ref: 362507,182167 Post code for nearest access point to orchard: BS32 9BS
• Patchway Common Community Orchard, Common East, Bradley Stoke
(owned by SGC & managed in partnership with Patchway Conservation Group)
Grid Ref: 361365,182392 Post code for nearest access point to orchard: BS32 9DN
If you know of any other community orchards in South Gloucestershire we would love to hear more about them.
Surveying Orchards
South Gloucestershire Council is teaming up with the People's Trust for Endangered Species to help the charity in their Nationwide quest to discover how many orchards are left and what condition they are in. Studies of aerial photographs have shown up hundreds of possible sites in the district. What we now need to do is visit these sites and undertake a visual check. In order to cover the area we are looking for volunteers to help us. No experience is required and training can be provided. If you would like to help with this worthwhile project then please contact us.
Apple Orchard Advice Booklet - now available
The popular advice booklet on how to manage apple orchards has been revised and updated. Containing useful contact details for suppliers of traditional local apple varieties, information on pruning and grant funding, the booklet is a good introduction to orchard management. The booklet will be made available at orchard events or by contacting the Council. You can also view and download a copy of the booklet from this website.
The Scrumping Project
The Council is supporting a local group of orchard enthusiasts who are attempting to make cider and apple juice from windfall apples that would have been left to rot. The not for profit group are experimenting this year before going into minor production next year and supplying Community Orchard events in South Gloucestershire in 2010.
The project is discovering old cider orchards, where the fruit is no longer picked and has interviewed their owners on video to capture stories of old. To find out more visit the Scrumping Project website.