North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[mIEKAL aND <qazingulaza@gmail.com>]

(I didn't realize that grazing animals in the orchard was a traditional way
to maintain the orchard floor.  Makes sense.  Turkey Ridge Organic Orchard
has a lot of success doing that in our area. ~mIEKAL)


Many orchards in neglected state, aerial study finds

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-13289383

The number of traditional orchards in England have more than halved since
1950

Nearly half of England's traditional orchards are in a neglected condition,
a study of aerial photographs suggests.

Some 35,378 orchards - home to wide varieties of apples and pears, as well
as wildlife - were identified by the People's Trust for Endangered Species.

Researchers say 9% are in pristine condition, 46% were in a good state and
45% were in a poor condition.

The five-year project aims to map sites that are in decline to provide a
basis for future work to protect them.

The trust said traditional orchards were increasingly at risk because of
neglect, intensification of agriculture and pressure from land development.

Anita Burrough, orchard officer for the trust, said: "The mosaic of habitats
that comprise a traditional orchard provide food and shelter for at least
1,800 species of wildlife, including the rare noble chafer beetle which
relies on the decaying wood of old fruit trees.

“Without proper protection and sensitive management, they can easily slip
into decline” Peter Brotherton

"With this loss of habitat, we also face losing rare English fruit
varieties, traditions, customs and knowledge, in addition to the genetic
diversity represented by the hundreds of species that are associated with
traditional orchards."

'Biodiversity hot spots'

The first ever survey of orchards from the air started with conservationists
from the trust searching photographs. Orchards can be identified because of
the planting patterns which sees the trees growing in evenly spaced lines.

A fifth of the orchards discovered were then surveyed by volunteers, to
record species, age and condition of the fruit trees.

The trust hopes its work will be used to monitor targets to restore sites,
while working with owners to provide advice and inform local planning
policies and development.

Traditional orchards - home to apple varieties such as Peasgood's Nonsuch
and Sheep's Snout - tend to be cultivated without pesticides and use animals
for grazing instead of mowing.

But numbers are said to have declined by 63% since 1950.

Peter Brotherton, head of biodiversity for government agency Natural
England, which part funded the study, said: "Traditional orchards can be
biodiversity hot spots, but without proper protection and sensitive
management, they can easily slip into decline."