PM 13 - Restore and enhance traditional orchards
- Code
- PM 13
- Measure
- Restore and enhance traditional orchards
- Description
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This often involves low-intensity techniques with sustainable grazing to ensure that they are not overgrazed preventing tree regrowth or damaged by grazing animals. It is important to maintain the open and species-rich grasslands which have been rarely ploughed, sprayed with pesticides or fertilisers. Other aspects should be considered such as re-planting to replace dead trees using heritage fruit varieties (as available through the Marcher Apple Network), leaving decaying trees standing or where they fall and increasing the amount of native wild flowers for pollinators. Scrub habitat could also be created but must maintain the open canopy characteristics of a traditional orchard. Engagement with landowners will be key to develop ecological management plans for their traditional orchards.
- Wider environmental benefits
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Increasing woodland cover, Reducing climate change impact, Supporting health and cultural services, Improving soil health, Promoting nature friendly farming, Supporting food provision
- Links to additional information and guidance
- Priority
- Traditional orchards are more extensive, and existing ones are well-managed and restored
- Priority description
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Traditional orchards are a pivotal feature in Herefordshire, consisting of groups of fruit and nut trees planted on vigorous rootstocks at low-density in permanent grassland managed by low intensity grazing. Fruit trees include traditional varieties of perry pear, apple, plum and cherry. They exist in small and isolated pockets across Herefordshire and can be threatened by lack of sustainable management leading to the collapse of trees from age, excessive mistletoe burden, grazing damage and storms as well as conversion to more profitable land uses, including development. Thus, their ecological management and restoration are key to the ongoing existence of this unique habitat.
- Mapped