|
|
|
|
|
An Ancient Orchard Heritage
|
Perth & Kinross Countryside Trust, with partners Forestry Commission Scotland and Tayside Biodiversity Partnership, is leading a new project that aims to safeguard and enhance the existing orchards within the Carse of Gowrie by raising awareness of their commercial, eco-tourism and biodiversity value. The Carse is a swathe of fertile farmland lying between Perth and Dundee on the banks of the River Tay. Today the area is renowned as a centre of soft fruit production, less well known is the ancient orchard heritage.
Scotland’s orchard history is a rich one and orchards have been known in the Carse since monastic settlement in the 12th century, providing high quality local food and produce to the populations of Dundee, Perth and further afield. However there is an urgent need to safeguard the existing orchards in the Carse and to make them commercially viable.
|
| |
|
The Project is in Two Phases
|
Phase One is now complete (September 2007) and involved an investigative study of the location, extent and condition of the Carse of Gowrie Orchards. The study found that although a large proportion of the orchards no longer exist or are in serious decline, nine were found to be of particular value, with a further five deemed to be of heritage value with the potential to be restored or enhanced. Further details can be seen by downloading the summary document shown at the bottom of this section.
Dr Crispin Hayes of CW Hayes Associates: Eco-Consultancy carried out the survey and said “There may only be a relatively small number of viable orchards in the Carse but the varietal heritage of these should not be underplayed. Fruit trees are, by nature, particularly long lived and their biodiversity value is very high.”
Phase Two of the project will be undertaken from winter 2007 onwards and will look at future management of the orchards and promotion to as wide an audience as possible. A Carse of Gowrie Orchard Forum will be set up, together with an accompanying website, to engage landowners, farmers and local businesses. Other strands of Phase Two include a community `Blossom Day` in conjunction with Scotland’s Garden Scheme, a street Fruit Fair as part of national Apple Day celebrations and a series of Orchard Management Workshops/training sessions for practical advice.
Longer term, there are plans to showcase Carse fruit varieties at Perth Farmers’ Markets and link into eco-tourism projects such as the Perth Cittaslow movement. New school and community orchards are envisaged both in and around existing settlements and within new housing developments in the Carse. Orchard Trails will be developed to encourage appropriate access and there will be a link with the Tayside Biodiversity Partnership `Wildlife Trees Project` to raise awareness of fruiting and berried trees.
For further information on the project contact: Catherine Lloyd, Tayside Biodiversity Partnership T: 01382 433042 E: Tayside.Biodiversity@ukf.net or Paul McLennan, Perth & Kinross Countryside Trust E: PMcLennan@pkc.gov.uk
|
|
|
| |
|
Food for Thought
|
At least two-thirds of all traditional orchards have been lost in Britain over the past four decades. When orchards are lost, places are the poorer.
In Scotland there are two main areas of commercial orchard planting: the Clyde Valley and the Carse of Gowrie. Orchards are, however, found from the Borders to Caithness. Many of these are ancient and part of our cultural heritage.
Many apple heritage varieties in Scotland originate from Perthshire and Angus, including the Bloody Ploughman, Oslin, Hood’s Supreme, Lass o’Gowrie and the Tower of Glamis.
The Clyde Valley orchards are predominately a product of commercial jam making in the Victorian era, whereas the Carse of Gowrie orchards started as part of the farms and granges owned by the Medieval abbeys and later contributed to food production for the burgeoning towns and cities in the area.
Pear trees are the tallest of all British fruit trees and can grow to 80 feet high and live at least 200 years. They also have an extremely high biodiversity value.
Newly-discovered in one of the Carse orchards: a 22-spot ladybird. Rare in Scotland, this is probably the first record for Perthshire. The 22-spot is one of a handful of UK species that are non-predatory: instead they feed on vegetation mildews.
A traditional orchard with widely-spaced mature trees surrounded by species-rich grassland and native hedge offers some of the best biodiversity `hotspots` available. A mosaic of grassland habitats will encourage invertebrates, especially beetles, moths and butterflies. This provides important foraging for bats and a wide variety of birds. If there is no pesticide use, bumblebees will hibernate in boundary hedges, walls, and grass tussocks and help pollinate the surrounding wildflowers and berried or fruiting trees.
|
|
|
|
|
