Worcestershire gene bank orchard saves rare fruits

The trees are being planted on what was once a traditional orchard site

A special orchard, containing rare species of fruit trees, is being planted in Worcestershire.

The two hectare orchard, located near Bewdley, is being planted with around 170 trees of different traditional varieties of fruit that were grown in the Wyre Forest.

It's hoped that the "gene bank" orchard will ensure the survival of rare fruit trees for future generations.

A £294,000 grant for the new orchard is being provided by GrantScape.

The trees being planted include perry pears, plums, quince, medlar, and varieties of cherry, such as Elton, Blackeagle and White Heart.

The orchard is being created as part of the Grow With Wyre Landscape Partnership Scheme, which is led by the Forestry Commission.

Decline in orchards

Saul Herbert, of Natural England with the Grow With Wyre Landscape Partnership, said:

Two trees from each fruit variety will be planted on the site

"We have researched old records and heard from people reminiscing about what fruit used to grow in this region, and that has enabled us to produce a definitive list of fruit varieties that used to grow in the Wyre Forest.

"The Wyre Forest region was a massive fruit growing area for more than 150 years, as the orchards here produced fruit for towns and cities, like Birmingham."

The number of orchards began to decline after World War 2, as people's tastes changed and more housing estates were built.

Biodiversity

According to Saul Herbert, there are also biodiversity benefits from the planting of the new orchard: "Traditional trees age more quickly than modern fruit bushes - this means they get signs of decay quicker, such as hollowing out and dead wood.

"This is fantastic for biodiversity - in particular for rare species such as the noble chafer beetle.

"The fallen fruit is also good for birds and insects - orchards in general are great for biodiversity."