Appendix 1 - Land management options - Orchards
- Maintenance of high value traditional orchards HC18
- Restoration of traditional orchards HC20
- Maintenance of traditional orchards in production HC19
- Creation of traditional orchards HC21
For each option, overall aims, management requirements and relationships with ELS and OELS options are explained. The exact management requirements for each option, including optional prescriptions, will be negotiated with you, and then included in your agreement. The prescriptions text between square brackets may be changed by advisers to suit particular situations and management needs.
Where HLS options can be located with ELS or OELS options this is highlighted at the end of the text describing the options, see below.
Traditional orchards are characterised by widely-spaced standard fruit trees of old and often scarce varieties planted at less than 150 trees per hectare. Where they occur, they are a distinctive feature in the local landscape, containing some of our rarest fruit varieties and providing valuable habitats for birds, mammals and insects. Dead wood often found on old orchard trees can support many species of insect, including the rare noble chafer beetle.
Traditional orchards consist of apple (for fruit or cider), pear (for fruit or perry), cherry, plum, damson trees or cob nut plantations, which are over 40 years old. Orchards entered into HLS must be able to be grazed.
Preference will be given to sites that can provide public amenity, in particular public access.
Maintenance of high value traditional orchards HC18
View options and prescriptions
Restoration of traditional orchards HC20
Aimed at orchards which are not currently managed on a commercial basis, these options maintain or restore traditional orchards and nut plantations of high landscape, historical or wildlife value. Orchards suitable for the restoration option are neglected fruit orchards or nut plantations that contain overgrown trees and gaps where trees have died and have been removed or are being lost to scrub.
 |
Management will include: maintaining the characteristic tree form (this will vary with the crop, variety, management system and in some cases, region); protecting trees from damage by livestock; retaining and protecting all mature or over-mature standing trees; retaining some standing dead trees and some dead wood on living trees; grazing without the use of fertiliser; rolling or chain harrowing.
Restoration may include: restorative pruning; re-introducing annual pruning; a tree planting programme (see option HC21 for guidance on planting orchard trees); establishing or re-introducing management of a grass sward and/or scrub control. Capital items such as new trees and protective guards may be funded by a Capital Works Plan.
View prescriptions and indicators of success
Maintenance of traditional orchards in production HC19
This option maintains traditional orchards which contribute to the historic landscape character of the area and are being managed on a commercial basis.
Management will include: maintaining the characteristic traditional standard tree form; protecting trees from damage by livestock; following an agreed programme of crop protection to control specific, recorded pests and diseases; rolling or chain harrowing. Other management, including a grazing regime, pruning, management of dead wood, fertiliser applications and supplementary feeding, will be tailored to the site and fruit varieties.
View prescriptions and indicators of success
Creation of traditional orchards HC21
This option aims to enhance the historic landscape character by creating small orchards on sites that are known to have been orchard in the past. The option may also be used to increase the area of orchard habitat to support threatened species such as the noble chafer beetle. Suitable sites will normally be less than 1 ha and will either contain remnant trees or tree stations or appear as an orchard on old map records. It is also available for sites that have an ecologist's recommendation.
To create an orchard you will need to establish traditional varieties by planting two year old fruit trees. A one metre diameter circle around the base of all newly planted trees should be kept free of all vegetation for the first three years after planting by mulching, the use of mulch mats, or the careful use of an approved herbicide. Formative pruning will also be required and once grazing is introduced the trees will need to be protected from livestock damage.
Once the trees are established the management should follow option HC18.
Capital items such as trees and protective guards may be funded by a Capital Works Plan.
View prescriptions and indicators of success
Page last modified:
21 March, 2006
Page published: 3 March, 2005