Nash said that, while traditional orchards are a priority habitat under the UK biodiversity action plan, “to change the agricultural land use, the owner must conduct an environmental impact assessment – however, this does not normally apply to a commercial decision to replace a traditional orchard under two hectares with an intensive bush orchard”.
Lindgren said tree preservation orders – legal orders protecting trees – did not go far enough, and called for “more support for the conservation and creation of traditional orchards, and greater preservation and protection for orchards within the planning system”.
Last month, Felix Nash (no relation), founder of the Fine Cider Company, met with several industry figures, including supermarket buyers, at the National Fruit Collection in Kent to discuss traditional orchards.
Defined as a collection of five or more fruit trees planted in permanent grassland and managed in a non-intensive way, traditional orchards have suffered from neglect, been razed for development and converted to intensive bush orchards or alternative crops.
He also called for a voluntary scheme whereby cider makers would commit to sourcing a percentage of fruit from traditional British orchards, with a label similar to the Red Tractor scheme.
