Wiltshire traditional orchards project

Wiltshire’s Traditional Orchards Project (WTOP) has been set up by a group of passionate volunteers. The project is hosted by the Trust, funded by The National Trust and works in partnership with People's Trust for Endangered Species and Wiltshire and Swindon Biological Records Centre.

WTOP aim to halt further loss of Wiltshire’s orchards and prevent additional neglect to this valuable habitat. Orchards are hotspots for wildlife in the countryside and are composed of a network of habitats. They support a number of UK Biodiversity Action Plan Species that are rare, protected or scarce.

Very little is known about Wiltshire’s orchard habitat and WTOP are having to start from scratch to find out exactly what orchard habitat exists in Wiltshire. OS Master Map suggest that there are around 487 (134ha) of orchards in Wiltshire. However, ground- truthing will need to be undertaken to determine the reliability of the data, age and condition of the orchards and to distinguish between traditional and non-traditional orchards.

Traditional orchards provide food and shelter for a range of wildlife, but also hold intrinsic value to the countryside. They provide an abundance of local food sources that can be harvested not only by the wildlife but also by the people of Wiltshire.

How to get involved

The project is seeking volunteers from all over Wiltshire to survey orchards, help restore orchards, pick the fruit and enjoy it.

A surveyors pack and training will be provided to identify Wiltshire’s nearly 500 existing orchards from aerial photos, and to survey them to determine their extent, their condition, whether they are traditional or not and what wildlife live in them.

The project also wants to hear from you if you have fruit trees or orchards in your garden, on your land, or in your village or local community.

Go to the website to find out more information and to get involved