The Orchard Network is is a partnership of organisations throughout the British Isles. Get to know them below.
FWAG SouthWest
The Farming & Wildlife Advisory Group SouthWest (FWAG SouthWest) is a registered charity representing the region’s farmers and landowners in the delivery of wildlife conservation. FWAG SouthWest provides independent expert advice, tailored to your needs and aimed at bringing environmental and financial benefits to your business. Their team of experienced advisers cover Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Gloucestershire, Somerset and Wiltshire.
NACM
The National Association of Cidermakers is the UK cider trade association and represents ~87% of UK cider. The cider industry takes its UK apples from 7,700 ha of orchards, around half of the UK apple crop.
Wayside Orchard
The group acquired a plot of land in 1991 that they then turned into an orchard. The group acquired 29 tree specimens, comprising 18 different varieties from the orchard of Threave Castle in Dumfriesshire, notable for its unique collection of ancient Scottish pear trees. Since then they have further propagated the original trees, so that there are now several of each variety, and further heritage pears and some apples have been added to the orchard.
Orchard Project
The Orchard Project believes that community orchards can transform lives, build resilient communities, improve wellbeing and help nature to thrive. They are committed to reviving the UK’s rich history of urban orchards as a means to reconnect people to their food sources. They work in partnership with communities across England and Scotland to plant, manage, restore and harvest from their own orchards.
BLOG
Bedfordshire and Luton Orchard Group (BLOG) is a countywide organisation representing conservation societies and local people. They aim to bring together like minded people to help survey, conserve and enjoy the county's orchard heritage. BLOG is managed by a steering group of interested individuals who meet to promote and manage Bedfordshire's orchards.
Orchards Live
Since 1991 Orchards Live has been reversing the decline of traditional orchards. Training events covering all aspects of orchard restoration, established orchard management and fruit production are run throughout the year. Equipment is available for members to hire. Public interest is promoted through well-attended annual Apple Days at RHS Rosemoor and the very successful Apple Fair in South Molton. They also seek out, identify and document old fruit varieties and liaise with other interested bodies in the South West. Devon Apples was started with a grant and aims to record the traditional apple varieties of the South West; DNA testing proving that many are unique to the area.
PTES
People's Trust for Endangered Species are a wildlife conservation charity with a focus on UK wildlife including the traditional orchard priority habitat.
With the help of scientists, conservationists, landowners, and the general public, we’re working to protect our delicately balanced ecosystem by bringing our most threatened species back from the brink.
SustEd
SustEd is a social enterprise established in 2009 by Adam Cade. Adam brings a lifetime's experience in conservation education to continue promoting sustainability projects in the UK and across Europe with volunteers and European partners. It has run over a dozen such projects including the Core project, an orchard culture and skills exchange between five European countries.
Marcher Apple Network
Marcher Apple Network - Reviving the old varieties of apples and pears in the Welsh Marches.
MAN provide expertise for the identification of apples. They plant and maintain orchards stocked with traditional and rare apple and pear varieties (including cider apples) from the Welsh Marches to provide a valuable gene bank, enabling identification and further propagation.
National Trust
One of the nation's most important conservation organisations, there are traditional orchards on many National Trust holdings. They are custodians of hundreds of varieties and thousands of important fruit trees.
South Lakelands Orchard Group
The South Lakelands Orchard Group was formed in 2007 by people who are passionate about orchard fruits in the South Lakeland district of Cumbria. Our aims are to conserve, maintain and renovate existing fruit orchards and encourage the planting of new orchards in the South Lakeland area, recognising the importance of bio-diversity and the preservation of old local varieties of fruit.
Permaculture Association
The Permaculture Association is working to radically and positively change the way we live in the UK and actively supports a worldwide movement, to transform ourselves, our communities and our landscapes.
Mid-Shires Orchard Group
The Mid-Shires Orchard Group conserve and promote enjoyment of the top fruit heritage of Buckinghamshire, Northamptonshire, Oxfordshire and Warwickshire​
Heritage Fruit Tree Company
The Heritage Fruit Tree Company is helping to save our fruit tree heritage. Over 200 varieties of heritage fruit available, including apples, pears, cherries, plums, and other top and soft fruit.
Gloucestershire Orchards Trust
The Gloucestershire Orchards Trust Conserves, promotes and celebrates traditional orchards
FruitID.com
FruitID.com is intended for orchard professionals and enthusiasts with images, descriptors and DNA fingerprints for UK orchard fruit and nut varieties.
Natural England
The government’s adviser for the natural environment in England, Natural England help to protect and restore our natural world.
Natural England is an executive non-departmental public body, sponsored by the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs.
N
A family business based in Much Marcle at the heart of orchard country, Westons Cider have a long history of premium cider-making going back to 1880.
Westons were founding members of the Orchard Network. They kindly sponsor the website hosting costs.
Orchard Keeper
Orchard Keeper is an online cloud-based management system for any ancient heritage, new, community or commercial orchard of any size. All of an orchard’s changing information can be collated and stored in one digital home – for year on year comparisons, audit records for subsidising authorities, ongoing work, tree husbandry and orchard maintenance planning.