Orchards & Wild Harvest Project

1000 Fruit and Nut Trees

The ‘Orchards and Wild Harvest Project’ was launched on Friday 27th March by the planting of fruit trees at Kirkcudbright Academy and at Castle Douglas ‘Activity and Resource Centre’.
The orchard project managed by South West Community Woodlands Trust and working closely with the Crichton Carbon Centre wants to facilitate the planting of a minimum of 1000 fruit and nut trees in Dumfries and Galloway over the next two years.
The aim of the project is to encourage the people of Dumfries and Galloway to plant and eat locally grown fruit and nuts in order to promote health and wellbeing, enhance local biodiversity and reduce carbon emissions. It is hoped that local people will donate trees to the project as gifts for Christmas and birthdays or as memorial trees.
 
With the assistance of landowners, Forestry Commission and community groups it is envisaged that trees and shrubs bearing edible fruits such as Elder, Rowan, Hazel, Crabapple, Damson and traditional local orchard varieties will be planted in school grounds, community orchards, in hedgerows - particularly along footpaths to enhance the walking experience, and along the national cycle route to enhance the local cycling experience. Reducing the carbon footprint of the region is fundamental to the project and can be achieved by encouraging walking, cycling, planting trees as a leisure activity, and eating locally produced fruit rather than imported varieties.

The project co-ordinater Jools Cox said, ‘We want to celebrate the seasons by holding local blossom and fruit events throughout the region at food town events, farmers markets and country fairs, run orchard tours, juicing and tasting, storytelling, apple bobbing, cookery demonstrations and link up with local jam and wine producers.
The taste of a fresh crisp sweet apple in season is something many people have forgotten, I want kids to experience walking through trees laden with blossom and humming bees, and the pleasure of gathering and eating locally grown fresh fruit’.

The Orchard and Wild Harvest project will also facilitate the mapping of existing fruit trees and orchards and collect information on varieties that do well in Dumfries and Galloway in order to help others choose trees for specific locations. This information will be collated for the Local Biodiversity Action Plan database of orchard trees.

If anyone wants to be involved in the project, has information about ancient orchards, new orchards, specific varieties or would like to donate or purchase a gift tree for the project please contact Jools Cox 100A Queen Street, Castle Douglas DG7 1EH 01556 503649 joolscox@tiscali.co.uk