Traditional orchards are havens for biodiversity, providing food and shelter for hundreds of species,
some of high conservation priority which flourish under low intensity management. The well spread
trees (unlike the close planting of modern commercial orchards) allow light into the lower branches
of the trees and also to the vegetation beneath the trees, encouraging grass and wild flowers.
Natural populations of all wild plant and animal species are encouraged in the absence of pesticides
and artificial fertilizer.

As the trees come into flower they attract a range of pollinators like hive bees, bumble
butterflies, moths, hover flies, wasps and flies, in their search for nectar and indirectly, pollen. The
choice of varieties of the fruit planted can ensure a wide spread of available pollen and nectar
throughout each summer.

As the trees get older, they will become more valuable to wildlife in that some wood will rot and
develop cracks and holes in the bark, ideal for invertebrates and birds. The wood will also develop
fungi and lichen (a combination of fungi and bacteria) which will attract certain invertebrates.
Decaying and dead timber will attract woodpeckers, stag beetles, rhinoceros beetle and perhaps the
rare noble Chafer.

Mistletoe can develop, especially on the apples. Mistletoe attracts mistle thrush, marble moth and
various weevils. Mycorrhiza, the rooting system of fungi often live in association with trees; their
work is vital in securing nutrients form rotting organic matter and communicating adverse events
between trees.

Where wood is cut from trees for safety reasons, it is worth creating wood piles. This provides
overwintering sites for amphibians, hedgehogs and beetles. Beetle larvae attract shrews, voles and
birds and hence owls.

Windfalls and overripe fruit will attract thrushes and blackbirds and fieldfares and redwings as
winter approaches. Mammals are also attracted; badgers, hedgehogs and hares are all fond of
overripe fruit, as are insects including moths and hence bats. Where juicing of the fruit is carried out,
it is worth putting the leftover ‘scrat’ back into the orchard for wildlife.

The other opportunity for wildlife habitats is the hedges and plants around the orchard. These can
include perennial nettles, so valuable for aristocrat butterflies like small tortoiseshell, painted lady,
red admiral and peacock, blackthorn. Hawthorn and other hedge plant species and standard trees
like ash, oak and mountain ash. The grass, if unmown may attract brown and skipper butterflies.

John Terry