MARCHER APPLE NETWORK
RHWYDWAITH AFALAU'R GORORAU

Orcharding Grants in the Marches

There are many sources of grants to support both the planting of new orchards and renovation of existing traditional orchards. The various schemes vary with area, what the grant will cover, the amount available and the conditions attached. MAN strongly advise that you contact your local council (or other grant giving body) to find out the grants currently available. Only brief details of grants are listed here. In some cases the scheme has expired but the details have been left to show what may become available in a replacement scheme.

GLOUCESTERSHIRE

Gloucestershire Council are keen to preserve orchards with varieties traditional to the county. Restoring Gloucestershire's Orchards is an account of Gloucestershire work (including an overview of grants). Specific grant schemes are...

Gloucestershire County Council, Restoring our Landscape grant. The details of this are no longer given (Autumn 2003). Formerly this grant offered up to 30 per cent of the total cost of traditional orchard restoration; maximum of £500 per scheme (reviewed annually). The main condition was that the proposal must be publicly seen, i.e. from a footpath or road. Now you should "Discuss your ideas with the Landscape Architect from the County Council Environment Department. Submit your proposals as a drawn-up scheme, including a location map and the completed grant application form. Provided that your application is approved you will be made a grant offer. Once the work has been completed and we have been informed inspection can then take place. If satisfactory, the grant will be paid". Advice and grant forms by post from : Landscape Planning, Environment Department, Gloucestershire County Council, Shire Hall, Gloucester GL1 2TH. Phone: 01452 425678 Email: .

Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs, Countryside Stewardship Scheme. If accepted onto this scheme, you enter a 10 year agreement to restore a traditional orchard, and manage the grass beneath the trees for the benefit of wild flowers. The payments are £250 per hectare per year, plus one-off payments for restoration pruning (£8 per tree), planting (£7-10 per tree) and protection (£2 per tube, £12 per enclosure). For further details contact Susie Smith, DEFRA, Block 3 Government Buildings, Burghill Road, Westbury on Trym, Bristol BS10 6NJ Phone 0117 959 1000.

HEREFORDSHIRE

Herefordshire Council has offered grants towards standard orchard planting, gapping-up and restorative pruning. The rates of grant vary depending on location and the annual budget. Details can be obtained from
The Herefordshire Council
Parks and Countryside Service
PO BOX 41
LEOMINSTER
HR6 0AZ
01568 798320

Herefordshire Council also supply each year a range of Fruit Tree Kits on both vigorous (M25) and dwarfing (M26) rootstocks. The range varies each year - about 8 varieties feature each year.

Landscape Enhancement Grants This grant has been extended for a second year. If you would like to restore an old orchard or have a hedgerow in serious need of some management then the Parks & Countryside Service may be able to help you. They now offer grants for projects which will provide significant improvements to the county's landscape. All applications for projects in the countryside that will benefit local distinctiveness, landscape or wildlife will be considered. The grants are aimed at small landowners, parish councils, community groups and other individuals as long as their land is in Herefordshire, the Herefordshire section of the Wye Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) or the whole of the Malvern Hills AONB. The Landscape Enhancement Grants are non-statutory and are funded by Herefordshire Council, the Countryside Agency and Worcestershire County Council.

More information and an application form is available from Herefordshire Council. Early application is recommended as funding is limited and all grant offers must be claimed by 14 February 2007. For further details or to request an electronic copy of the application form contact James Bisset, Principal Countryside Officer, Herefordshire Council Parks and Countryside Service, PO BOX 41, LEOMINSTER HR6 0ZA (Tel 01568 798341 FAX 01568 798329)

WALES

Tir Gofal is a whole farm agri-environment scheme which has been available throughout Wales since April 1999. The Scheme aims to encourage agricultural practices which will protect and enhance the landscapes of Wales, their cultural features and associated wildlife.

Entry into an agreement is voluntary and the costs are partly met by the EC under the provisions of the Common Agricultural Policy.

There is a rural regeneration organisation based in Builth Wells which may be of interest to apple and pear growers living in Powys (otherwise Breconshire, Radnorshire and Montgomeryshire). Glasu is Powys’ LEADER+ programme that funds innovative projects to "add value to natural products in Powys". Meaning "to green" in Welsh, Glasu is based in Builth Wells and covers Powys, apart from the main urban centres of Ystradgynlais, Brecon, Llandrindod Wells, Newtown and Welshpool.

Glasu's remit is to assist projects that are:

• Innovative (either completely new or new to Powys),
• Aiming to be more sustainable,
• Based on natural products,

Contact details: Glasu, Antur Gwy, Park Road, Builth Wells, Powys, LD2 3BA. Tel. 01982-552224.

Please check the Glasu website for current activities.

You can download a poster produced by Glasu of traditional Powys apples as a PDF (429K).

Glasu initiated a 3 year project (2005-2008) which appointed an Orchard Doctor to support economic regeneration of orchard fruit. This was part of the Perllannau Powys (Orchards in Powys) project. The project ended in June 2008 whilst the Orchard Doctor’s funding ceased at the end of 2007.