Page 15 - BBC Wildlife Volume 36 #12

WILD DECEMBER

CHOICE LOCATIONS

3
2
4
5

1

A traditionally managed, historic orchard
will have the most to ofer in terms of
fauna and flora. The following selection,
which are also designated nature
reserves, should fit the bill nicely.

1 Killerton estate in Devon, is run by
the National Trust and has 50 acres of
orchard, playing host to over 100 apple
Clockwise from redwings squabble cultivars, including the oddly named
above: mistletoe over an apple. They ‘slack ma girdle’ and ‘hangy down’.
grows in yellow-green are the UK’s smallest
‘globes’; fieldfares true thrush. Centre:
are gregarious birds over recent decades 2 The Sturts North is an old, one-
that can be seen in there has been a hectare cider orchard managed by
flocks of half a dozen rapid increase in the Herefordshire Wildlife Trust. The reserve
to several hundred in number of blackcaps contains a number of old and newly
the winter; a pair of wintering in the UK.
planted trees, with local fruit varieties.

3 Knapp and Papermill Reserve on
the edge of the Malverns is managed by
Worcestershire Wildlife Trust and plays
host to a fine collection of apple trees.

4 Tewin Orchard northeast of Welwyn
Garden City, this orchard is managed
by Hertfordshire and Middlesex Wildlife
Trust. It is a traditional village orchard.

5 No Man’s Community Orchard
in Kent is co-owned by Chartham and Orchard: Nick Turner/naturepl.com; redwings: Andrew Parkinson/naturepl.com; mistletoe: Martin Fowler/Alamy; blackcap: Andy Sands/naturepl.com;
Harbledown parish councils and is the
first orchard to be designated a local
nature reserve in the UK. fieldfare: Roger Tidman/FLPA; hide: Rapeepong Puttakumwong/Alamy; mistle thrush: Alan Williams/naturepl.com

ON’T GO WITHOUT:

portable field hide.
ck with the orchard
nager, to make
they're happy
you to bring a
e with you.

December 2018 BBC Wildlife 15