A journal from the International Tree Found
Contents
4 Introduction – from ITF's CEO, James Whitehead
5 Good news – snapshots from the ITF community and the world of trees
8 ITF loves – a roundup of recommendations from the ITF team
10 Recipe – Bake Off winner Frances Quinn's apple cupcakes
12 Brewing change – journalist Lucy Denyer explores the journey of coffee
16 The power of collaboration – ITF’s UK tree planting project with the Blue Cross
17 Traditional orchards – writer Dr John Jackson asks if orchards have a future in the UK
21 Your tree calendar – what to do and when in your garden
24 Poetry competition – Seasons of the Trees by Gabriel Slamka
25 Hubble, bubble, soil & trouble – an excerpt from Oaklore by author Jules Acton
28 Tree heroes – the story of one of ITF's many superheroes
30 Old growth in the new world – Artist Mitch Epstein on photographing America’s oldest trees
33 Crossword – test your knowledge on the theme of trees
34 My favourite tree – ITF staff and supporters share the trees they love
International Tree Foundation works with local communities to plant trees and restore forests in places where, together, we can make the fastest, most lasting impact for communities and the future of our planet.
© International Tree Foundation 2024 Internationaltreefoundation.org Charity number 1106269 The Old Music Hall, 106-108 Cowley Road, Oxford, OX4 1JE
Introduction
At the International Tree Foundation, we have enjoyed encouraging successes in 2024, with over one million in East Africa, 80,000 trees planted in the UK, and a wealth of environmental and societal benefits, as featured in this year’s journal.
In May we were bolstered by the news that His Majesty The King had chosen to retain his patronage of ITF, following a thorough review of over 1,000 organisations. Our 46-year-long association with the former Prince of Wales reflects the quality of our work on the ground, and its benefits to local communities, many of whom are bearing the brunt of the climate crisis.
This 81st edition of Trees celebrates the wonder of nature and the power of community. It highlights the interconnectedness of environment and society, from thriving landscapes to improved health, wellbeing, education, and food and water security.
ITF walks hand in hand with local communities, we engage with academics to ensure strong scientific methods and we collaborate with governments to secure long-term sustainability. We are using new technologies to improve our success and are constantly assessing our approach to achieve lasting change for the communities that need it most.
We know there is more to do and are humbled by the generosity of those who, like us, celebrate the power and wonder of trees.
James Whitehead CEO, International Tree Foundation
Good news
Discover the latest tree news and stories from the ITF community plus the impact your generous donations are making for people and planet.
Visit internationaltreefoundation.org to read more good news.
Sycamore Gap tree lives on
ITF celebrates bumper year of tree planting
This reporting year, ITF is on track to plant nearly 2 million trees. The East Africa programme has surpassed its target of planting one million trees in 2024, while the UK programme has planted 80,000 trees.
Royal Patronage for ITF
In May 2024, His Majesty The King announced that he will retain the Patronage of ITF, following a thorough review of over 1,000 organisations to mark the first anniversary of Their Majesties’ Coronation.
The National Trust and Northumberland National Park announced encouraging signs of new life growing from the base of the illegally felled Sycamore Gap tree. Ten months since the crime, eight tiny new shoots are growing with between one and six small leaves. Each one is being closely monitored and protected. Meanwhile, seedlings propagated from gathered seeds in the aftermath of the tree’s felling continue to flourish at the National Trust’s Plant Conservation Centre, and hopefully will be ready for planting in the next 12-24 months.
This continues a 46-yearlong association with the former Prince of Wales, who became the charity’s Royal Patron in March 1978. That year, as Prince of Wales, he wrote the foreword to a biography of ITF founder Richard St. Barbe Baker, praising him for practicing “permaculture and agroecology... before those terms existed.” He went on to write that “had we heeded the warnings of St. Barbe Baker and other visionaries, we might have avoided a good deal of the environmental crises we face today.”
New trees offer hope for schoolchildren
Schoolchildren in Western Uganda’s Kasese region have been given their own fruit trees to plant, name and protect. 100 mango, avocado and jackfruit trees have been planted as part of a wider project run by community group Front for Climate Change and funded by ITF, in which schools, churches and private land will be transformed by 6,000 new trees. The schoolchildren are learning about the positive impacts of their trees on a region suffering the consequences of rampant deforestation.
Colombia
Deforestation fell by 36 per cent in a year, marking a new record low. The drop is especially good news for the Amazon rainforest, one third of which is in Colombia, where mass cattle ranching, drug crops and illegal mining and logging are rife. This downward trend comes after years of campaigning by Indigenous activists, who depend on the Amazon for their homes and livelihoods.
Large-scale nature recovery on Skye
On Skye, ITF partner Uigshader is planting a final 10,000 of 30,000 native trees as part of a living wood, designed to encourage food foraging and crafts while engaging local people in the life of the forest. Meanwhile, on the other side the Skye Peninsula, another ITF partner, Sleat Community Development Trust, is restoring the oak forest which once grew across much of the island, turning it back into a diverse forest habitat to support a broader regeneration process and create a more resilient ecosystem.
Uganda
A new initiative to develop and distribute reusable sanitary pads is boosting school attendance in many parts of rural Uganda, where lack of access to period products has impeded education for many young girls.
Single mothers, widows, and vulnerable girls in affected Ugandan communities are being trained by experts in reusable sanitary padmaking. The project has been spearheaded by women from the Alpha Women Empowerment Initiative (AWEI) and ITF. And it has won a Green Innovation Award for reducing waste and promoting sustainable practices.
The project's impact in the two schools involved has been profound. School dropout rates have fallen from 17% to 7%, and absenteeism has reduced from 29% to 11%. Girls' hygiene has significantly improved, while the boost in confidence allows them to better focus on their studies.
Argentina
A federal judge has ordered a deforestation suspension in the northern parts of Argentina’s Chaco province, South America’s second-largest forest after the Amazon rainforest. The order comes amid a corruption investigation involving seven defendants including businesspeople, local officials and legislators who stand accused of facilitating and profiting from the “indiscriminate felling of trees,” provoking “irreversible damage to the environment and future generations”. The suspension will last until the situation is re-evaluated, while new clearing permits have also been put on hold.
Kenya
Enterprising farmers from ITF’s partner RIDEP (Rural Initiatives Development Programme) have devised and installed a drip irrigation system using discarded plastic water bottles.
The inspired and economical approach supports over 3,000 agroforestry tree seedlings planted on farms in Tharaka Nithi county, an arid region that is vulnerable to drought.
The ‘Forest for Cornwall’ hits one million trees in five years
A community planting programme, dubbed the Forest for Cornwall, has hit its target of planting 1,000 hectares of ‘forest’, which includes woodland, hedgerows and individual trees. The Cornwall Council initiative has galvanised businesses, farmers, community groups and schools to plant and protect trees to enrich Cornwall’s countryside and its communities.
The Lost Rainforests of Britain
Guy Shrubsole
This Sunday Times Science Book of the Year chronicles our forgotten temperate rainforests and offers inspiring interventions to help restore them.
A Trillion Trees: How We Can Reforest Our World
ITF loves READ
Recommendations from our office
Fred Pearce Pearce takes readers on a journey through the world's forests – revealing what they do for us, what we're doing to them, and how we can help nature repair the damage.
Twelve Trees And What They Tell Us About Our Past, Present and Future
Daniel Lewis
This compelling, beautiful book offers a historical and cultural account of twelve tree species including redwood, olive and baobab. Warnings and hope for the future are offered in equal measure.
Ecosia
A search engine with a difference. Ecosia use 100% of their profits for climate action, with the majority going into tree-planting projects around the world.
Hope for soap
Switching from liquid soap to an old fashioned bar of soap saves water, plastic, carbon and energy. Plus they are usually cheaper.
Too Good To Go
This charity redistributes pre-loved books from families that have grown out of them, getting them into the hands of the children that need them most.
On a mission to reduce food waste, this app allows you to order surplus food from local stores, cafes and restaurants. Since 2016 they’ve helped save over 350 million meals from the bin.
Wool pots
Boasting many sustainable credentials, these lovely-looking pots reduce the mountain of unwanted wool, are naturally biodegradable, use up to 30% less water than a plastic pot and break down into a delicious plant food.
CATAN New Energies
This brand-new board game is rooted in classic CATAN mechanics with a green twist. Players must decide whether to invest in clean energy resources or opt for cheaper fossil fuels, potentially causing disastrous effects for all.
Tube Squeezer Keys
These 'keys’ help you reduce waste by squeezing every last drop from your tubes before recycling them, from toothpaste and hand cream to tomato purée –a satisfying and efficient money saver.
SOJO
Tailoring, alterations and repairs for your clothes, collected and delivered to your door. This service has breathed new life into lots of best-loved items of clothing.
Vinted
Extends the lifecycle of clothes and diverts them from landfill –Vinted, an app to buy and sell used clothes, can also be a nice little earner. Teenagers we know are making rude profits.
LISTEN
The Infinite Monkey Cage
The Wonder of Trees
Brian Cox and Robin Ince are joined by guests Dame Judi Dench, Tony Kirkham and Tristan Gooley to leaf through the latest tree science, shedding light on the wonder of trees.
Trees A Crowd podcast
Actor David Oakes takes listeners on a cheeky arboreal romp through Britain’s “56ish native trees” in bite-size episodes.
Nature Table
A comedy 'show and tell' series celebrating the natural world and all its eccentricities. Join host Sue Perkins and the country's best scientists as they delight in the weird and wonderful.
Frances Quinn's apple crumble and custard cupcakes
Winner of the Great British Bake Off and author of Quinntessential Baking, Frances Quinn shares her recipe for a classic British dessert with a modern twist. These little cupcakes are sure to be a showstopper
Ingredients
FOR THE CUSTARD CREAM ICING
100g icing sugar
3 tbsp custard powder
1 tbsp vanilla extract
600ml/1pt double cream
FOR THE CUPCAKES
3 small apples, peeled, cored and diced approx 300g
3 tbsp custard powder
150g slightly salted butter, softened
150g golden caster sugar
3 eggs, beaten
1 tsp vanilla extract
150g self-raising flour
FOR THE BISCUITS & CRUMBLE TOPPING
75g golden caster sugar
100g slightly salted butter, chilled
150g self-raising flour, plus extra for dusting
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp ground cinnamon
A few squares of white chocolate
Method
1. The icing will need to chill in the fridge overnight, so make it the day before you want to serve the cakes. Sift the icing sugar and custard powder into a large bowl, add the vanilla extract and 4 tbsp of the cream, then whisk until smooth.
2. Tip all but 2 tsp of the remaining cream into a medium saucepan and heat gently until small bubbles start to appear around the edges of the pan – the cream should be hot, but not boiling. Gradually pour this into the bowl with the custard powder mix, whisking all the time. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan and return to the heat. Cook gently for 4-6 mins, stirring all the time, until the mixture has thickened and the custard powder has dissolved. Transfer to a bowl and cover the surface directly with cling film. Leave to cool, then chill overnight.
3. The next day, heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas.
4. Line a 12-hole muffin tin with muffin cases. Toss the apples and custard powder together in a bowl and set aside. In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar together, using an electric whisk, until light and fluffy. Slowly add the eggs and vanilla extract, whisking well after each addition. Fold in the flour, then stir through the custard powdercoated apples. Divide the mixture between the muffin cases and bake for 18-20 mins until lightly golden, and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Leave to cool on wire racks.
5. Blitz all the ingredients for the crumble together in a food processor until the mixture resembles fine crumbs. Tip half the mixture onto a baking tray lined with baking parchment and bake for 5-10 minutes until lightly golden.
6. Continue to pulse the remaining half of the crumble topping mixture until it comes together to form a dough, adding 1-2 tsp of the reserved double cream to bind, if needed. Form the dough into a ball, wrap in cling film and chill for 30 mins, or until firm.
7. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to the
thickness of a £1 coin. Using an appleshaped and a leafshaped cutter, or a sharp knife, cut out 12 apple shapes and leaves. Lift the shapes with a palette knife and transfer to a baking tray lined with parchment. Bake for 8-10 mins until lightly golden. Leave to cool for 5 mins, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
8. Melt the chocolate in a small bowl over a pan of simmering water, or pop in the microwave for 5-10 second bursts. Dab each leaf biscuit with a little of the melted chocolate and fix it to an apple biscuit. Leave to set.
9. Whip the chilled custard cream icing to soft peaks, then transfer to a piping bag fitted with a large round nozzle. Pipe some icing onto each cupcake, then smooth the surface using a small metal spatula or the back of a spoon. Sprinkle over some crumble, then insert an apple biscuit into the top.
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Brewing change
FROM THE SLOPES OF UGANDA TO A BARN IN NORTH YORKSHIRE, JOURNALIST LUCY DENYER EXPLORES THE JOURNEY OF COFFEE
IT’S MID-JULY AND OUTSIDE, IT’S pouring with rain. Inside, however, the atmosphere is a mixture of cosy – a comforting smell of slightly burnt toast –and science-lab serious. On a table in front of me are six ceramic cups. Neatly lined up next to them are small cards with tasting notes. In the centre, a mug containing a handful of specialist spoons. Inside the cups: coffee.
I am at Rounton Coffee Roasters, deep in the North Yorkshire countryside, about to undergo a “cupping” session, an activity carried out weekly by the Rounton staff to assess their produce for quality and taste.
Jamiel El-Sharif, Rounton’s Head of Coffee, reverently pours just-boiled water onto the six cups and we wait as the aromas start to emerge and the grounds bubble to the surface. All of the coffee being tasted today is freshly roasted, which means few bubbles emerge, as the CO2 hasn’t yet had a chance to escape. Once the coffee has spent some time infusing, we scoop and turn the coffee in its cup using the special
bowl-shaped cupping spoons, then inhale. The next step is to skim off the scum. Finally we taste: a quick inhalation of coffee drawn in over the tongue. The flavours are as varied as they might be in wine: there are ‘natural’ coffees with a funky, earthy, almost farmyard-like smell and flavour, a Yellow Bourbon coffee from Colombia that has notes of red apple and marshmallow and, my favourite, a Granary Blend coffee with familiar suggestions of chocolate, hazelnut and caramel, that contains beans that come from Brazil, El Salvador and Uganda. And the Ugandan beans in this coffee have not only travelled some 4,000 miles to get here, they are part of an initiative that is transforming lives and livelihoods in this part of East Africa.
A WORLD OBSESSED
Coffee is one of the most
"Finally
we taste: a quick inhalation of coffee drawn in over the tongue. The flavours are as varied as they might be in wine"
widely consumed beverages in the world. Globally, we drink 126 million 60kg bags of it a year; a report produced earlier this year by market researcher Circana found that total coffee servings had a 5 per cent year-on-year increase. Every month seems to bring increasingly inventive ways to drink it: as a pour-over, in a cafetière, brewed in a stovetop pot, drawn through an Aeropress, produced from a pod or spooned from a jar as freeze-dried granules. Cold coffee is the trend du jour: Circana’s research found that in China – which has seen the highest growth rate in coffee consumption – cold coffee makes up a third of total coffee consumption.
But we probably rarely think about the journey of bean to cup. Or even what happens before that, when the coffee “cherries” are plucked from the trees where they are grown and start their transformation into that dark, aromatic beverage we all love so much. I'm here to find out more about that journey.
BOOSTING QUALITY
In 2015, Jonny Rowland moved to Uganda and, with a team of three people, set up a business in Kisinga, a coffee station at the foot of the Rwenzori Mountains.
remains the 8th biggest coffee producer in the world, and is the largest coffee exporter in East Africa and the second largest producer (Ethiopia produces more coffee, but also consumes more).
"And the Ugandan beans in this coffee have not only travelled some 4,000 miles to get here, they are part of an initiative that is transforming lives and livelihoods in this part of East Africa"
In the early 1900s, colonial settlers introduced speciality arabica beans (which now account for 20 per cent of Uganda’s coffee production), and for years, farmers scratched out a living by growing small amounts of coffee around what they produced for their own families, and selling it, cash in hand, for around 10p per kilo. The coffee, although the crop was good, was of a fairly poor quality once it came to sale time, having been dried and stored badly, so the return was low. But Ugandans don’t traditionally drink coffee, so nobody knew any better.
Coffee has been grown in this part of Uganda forever. The robusta plant, which produces the less refined, heartier beans you’ll largely find in mass-market blends or instant coffee, is native to Ugandan soils, and remains a source of livelihood for millions of smallholder farmers. Uganda
“I could see the lowhanging fruit – the lack of the basics being done,” explains Jonny, who had a degree in agriculture from Reading University, but had “always had a bit of a bug for Africa”, his parents having lived in Uganda in the late 1980s. “The farmers were trapped in a cycle of very poor quality practices leading to poor quality outputs.” So he started Agri Evolve, with the aim of improving the livelihoods of smallholder coffee farmers through improved agribusiness – paying a fair market price for the unprocessed arabica coffee ‘cherries’ (the coffee berry is red like a cherry, hence the nickname) and then processing them properly, to then sell the dried green beans on to roasteries back in the UK.
Today, Agri Evolve employs a permanent team of 90 and seasonal staff of another 200; annual turnover is about USD 12m,
with a factory and assets worth another $2m. The team buys between 6,000 and 8,000 tonnes of coffee a year, coffee from between 15,000 and 20,000 farmers, with the bulk of trade done with 12,000 Rainforest Alliance-certified farmers and a further 1,500 certified organic farmers. Some 3,000 tonnes are then exported to coffee roasters around the world.
HOOVERING POPCORN
Despite the rain, the roasting barn at Rounton is a hive of activity. In one corner are two enormous tubs of what look like browny-green peanuts with a strong almost weed-like smell. These are the raw ‘green’ coffee beans that Rounton buys from suppliers around the world – including Agri Evolve: last year, Rounton bought about eight tonnes of the company’s coffee.
A switch is flipped, and what looks like a big vacuum cleaner hose powers up, sucking beans into a huge hopper positioned over
the roasting drum. A bed of 20 burners fires up; when the drum has come to temperature – around 255-260°C for a batch of Agri Evolve’s Katanda washed beans – the coffee will be let into the roaster and turned constantly for about 11 minutes. Inside, the beans will expand, crack and pop open like popcorn before being dropped out and cooled as rapidly as possible in the cooling tray attached to the side of the roaster. “Rounton was one of the very first
" The coffee community is amazing. I’ve never had the door shut in my face – even after cold-calling”
roasteries I went to,” recalls Martin Rowland, Jonny’s father, who is also based in Yorkshire and, by his own admission when his son first sent him some coffee to try and sell five years ago, knew very little about it.
“It was very different to a Nescafé with two sugars, which is how I used to drink my coffee,” he laughs.
When Rowland senior first started his coffee-selling journey, Ugandan coffee did not have a very good reputation: it was known primarily as a robusta-producing market. Nothing daunted, he set off with the two tonnes of coffee he was sent – around 34 bags – and set about selling them. Now, he says, “I have customers from Aberfeldy in Perthshire down to Totnes in south Devon."
“The coffee community is amazing. Everybody is so friendly and supportive – I often cold-call on people and have never had the door shut in my face. Sometimes I ask for a few minutes of somebody’s time and an hour later, the conversation’s still going.”
But then, it’s hard not to be seduced by the story of this small company that is changing lives in Uganda, and producing
Rounton Coffee's roastery in Yorkshire
great coffee to boot. As well as dealing with coffee farmers, Agri Evolve works with the International Tree Foundation (ITF) to supply trees for farmers to plant – over 200,000 in the last few years – and also pays youth teams to build simple, energyefficient stoves for farmers which reduce the amount of firewood used, meaning fewer trees are cut down.
Good trees are, in fact, an essential part of the coffee-growing process. Not only do they maintain and optimise soil health, enriching soil with additional nutrients to the extent that crop production has been known in some instances to have increased by 200 per cent, but coffee, particularly the arabica variety, requires shade to grow well.
There are other benefits too: the Albizia, Musizi and bak trees used in the Agri Evolve and ITF partnership not only minimise the rate of water evaporation but their leaves, when decomposed, work as manure in the plantation; bamboo grass is also being planted as part of the partnership as they absorb water and hold firm the river banks they are planted near, preventing the fertile soils from being washed away. More generally, climate change-induced flooding
and landslides in the Rwenzori mountains are mitigated by more trees.
Back in Rounton’s tasting area, I swill, then sip, my Granary Blend coffee, with beans that have come all the way from Uganda’s Rwenzori mountains. It is delicious. I leave with several bags of coffee to take home. Just one more step on the journey from bean to cup.
EQUALITY TRANSFORMS COFFEE FARMING
Yozofina sits among the coffee shrubs she grows with her husband John.
“In the past, I used to have misunderstandings with my husband due to coffee issues. We could plant and manage coffee together but at a time of selling the coffee, my husband would sell the coffee alone."
In Uganda, women often do the labour of farming and harvesting coffee, but when it comes to the proceeds, they get no say.
But ITF is working with local partners, AWEI, to help transform landscapes and lives.
“Me and my husband happened to be among the couples who were trained by Alpha Women’s Empowerment Initiative. We were taught about working together and equal sharing of the benefits.
“Then, after the training we came home and started implementing what we learned on working together and equal benefits sharing. We started working together in our coffee garden, harvesting, drying, and selling our coffee together. We can now plan for our money together.
“I now feel harmony in my family.” Yozofina’s family are developing as coffee growers, enjoying sharing the work and the proceeds.
When they sell their coffee, they plan to use the money to pay their children's school fees, giving them a brighter future.
ITF’s project with Blue Cross highlights the power of collaboration
AT AN ANIMAL REHOMING SITE, ONE of Oxfordshire’s largest community tree planting projects entered its final phase in March 2024, bringing together over 350 local volunteers to plant around 10,000 native trees at the Blue Cross in West Oxfordshire.
The project, spearheaded by Lucy Staveley, ITF’s UK Programme Development Lead, has boosted tree cover in one of the UK’s most tree-depleted counties, stabilising soil and increasing carbon capture on a site that is on the edge of a ‘Nature Recovery Zone’.
Furthermore, the newly planted hedgerows and copses will increase the variety of habitats that enable a range of wildlife to thrive, providing nature corridors and connectivity across the Blue Cross site.
Crucially, all the native hedging and tree species planted are suitable for the horses at the Blue Cross site, carefully selected to provide shade, protection from wind, reduce noise and disturbance.
Commenting on the project, Vicki Alford, Horse Centre Manager at Blue Cross in Burford, says, “We are very grateful to ITF for their contribution. As well as shelter and shade, the hedges and trees encourage natural behaviours and enrichment for our horses, such as scratching on trunks and weaving around the trees. The new planting also provides more interesting green spaces for our team to walk dogs who are looking
Planting a native Saxon hedgerow at the Blue Cross
for new homes at our centre, as well as improving the environment here at Burford.”
True to ITF’s mission to transform landscapes and lives through communityled tree planting, this project has brought local communities together. Individual volunteers have teamed up with Burford Primary School, Muslim Women’s Association, Gig-Arts, Blue Cross Horse Team, business groups and project donors, all of whom have received pre-planting training to ensure the long-term success of this important tree planting project.
"Stepping outside and doing something to help the environment really makes you realise how great this is for your mental health"
Project volunteer
The volunteers also reported mental and physical wellbeing benefits thanks to spending time outside in nature, connecting with people and making a positive difference to their local environment.
"I felt a sense of calm and mental clarity. Taking a day off work to volunteer in nature not only boosted our teamworking skills but also reminded me of the patience and care required to nurture growth, both in nature and within ourselves."
Traditional orchards
Do they have a future in the UK?
By author and forestry expert Dr John Jackson
THERE ARE CURRENTLY AROUND
24,600 ha of traditional orchard in the UK, with the average size less than a hectare.
The traditional orchard has been part and parcel of the British landscape for centuries and has a complex history. DNA evidence supports the theory that of the almost 3,000 apple varieties found in British orchards, all are the un-hybridised descendants of the wild sweet apple Malus pumila from Central and Inner Asia, not the native European crab apple Malus sylvestris.
perry. These booming family farm orchards provided fruit to eat, cook or store as well as juice and alcohol.
The traditional orchard has been part and parcel of the British landscape for centuries and has a complex history
Scrumpy became a part and a perk of the farm labourer’s wage and was healthier than drinking the often-contaminated water supply. Orchards became centres for songs, recipes, cider and festive gatherings. The ‘wassail’ is one such example that persists to this day in a few places to ward off evil spirits and encourage a good crop the next season.
The Romans are credited with importing both the sweet apple and the pear Pyrus communis to these shores. Legend tells us they were competent in the skills of grafting, developing new varieties and probably cider making.
Traditional orchard management then seems to have declined, but the associated skills and wisdom may have survived into the late medieval period, within monasteries in their orchards or ‘pomaria’.
During the 17th century, fruit-growing expertise centred around aristocratic nurserymen like Ralph Austen and John Tradescant, and the author John Evelyn, who were influenced particularly by French fruitgrowing heritage.
These wealthy travelling plantsmen collected fruit varieties and established orchards in the country estates and aristocratic stately homes of England, reflected to this day in the number of National Trust properties boasting historic orchards.
By 1700, orchards were a dominant landscape feature in many counties. Worcestershire, Herefordshire, Gloucestershire and Somerset already had a well-established tradition of orcharding to make cider and
By 1870, commercial hard fruit growing was in the ascendancy to feed the emerging urban markets using the growing rail network.
Since about 1950, fewer and fewer traditional orchards have been established and the national stock of standard fruit trees is now heavily skewed towards an older generation of trees of 50 years plus.
BIODIVERSITY
The ecological value of traditional orchards had long been underestimated and they have only recently come to be appreciated as biodiverse oases within a largely intensive agricultural landscape. They can be home to specialised communities such as lichens, fungi and wood-dwelling beetles, which need a continuity of habitat over time. A network of these sites is critical in sustaining populations, ideally across large tracts.
Around 60 per cent of traditional orchards has gone nationally since 1950; in some counties, like Devon, it's up to 90 per cent
Fruit trees age much faster than most long-lived native trees in the countryside, so they quickly show the ‘veteran’ features associated with over-mature trees. The large amounts of standing dead wood in the form of ‘stag’s heads’, whole limbs and rotting heartwood are specific micro-habitats home to suites of very specialised organisms that have become rare elsewhere. These old fruit trees
spread out in permanent grassland offer a range of niches not dissimilar to those in wood pastures.
The sward communities that flourish in the permanent grassland under the fruit trees can be rich and varied, with vegetation associated with semi-natural ‘unimproved’ meadows.
Traditional orchards are a stronghold for the hemi-parasite mistletoe (Viscum album) and that may be cut and sold in the run-up to Christmas. The annual sales at Tenbury Wells in late November have been held for three centuries and attract buyers from across the land.
The abundance and variety of insects and fruit in a traditional orchard supports diverse mammal and bird populations, harbouring specialist disappearing ones like the lesser spotted woodpecker, bullfinch and pied flycatcher.
Traditional orchards were awarded a BAP (Biodiversity Action Plan) ‘priority’ habitat status by Natural England (now English Nature) in August 2007, under the UK Biodiversity Partnership.
THE CONSERVATION MOVEMENT
growers, traditional orchards have long been economically unsustainable, since large trees require a lot of labour to prune and harvest from and are less productive per hectare than bush ones.
Small, traditional orchards are often in or near villages and towns too, and this has left them highly vulnerable to development.
Charities and NGOs have played a major role in mobilising a traditional orchard conservation movement to address these threats. Common Ground was an early pioneer, establishing the Apple Day celebration in 1990, which has steadily accumulated interest and is now a nationwide event. Currently there are pro-orchard groups representing most of Britain, with the common aim of promoting traditional orchard heritage and knowledge. There are many community projects in the UK too that involve groups of local volunteers in the restoration, preservation or creation of orchards.
Traditional orchards may look scruffy and unloved compared to the manicured contemporary ones, but they can be both productive and a haven for wildlife.
Over the past 50 years, the acreage of traditional orchards has been steadily dwindling.
By area, around 60 per cent has gone nationally since 1950; in some counties, such as Devon, losses of up to 90 per cent have been noted.
The single biggest cause is intense agriculture grubbing old orchards. For commercial
Despite this, traditional orchards are still severely under-protected by the law and conflicts between developers, farmers and conservationists regularly occur. Protection measures for threatened sites involve the establishment of Tree Protection Orders (TPOs) through local council tree officers, combined with building a case around the ecological, genetic, historical and social importance of the site.
National fruit collections such as Brogmore in Kent are crucial to ensure rare varieties of fruit persist, but traditional orchards are a vital dispersed gene reserve too. Many of the varieties are old and have been lost elsewhere; they are living DNA banks and not all in one place should misfortune strike.
A community orchard, funded by ITF
STEWARDSHIP
A scattering of traditional orchards of ‘standard’ trees survive and some are relatively young, especially those planted for cider production. But often many of the trees are ageing and past their prime, so need a bit of TLC from tree experts, be it management for cropping or for conservation or both.
Traditional orchards may look scruffy and unloved compared to the manicured contemporary ones, but they can be both productive and a haven for wildlife
Sensitive formative, maintenance and restorative pruning may be essential – much as they are for other old types of ancient or veteran trees. Rampant mistletoe may require cutting back. But a lot will depend on what the management objectives are for each individual owner and orchard.
If conservation is a top priority, how to care for the ground vegetation is vital too – to graze or not and with what livestock, mow for hay or whatever.
Traditional orchards are eligible for funding under the Countryside Stewardship scheme to offset costs for managing, restoring or creating traditional orchards. Grants from local councils, government-sponsored programmes and other schemes may be available as well, notably for community orchards.
LOOKING AHEAD
The surviving traditional orchards that have stood the test of time over many centuries should be conserved for the future. Their importance has now been recognised, although more legal protection would not come amiss. Besides their biodiversity worth, they are as much cultural and heritage sites as many more obvious ones in the UK. As such, their value to society is hard to put monetary figures on.
In the words of the song by Joni Mitchell: “Give me spots on my apples. But leave me the birds and the bees. Please."
With thanks to Forestry Journal, where this article first appeared.
Your tree calendar
A month-by-month guide to planting and caring for fruit and garden trees
Whether you’ve just planted your tree or are hoping for your first bountiful harvest, the different seasons bring different jobs.
Picking, pruning, planting – it’s packed with pleasures. “Looking after trees should be a regular and enjoyable process,” says Sam Pearce, ITF’s UK & Ireland Programmes Manager. “Fruit trees will need a bit more care in the medium term, as you’ll be wanting to keep them the right size and shape for optimum fruit production and harvesting.”
These are general pointers, but each tree will differ slightly, so check the label and ask advice for your specific tree, especially for fruit trees.
Trees are planted in the winter months as that’s when they are dormant or resting, meaning they can be planted without too much damage or shock. And the tree can settle in with plenty of rain and establish a root system before growing again in spring.
“With our changing climate our weather is becoming less predictable, so if you can, try to get your trees planted before Christmas to give them maximum time to adjust before the spring,” says Sam.
As our weather patterns change, so too does the care advice. If your location is experiencing unseasonable temperature or rain, you’ll need to skip forwards or hold back. So getting to know your tree and what you expect from it, is key.
Month-by-month
November
• Plant your tree
• Collect fallen leaves for leaf mould – an excellent ingredient for mulch
December
March
If you can, plant before Christmas
• Prune dormant fruit trees. Aim for a balanced structure and cut off diseased or damaged branches. Try to give the tree an open centre, where air and light can come through, reducing mould. Pruning can be a fine art so do refer to fruit tree manuals for guidance
January
• Protect young trees with a wind barrier
• Check stakes after storms; cut back damaged branches
• Feed established fruit trees with an organic fertiliser like bone, fish or seaweed meal Check hard frosts lifted new trees – firm them back down Cut off lower branches if they’re blocking the light for grass and bulbs
• Weed around the base of the tree – the weeds are competing with your tree for water and nutrients
April
• Prune frostdamaged shoots back to a healthy bud or 'stem junction’
April to September: Water weekly, if your trees are under 3 years old. Up to once a day during hot spells.
• Remove small fruit so trees can focus on building their roots and branches
• Watch out for signs of pests or disease – leaves should
• Keep watering, especially on sandy soil
• Prune any tree with a stone fruit – again refer to manuals for pruning advice
June
• Prepare for the ‘June drop’ – trees naturally lose lots of immature fruit in June
• Thin out the fruit, so that what remains on the tree can get more warmth, light and air
July
• Tear off any small growths at the roots. Trees are spending energy on maintaining these suckers. Tear, don’t cut, as cutting encourages them to grow back
• Check ties and stakes aren’t damaging the trunk
• Harvest cherries or other ripe fruits
August
• Weed round the base of trees if it’s dry
• Prune fruit trees after harvest, especially those trained against a wall
September
• Pluck ripe apples, pulling them off the tree with a gentle twist
October
• Rake up fallen leaves – they’re a feast for slugs
• Check the details of your fruit tree. Some fruits might want harvesting early, while some will be just perfect in October
All year round
Mulching
It’s always good to mulch! Organic mulch adds nutrients, suppresses weeds and locks in moisture. Simply lay organic matter around the base of the tree, not touching the trunk – it can be made of bark chippings, grass cuttings, compost, manure, or whatever you can find.
Weeding
A task for all seasons. Weed and cut grass short near young trees to stop competition for water and nutrients.
Poetry competition
ITF launched a national Poet-Tree competition in March 2024, inviting 5 to 11 year-olds to write a poem inspired by trees and nature. We were overwhelmed with entries, which made the task of selecting a winner very difficult for head judge, the spoken word poet and filmmaker Tomfoolery. After much deliberation, he chose Seasons of the Trees by Gabriel Slamka, aged 6 at the time of writing.
Seasons of the Trees
by Gabriel Slamka
The happy birds chirrup in the thin green leaves for worms take shelter because of big breeze.
Bees buzz around for nectar so sweet and for flowers it is a huge tickly treat.
The golden leaves sway around in the air and the birds migrate to the far away there.
The trees are sleeping covered in furry snow please put the bird food out for the very hungry crow.
Hubble, bubble, soil & trouble
Adventures in a world of extraordinary trees
An excerpt from Oaklore
By author and Woodland Trust Ambassador, Jules Acton
BACK IN SHERWOOD FOREST AFTER ONE of our many visits to The Medusa Tree, my husband Toby and I sit on a bench, Pepe at our side, and think about the things going on beneath our feet; this whole world we hardly, if ever, get to see, or rarely think about. We now know that hyphae, the long, branching, threadlike parts of fungi are snaking about beneath our feet, seeking out food. "In a gramme of soil – less than a teaspoon – you can get 400–600 metres of them," Andy told me. That is an awful lot of fungi. While an oak’s roots have been found 30 or more metres from the trunk – way beyond the leafy canopy overhead – mycorrhizal fungi will extend that reach even further into the soil around them,
spreading out and around the roots towards important nutrients and water, slowly creeping through the soil beneath our bench. In terms of reach they are immense, but we still don’t know the full extent of that reach.
Author Jules Acton
Botanist Ray Woods compares the underground networks of fungi to the networks of pipes and cables that support a busy city, in Wood Wise magazine. "As with man-made electricity and water infrastructure, fungi are the underground conduits that link and support woodland life." His memorable imagery highlights why we should be kind to soil. Imagine if someone drove a plough through the plumbing system or the electricity cables outside your home or
"These
ancient woodlands and their soils and wildlife have co-evolved for thousands of years, creating diverse, distinctive, and valuable ecosystems that cannot be recreated"
Jules Acton at The Medusa Tree in Sherwood Forest
trampled them to the point of damage. You’d be hopping mad about the damage to your support systems, yet this is what we often do to trees.
Our little underground friends are looking after us in their own way. This in part explains why ancient woodland, particularly, is so important and why, now it is so rare –covering only 2.5% of the UK – we should never destroy or damage it. It is not just about the trees. It is also about the fungi, and the wider system within the soil, all the things underground living in an intricate, delicate, balance.
These ancient woodlands and their soils and wildlife have co-evolved for thousands of years, creating diverse, distinctive and valuable ecosystems that cannot be recreated. And other soil? If it is somewhere else, not in our precious ancient woodland, does that matter? Well yes, it does to your street tree, your hedgerow tree. Imagine the damage their roots, their fungal systems face on a day-to-day basis. Soil needs pores, pockets of air, to function healthily yet so often the ground above the roots of a tree is trampled by people and vehicles. Think of the poor hedgerow next to a field that gets ploughed to the very edges.
On the other hand, if you have a balanced ecosystem, you also have stable carbon that stays in the ground for thousands of years. Look after our trees and forests and we have a natural carbon storage system, which we all know is vital as we work frenetically to avoid climate disaster.
With thanks to Greystone Books for this adapted extract from Oaklore: Adventures in a World of Extraordinary Trees by Jules Acton.
The Bowthorpe Oak in Lincolnshire is one of the oldest trees in the UK. It has a girth of around 42 feet (about 13 metres).
THE EXTRAORDINARY OAK TREE
Britain has more really big ancient oak trees than the whole of the rest of Europe combined.
Oaks can live for 900 years, possibly even longer. It is said that an oak takes 300 years to grow, 300 years to live and 300 years to die.
There are more than 49,000 ancient, veteran and notable oak trees, half of which are found outside of woodlands.
Oak trees support more than 2,300 other species - birds, mammals, fungi, invertebrates, bryophytes and lichens - to exist. And those are just the species we have counted. More than 300 of these can’t live without oak trees.
We don’t know exactly how old it is but some estimates even say more than 1,000 years. It is immortalised in John Clare’s poem, Burthorp Oak.
oak can produce millions of acorns over its lifetime, but it can take more than 40 years for an oak tree to make its first acorn.
Oak trees are considered ancient at 400 years or more.
A 400-year-old oak would have been a sapling around the time the Mayflower left Southampton for America in 1620. Imagine the history a 900-year-old has lived through.
Tree heroes
Dorothy Naitore
Dorothy Naitore, a passionate environmentalist from Meru, Kenya, is leading efforts to restore degraded forests and promote sustainable living
DOROTHY NAITORE HAILS from the lush, vibrant region of Meru, located in the Upper Imenti Forest, Mount Kenya. This area, known for its rich biodiversity and traditional significance, is home to the second-highest peak in Africa and serves as a natural migratory route for elephants, with the Lower Imenti Forest acting as a seasonal elephant maternity ward.
Dorothy, a proud mother of four, has dedicated her life to preserving and restoring these precious ecosystems, working tirelessly to ensure a sustainable future for her
community and beyond. Family is at the heart of Dorothy's journey. She understands the importance of nurturing the next generation and instilling in them a deep respect for nature. Her commitment to environmental conservation began in earnest when she started working with the International Tree Foundation in 2021. As the Secretary and ITF project contact person of Meru Forest Environmental Forest Conservation & Protection group (MEFECAP), Dorothy has played a crucial role in fostering community
cohesion and environmental stewardship in Meru.
In her capacity with ITF, Dorothy has been a driving force behind numerous conservation initiatives. She has been instrumental in restoring 200 hectares of degraded forest land in partnership with MEFECAP, Kenya Forest Service, and Kenya Wildlife Service.
Under her leadership, 500 energy-saving stoves have been installed, significantly reducing the community's reliance on the traditional three-stones cooking stove, which are less sustainable, use large loads of firewood and produce heavy smoke causing respiratory issues.
Dorothy's passion for tree planting and nursery work is evident in her daily activities, where she leads by example
Dorothy visits a tree nursery
and inspires others to join the cause.
Dorothy's favorite tree is the Meru oak, a unique and traditional tree native to her region. She appreciates the Meru oak not only for its ecological benefits, such
The Kithoka tree nursery now produces over 70,000 indigenous tree seedlings annually, contributing to reforestation and creating jobs for women and youth
as providing a habitat for bees and aiding pollination, but also for its utility in agroforestry and timber production.
Dorothy believes that growing trees is akin to raising the next generation. She emphasizes the vital role women play in conservation, challenging the outdated notion that only men can plant trees. Through her work, she demonstrates that women are equally capable of tackling climate change and fostering environmental resilience. Dorothy's achievements are a testament to her hard work and dedication. She championed the establishment of the Kithoka tree nursery, which now produces over 70,000 indigenous tree
Become a tree hero
Deforestation threatens us all. And it's happening at an alarming rate. But for tree-dependent communities in East Africa, the situation is catastrophic.
Temperatures are rising. Fertile land is vanishing. Natural disasters like floods and droughts are worsening. And the wellbeing, food and water security of thousands of communities are at risk.
But it's not too late. We can harness the power of trees to grow a better future. Trees are food-growers, shade-givers, crop-helpers and income-earners. They are droughtstoppers, flood-fighters, air-cleaners and planet-coolers.
At ITF, we’re training small community-based organisations to plant trees where they make the fastest, most lasting difference. Trees that will restore their local landscape and prevent future catastrophes, while also providing food and income for vital things like healthcare and education.
Donate today and help more women like Dorothy restore their local landscape and transform their lives through the power of trees. Visit internationaltreefoundation.org/donate.
seedlings annually, all of which contribute to local reforestation efforts. This nursery, supported by ITF, not only restores degraded land but also creates employment opportunities for women and youth. Dorothy finds immense joy in seeing the positive impact of her efforts, knowing that the trees she helps plant today will benefit her community for generations to come.
In recognition of her tireless efforts and significant contributions, Dorothy Naitore truly embodies the spirit of a tree hero. Her story is an inspiration to many, demonstrating the profound difference that dedicated individuals can make in the fight to preserve our planet’s precious ecosystems.
Old growth in the new world
Acclaimed US artist Mitch Epstein on his quest to photograph America’s oldest living trees, as told to International Tree Foundation’s trustee, Stephen Barber
“THESE TREES ARE SO ARTFUL, so expressive, there’s no consistency to their form… am I being anthropomorphic?”
Pioneering photographer Mitch Epstein is talking about California’s bristlecone pines, among the world’s most ancient living things. From a core sample, one such tree was found to have over 4,800 annual growth rings.
“It’s an enchanted landscape,” he says, “it’s unsettling, the way these trees have endured, 10,000 feet up in thin oxygen and extreme weather — adverse conditions, at least for us.”
On the surface, it’s a departure for Mitch, but his new project has emerged organically from previous work, which has always been predicated on the intersection of human society and nature. In his series American Power , which won the Prix Pictet, a global award for photography and sustainability, in 2010, “trees were a leitmotif, although I didn’t realise it at the time”.
This led on to his New York Arbor project, in which he documented the idiosyncratic trees of New York. “There are so many immigrant species, it’s almost a metaphor for the city itself.” He began to wonder what the American landscape was like before colonisation — before 95 per cent of old growth forest had been cut down.
One day, in the early months of Covid in 2020, he took a tour with Bob Leveritt, an old growth forest expert. They trekked through the remnants of forests in the Berkshire hills of Massachussetts, where Mitch grew up. He
now had the subject for his next project. “I realised I had to go west,” he says, “because that’s where the really ancient trees are.”
For the next four years, he criss-crossed the States, returning to the land of the bristlecone pines and the sequoias, “because it beckoned”. Before long, though, “whenever I left New York for a shoot, my mind was less on the pictures than on the inexplicable bliss I knew I’d find in the woods.”
In California, Mitch visited both the coastal redwoods (Sequoia sempervirens) and the giant redwoods (Sequoiadendrongiganteum). We are so familiar with images of huge sequoia trees, he says, that “we’re inured to their grandeur. When you see them in person you’re humbled.”
Not long ago, old growth forests were considered of little economic value. Compared with new plantations, trees were too old and misshapen to yield commercially useful timber. But old forests and their ancient trees are havens of biodiversity, acting as huge stores of carbon, while playing host to thousands of species of insects, bugs, lichens and other epiphytes.
For Mitch, these venerable specimens suggest a meditation on his own mortality. “Yet this project is not primarily about us,” he says. “It’s about wilderness whose value is not ours to define… These photographs are my way of […] inspiring the conservation of wildlands for their own sake.”
Mitch Epstein’s new book, Old Growth, will bepublishedbySteidlin2025.
Patriarch Grove, Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest, California 2021
Coastal Redwood, Grove of Titans, Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park, California 2021
My favourite tree
Edwin Mwiti
ITF's GIS Officer
My favourite tree is the white sapote.
I first encountered this tree when I was a kid, visiting my uncle at the foot of Mount Kenya, on the edge of the forest. This tree grew huge at the entrance of his front yard and bore huge mouth-watering fruits that brought everyone together around the tree. Perhaps, that was the same magic which pulled us together during the Christmas seasons.
I carried some tree seeds with me and planted them in my home.
I am happy the tree is now big and bearing fruits. I love this tree because schoolchildren come to my home often to have a taste of the fruit. In the process they keep my mom company, so she is no longer lonely now siblings and I have all grown and left home for work.
Robert MacCall ITF supporter
Of my favourite trees, three are gone. First; the elm outside my childhood bedroom window died of Dutch Elm disease. It was a favourite perch of wood pigeons whose cooing was one of my earliest memories. Second; a hollow oak – home to a barn owl, felled during the destruction of local hedgerows. Third, a hollow ash at the corner of a lane, which as a child I could climb into, felled when the land was sold and garden ‘improvements' made. I mention these because trees need our protection and care or we lose them.
One remains. An ancient oak at Fritham in the New Forest, 400 or more years old, where the road passes the pub and enters the forest.
I now live in Hamburg which is a very tree-friendly city; more so, I am sorry to say, than any English city I have lived in. City trees are valued (wrapped in protective planking when nearby building takes place) and planting and replanting takes place actively and regularly, making it a city of trees.
Donate today and help communities restore their local landscape and transform their lives through the power of trees. Visit internationaltreefoundation.org/donate.