New community orchard planted for wildlife and people

By Matt Callaway, Green Lane Wood Reserve Warden

At the start of the year, we were delighted to create a new community orchard at Green Lane Wood nature reserve in Trowbridge, thanks to generous funding by Shaw Trust.

Staff from Shaw Trust and volunteers from the local community joined us at the end of January for a superb day planting sixty fruit trees in celebration of Wiltshire Wildlife Trust’s 60th anniversary and Shaw Trust’s 40th anniversary.

It may be a few years before the trees start to produce any fruit, but that day will come around quickly. Once matured, the new orchard will not only provide habitat and a great food source for wildlife, but will also improve community wellbeing.

The orchard, aptly named Sloegrove Orchard after a former woodland name for Green Lane Wood in the 1600s, will comprise of mostly Wiltshire varieties of apple, but look out for plum, damson, greengage, pear, quince and medlar within the orchard, too. They will be available for all to enjoy once they have matured, so soon people will be able to go for a lovely autumn walk and forage for their next apple and blackberry crumble.

Once the trees start to bear fruit, the rare Bechstein’s bats, which live in the neighbouring wood, will forage on the insects that feed on the rotting fruit, and birds will also be able to feast on the fruit and insects. As the orchard ages, cracks and crevices will also develop within the trees, providing more roosts for the bat colony.

Come and see Sloegrove Orchard during your next visit to Green Lane Wood!