The Borders has a rich history of orchards dating back to the establishment of the Border Abbeys. Previous local research has highlighted that old orchards and heritage fruit trees are being lost at a rapid rate but that many new orchards are being established.

This funded research project will ascertain the current status: ownership, condition, species composition and management needs of orchards in the Scottish Borders.

The research will take the form of desk-based investigation and site visits to revisit and update data collected in historic regional orchard surveys. The new information will provide an up-to-date overview of our Borders orchards, highlighting support needs and aspirations of orchard owners/ managers, gaps in local knowledge/ skills/equipment and any other associated opportunities. In turn, this will inform the content and development of a Borderswide Orchard Network that aims to maximise their multi-faceted benefits, such as health, wellbeing, food production, wildlife habitat, and cultural activities.

Project Lead Juliet Porter said, “We’re absolutely delighted to be able to put our long-held plans into action to investigate the current welfare of our rich heritage of orchards in the Borders. This will result in an up-to-date overview of local orchards, old and new, highlighting the needs and aspirations of orchard owners/managers and providing insight into the local food security and the biodiversity inherent within our orchards.”