How to create a conservation orchard?

What's a conservation orchard?

As its name suggests, a conservation orchard aims to preserve aspects of fruit heritage. It thus keeps alive fruit varieties representative of a territory and/or ancient to prevent them from falling into oblivion. However, in a conservation orchard it is also possible to plant more recent varieties with the aim of preserving their characteristics.

A conservation orchard can therefore be seen as a place for conserving fruit genetic heritage and biodiversity.

It can be established around a single fruit and catalogue a whole collection of ancient or modern fruit species. Many educational orchards are organised around apples and pears in productive regions such as Normandy, around vine in wine regions… The conservation orchard can also showcase the multiple species planted in a specific territory, representative of a region or terroir.

It enables planting local species, as well as studying, describing and, above all, propagating them.

It is a way of countering and diverting a disease that may affect a species, combating natural genetic erosion of varieties, and making up for a decline in production following a weather event such as a storm.

Beyond the different varieties of fruit trees, a conservation orchard helps safeguard local traditions, ancestral techniques or know-how related to arboriculture and pomology. It is a way to preserve grafting techniques, the art of pruning a fruit tree, and the production of a typical drink (such as cider) using traditional methods…

Anyone can create a conservation orchard provided they have land large enough to accommodate fruit trees. Thus a private gardener, a company, a school, a farmer, a municipality, a local authority… can create a conservation orchard. However, an orchard is entitled to the appellation “conservation orchard” only if it hosts varieties inventoried and authenticated by an association or organisation.

A conservation orchard is also about passing on heritage

It is, of course, possible to create a private conservation orchard. Maintaining fruit trees is a pleasure and a passion for many, but opening it to the public, even occasionally, allows the owner to share that passion.

A conservation orchard can therefore be opened to the general public through scheduled events, or be completely open-access. It is therefore a place for transmission to share knowledge, a place of sharing and discovery for newcomers, a space where children (and adults!) (re)discover the cycle of the seasons, the natural development stages of a fruit, the principle of pollination, the taste of good things…

A conservation orchard is thus a learning space for all generations, for intergenerational exchange and for training as well. You can organise workshops, guided visits, planting sessions, grafting or pruning sessions, and share a passion there.

Finally, a conservation orchard should be a place for the preservation of the environment and biodiversity.

Because of all these aspects, a conservation orchard can be burdensome to manage, maintain and sustain. That is why it is sometimes preferable to set up an association to bring together a few enthusiasts and to seek support from recognised organisations, networks or bodies such as Les croqueurs de pommes® or Fruits oubliés. This also makes it possible to approach local authorities, which often have grants available to develop such projects.

How to create your own conservation orchard?

To set up a genuine conservation orchard, you will probably need to comply with a precise specification issued by a local authority (often the County Council) in partnership with a recognised body. This specification usually includes planting a collection of fruit-tree varieties formerly grown, characteristic of a terroir and its landscapes. But it often also covers community engagement and local development.

Beyond this specification, establishing a conservation orchard requires :

• a sufficiently large site governed by a title deed or an emphyteutic lease to ensure long-term survival of the conservation orchard. No minimum area is required but you will need to take into account the shape of fruit trees and therefore planting distances between each tree. Thus, free-standing or open-grown forms (standard and half-standard) require less maintenance but need a lot of space, on the order of 6 to 10 metres spacing between trees. By contrast, trained low-stem forms low-stem (spindle, pyramid, goblet) reduce planting distances but require regular pruning. As for espaliered forms (mainly for apple and pear trees), they can be useful for smaller sites walled on one or more sides. In any case, a rigorous plan must be drawn up
• The chosen site must have sufficient sunlight appropriate to each fruit-tree species and the suitable soil type. That is why it may be worthwhile to carry out a physico-chemical analysis and a pedological soil profile, as well as a climatic study.
• Choice of plant material should be made using graft scions or suckers from perfectly healthy trees. Usually, an introduction register must be kept. Again, you should contact an association or body that has catalogued local varieties recommended for a particular terroir. Once the conservation orchard is established, each tree must be identified with a metal tag.

To help you in creating this conservation orchard, do not hesitate to call on local authorities who can provide financial support through grants or calls for projects, as well as assistance and logistical support.

Similarly, each region has passionate nursery growers who can advise you on selecting varieties.

Choosing fruit-bearing trees

Apple trees, Pear trees, Cherry trees… Choice depends on terroir where you are located. To refine that choice, it may also be useful to ask yourself questions about how you intend to use the fruit. Do you want apples for juicing, cooking, or eating fresh? Do you want fruit with sweet, tangy, mild, juicy flavours…? Cherries for jam or preserving in alcohol? Do you want to store your fruit or eat it straight away?

Also consider planting or grafting early, mid-late or late varieties to stagger harvests.

Mix in your conservation orchard self-sterile and self-fertile varieties with pollinating varieties.

However, profitability of trees is not a priority since conservation orchard’s primary purpose is not to be productive or to exploit fruit. It is only a “living memory”.

→ Discover our article: Choosing a local heritage variety of fruit tree

A conservation orchard to preserve biodiversity

An orchard, whether conservation or not, must above all produce fruit. That’s true, but it’s not the whole story. A conservation orchard is a tool for preserving biodiversity and the environment.

Logically, all plant protection products will be banned. That is why it will be essential to establish a biological balance between the different species of the territory, plant, animal and microscopic. How?

• Introduce resource plant species (sowing green manures or creating fallow land and meadows in flower of melliferous plants, planting roses as relay plants, establishment of edible fruit hedges) to attract foraging insects and pollinators or beneficial insects useful for biological control
• Install insect shelters, nest boxes and bird feeders, small walls or piles of stones to provide shelter for insects, birds and predatory mammals. You can also create a pond or an herb spiral.

Sources of inspiration

Some heritage orchards across France :

• The Maison de la Figue conservatory orchard in Vézénobres in Gard offers over 100 varieties on 2 hectares
• The Domaine des Terres rouges near Caen holds more than 150 cider apple varieties, 250 eating apple varieties, and a few pear varieties.
• The Conservatoire végétal d’Aquitaine, located in Montesquiou in Lot-et-Garonne, displays 1,800 varieties of all the region’s fruit species across 7 hectares
• The Villeneuve-d’Ascq conservatory orchard in the Nord department (59) has over 1,700 varieties of apples, pears, plums and cherries
• The Tours-sur-Meymont conservatory orchard in Puy-de-Dôme offers 470 standard trees representing 238 Auvergne varieties of apples and pears.

All departments and regions have heritage or educational orchards. Often, simply step inside and you’ll find enthusiasts.