Traditional Orchards in Kent have been gradually disappearing from our landscapes for years as farmers have had to modernise to be profitable and competative to cheap imports. As a result traditional older fruit trees have often been grubbed out to make way for heavy cropping dwarf varieties or a different more profitable crop all together. It is thought that up to 60% of the UK's traditional orchards have been lost in the last 50 years and possibly a higher percentage in Kent.

The importance of remaining orchards has now been recognised as they not only provide amazing habitats to hundreds of species of mosses, lichens insects and birds, but they can also provide fantastic educational and community focussed opportunities.

The Kent High Weald Partnership has been working with local orchard owners and managers within the Borough of Tunbridge Wells to provide management advice and help search for valuable funding opportunities to restore and make the most of these incredible habitats.

The Kent High Weald Partnership are currently working closely with 2 community orchards here in Kent. These are Forge Orchard in Cranbrook and Standens Community Fruit Farm which is just outside Benenden

To read more about these fantastic orchard projects click on the articles below:

Forge Orchard 

Forge Orchard is a 1267 square metre area of old traditional apple orchard in Cranbrook that is currently being restored by the local community group 'Cranbrook in Bloom' with the help and support of The Kent High Weald Partnership. Read More...

Standens Community Fruit Farm

In 1972 a large traditional English apple orchard, part of Standen Fruit Farm at Iden Green in the High Weald of Kent, was "land-plotted" – sold off as small parcels of land to many owners. A new project which has partnered Cranbrook Forge Orchard and The Kent High Weald Partnership thanks to funding from the Sustainable Development Fund. Read More....