Orchards for Wales project - a success!

News item first posted on: 13/04/21

Orchards for Wales project - success! 

This project, funded by Welsh Government and led by Social Farms & Gardens has seen the development of 57 new community orchards across Wales in 2020. The aim of the Orchards for Wales project was to provide much more than a fruitful, efficiently used, green space. This was about communities leading and managing growing spaces. It was stimulating; carbon capture, biodiversity, community cohesion and local food growing whilst helping to showcase alternative models of urban agriculture. The original project aims were simply set out as:

  • To create 10 new community orchard sites, in different settings all over Wales.

  • To promote and support small and micro-Welsh fruit & nut tree businesses. 

  • To gather and create a hub of information for all things orchard related.

  • To network with and support each site in its aims and ambitions and in doing so strengthen the Welsh Heritage Orchard Cluster Group.

As the fruits grow so will our methods of orchard production, storage, education, and other legacies including skills development and micro enterprise at a community level will be gleaned from the project and its supportive sites. Stimulated by the connection of this project a new network of community led 
orchards is emerging, with over 119 sites and growing, Wales may well be leading the revival of Orchards, especially those in community ownership and management. Not only do orchards deliver for people and communities – traditional orchards are a priority habitat which has largely disappeared. These new traditionally managed orchards with unimproved grassland understory will go some way to replacing this lost habitat as they mature. Most of the trees planted are also Welsh Heritage varieties which are now spread across Wales making them less vulnerable to disappearing and protecting our heritage and the resilience of our food production. Over 4,100 apple, plum, pear & medlar trees have been planted which will have a huge benefit to a whole range of pollinators, especially those that are planted in the more urban areas. 

This project delivers against many of the aims of the Wellbeing of Future Generations Act – a resilient, healthier Wales – with cohesive communities of vibrant culture. It is contributing to the Clean Air Bill, The Pollination Action Plan for Wales, Wales’ Community Grown Food Action Plan and other important key priorities for Wales.

We have created some lasting legacies in the form of the Orchard Management Toolkit and we have worked well with a number of partners throughout the year. 

To see the full report and read some case studies please click here for English or here for Welsh.

For more information please contact: [email protected]


Prosiect Perllannau i Gymru - llwyddiant!

Mae’r prosiect hwn, a ariennir gan Lywodraeth Cymru ac a arweinir gan Ffermydd Cymdeithasol a Gerddi, wedi arwain y gwaith o ddatblygu 57 o berllannau cymunedol newydd ledled Cymru yn 2020. Nod prosiect Perllannau Cymru yw darparu llawer mwy na man gwyrdd ffrwythlon, sy’n cael ei ddefnyddio’n effeithlon. Mae hyn yn ymwneud â chymunedau sy’n arwain ac yn rheoli mannau tyfu. Mae’n ysgogol; dal carbon, bioamrywiaeth, cydlyniant cymunedol a thyfu bwyd lleol tra’n helpu i arddangos modelau amgen o amaethyddiaeth drefol. Roedd nodau gwreiddiol y prosiect wedi’u nodi fel ac oedd:

  • Creu 10 safle perllannau cymunedol newydd, mewn gwahanol leoliadau ledled Cymru.
  • Hyrwyddo a chefnogi busnesau coed ffrwythau a chnau bach a micro-Gymreig. 
  • Casglu a chreu canolbwynt gwybodaeth ar gyfer popeth sy’n gysylltiedig â’r berllan.
  • Rhwydweithio â phob safle a’i gefnogi yn ei nodau a’i uchelgeisiau ac wrth wneud hynny gryfhau Grŵp Clwstwr Perllannau Treftadaeth Cymru.

Wrth i’r ffrwythau dyfu felly a fydd ein dulliau o gynhyrchu perllannau, storio, addysg a choleddau eraill gan gynnwys datblygu sgiliau a micro-fenter ar lefel gymunedol yn cael eu casglu o’r prosiect a’i safleoedd cefnogol. Wedi’i symbylu gan gysylltiad y prosiect hwn mae rhwydwaith newydd o berllannau a arweinir gan y gymuned yn dod i’r amlwg, gyda dros 119 o safleoedd a thyfu, mae’n ddigon posibl y bydd Cymru’n arwain adfywiad Perllannau, yn enwedig y rhai mewn perchnogaeth a rheolaeth gymunedol. Nid yn unig y mae perllannau’n cyflawni ar gyfer pobl a chymunedau – mae perllannau 
traddodiadol yn gynefin â blaenoriaeth sydd wedi diflannu i raddau helaeth. Bydd y perllannau newydd hyn a reolir yn draddodiadol gyda thaniad glaswelltir heb ei wella yn gwneud rhywfaint i ddisodli’r cynefin coll hwn wrth iddynt aeddfedu. Mae’r rhan fwyaf o’r coed a blannwyd hefyd yn fathau o Dreftadaeth Gymreig sydd bellach wedi’u gwasgaru ledled Cymru sy’n eu gwneud yn llai agored i ddiflannu a diogelu ein treftadaeth a gwydnwch ein cynhyrchu bwyd. Plannwyd dros 4,100 o goed 
afalau, eirin, gellyg a meldar a fydd o fudd enfawr i ystod eang o bryfed peillio, yn enwedig y rhai a blannwyd yn yr ardaloedd mwy trefol.

Mae’r prosiect hwn yn cyflawni yn erbyn llawer o amcanion Deddf Llesiant Cenedlaethau’r Dyfodol – Cymru gadarn ac iachach – gyda chymunedau cydlynol o ddiwylliant bywiog. Mae’n cyfrannu at y Mesur Aer Glân, Cynllun Gweithredu Peillio Cymru, Cynllun Gweithredu Cymru ar Fwyd a Dyfir yn y Gymuned a blaenoriaethau allweddol pwysig eraill i Gymru.

39_trees_being_delivered_by_applewise_1st_july_2020_1.jpg        aberfan_delivery_of_140_apple_trees_to_the_aberfan_community_orchard_project_ocober_20_1.jpg