The Fairfield Millennium Green and Community Orchard Trust: Draft Management Plan 2007
1. Guiding Principles
Objects
The Orchard is a public area of tranquility and recreation. It is a place of contrasting areas for the enjoyment of local people and as habitats for wild life.
The three principles upon which this management plan is based (in no particular order) are:
(i) Low maintenance that is self-sustaining. For example, we should create and use our own compost and mulching materials and not need to bring new material on site.
(ii) Wildlife friendly. The orchard should be a haven for wildlife for its own sake and for the enjoyment and education of local people.
(iii) Access and community friendly. The orchard is a place for all local people and visitors to enjoy. It is fully open to the public.
The plan is based on an original document by Elizabeth Alexander in 2000, on the practices employed by the former orchard gardener, Steve Langhorn, and by the experience of trustees and working parties on the orchard.
The chief source of maintenance shall be provided by volunteer maintenance parties. The frequency of these shall be determined by need and community energy. However, we might aim for two-weekly in summer and monthly in winter. Aspects of the management plan that cannot be undertaken by these maintenance parties shall be carried out by paid contractors employed by the Fairfield Millennium Green and Community Orchard Trust or by volunteers working to the management plan.
2. Seasonal Maintenance
Summer maintenance (April to August)
Essential
· An area of grass one yard to the side of the stone paths should be mown once every month.
· All non-stone paths should be mown or strimmed monthly. These paths are: central path, path at western edge, path through woodland walk area.
· The central orchard area should be mown four times per year (mid April, end June, July, August)
· The area around the circle and the picnic area should be mown monthly in the growing period.
· All newly-established trees should be kept clear as above and hand weeded / mulched as much as possible.
· The hedges bordering the local authority footpath should be kept cut back to allow pedestrian access – but we should be mindful of nesting birds and/or interesting wild flowers.
Desirable
· Broken branches on fruit trees should be tidied up where appropriate.
· In early July put up notices on fruit trees asking people not to pick the apples too early.
· Plum or damson tree broken branches should be trimmed back to prevent silver leaf.
Autumn / Winter maintenance (September to February)
Essential
· Moderate pruning of fruit trees to establish shape and tidy up broken branches (not plum family).
· Cut back soft fruit hedge as appropriate – either shaped or individual plants pruned. Blackcurrants require removal of growth to ground for about one third of the bush. The others can be shaped as appropriate. Mulch bases of soft fruit with compost / cardboard to keep weeds down.
· Hedge should be layered or shaped as appropriate.
· Check health of large trees and remedy if needed.
· Check tree ties and, wherever possible, remove and cut stake off at ground level.
Desirable
· New tree planting, bird box placing
· Check whether smaller trees need removal, trimming or thinning. Make mulch of any removed material.
· Check and repair stone paths.
· Check health and repair fairy ring if necessary.
Spring maintenance (March to April)
· Prune back buddleias to four feet.
· Prune back large dog woods to ground level and remove unwanted ones.
· Coppice Willows occasionally.
· Argue about whether we should prune plum and stone fruit trees (I say leave well alone unless broken or very diseased branches).
3. Geographical Maintenance
I am assuming that North is the main entrance from Sunnyside Lane and West is the Abraham Heights side. Details of the tasks here are described in more detail above.
The general principle is that, apart from paths, have the fairy ring, orchard and Oak circle as more maintained public space. The rest of the area can be left wilder to encourage wildlife and to keep workloads down. Effectively, this means that the central part of the site is more maintained and the outside is less so.
North Woodland walk
Remove woodland walk path and plant up gaps with shrubs – e.g. hazel, gelder rose, hawthorn, holly at front, crab apple, bird cherry. Leave this to be a relatively undisturbed wildlife area.
Fairy circle and picnic table area
Cut four times per year. May need more regularly in front of stone sculpture.
Orchard – west of stone path
Cut grass four times per year.
East of stone path
Cut round trees and cut rest once in autumn to stop scrub developing.
Wetland area
Clear brambles and errant trees to keep it wet. Could think about gentle excavation of some bits to keep wet.
Wooded area to West of stone path between south entrance and orchard
Cut back round gorse and other shrubs / trees. Clear 1 metre from hedges in August. Could plant shrubs to avoid having to cut grass back too much.
Western boundary
Generally leave alone and allow people to put in their own paths. Maintain Townley close path if opened up.
Oak circle
Cut four times per year but leave the geraniums.
Western woodland fringe
Cut woodland fringe where joins on to grassed maintained area less often and less severely.
Fairfield Millennium Green and Community Orchard Trust
October 2007