Nature Features

Killerton Estate in East Devon has 58 acres of traditional apple orchards, brimful with 600 trees featuring 98 different varieties of apple.

And that's just the varieties they have names for. And what names! Slack-ma-girdle, Star of Devon and Devonshire Buckland are among the wonderfully-named apples which can all be found here.

There are even more than 98 varieties, but some don't have names because their identities are unknown.

Many of the varieties are of West Country origin and two are unique to Killerton: Killerton Sweet and Killerton Sharp.

The Killerton cider press dates back to the 1800s

The orchards are managed traditionally - on a small scale; in grazed fields; without chemicals; and the apples are picked manually at harvest time by staff and volunteers.

The four tonnes of apples are then crushed in the lovely old cider press which dates back to the 1800s, ready to fill some 2,500 cider bottles. Not to mention the chutney jars.

So this seemed the perfect location on a sunny spring day in April 2009 for the launch of a national campaign to save England's threatened traditional orchards.

Devon has been among the worst hit counties. Whereas nationally, 60% of traditional orchards have been lost, in Devon, that figure is 89%.

The Government has placed traditional orchards on the list of priority habitats in the UK's biodervisity action plan, but they still fall foul of building developments.

Now, Natural England and the National Trust are leading a campaign to find and restore the remaining orchards, and to plant new ones.

"It's not too late to save them," said Lucy Cordrey, National Trust project manager for the traditional orchards project.

Cider and chutney made from Killerton apples

"We'll be doing all we can to halt their decline - not just at our properties, but elsewhere too. There are 30-odd trust properties which are benefiting from the project, but it is also helping local orchard groups and wildlife trusts."

For hundreds of years, cider production took place at every farm in Devon and the apple orchards were at the heart of the community.

"Devon is known for its cider apples," said Lucy. "Cider used to be given as part payment on the farms, really. Those days are gone, obviously, but apple orchards are still very communal.

"They are now an extremely rare and endangered habitat."

English apples have lost out to mass produced imports, while many orchards were either built on or left to rot.

But Kate Merry, the National Trust's orchard officer for England, is hopeful this project could be a turning point: "Let's see some exciting varieties back in the shops."

'Orchards are part of our heritage' - Kate Merry

The two year project involves several conservation groups, including Common Ground, who first highlighted the plight of English orchards with their Save Our Orchards campaign which was launched in Devon in the 1980s.

Angela King helped launch the campaign back then, and says the story of the English apple orchard has been mixed in the past 20 years: "Some things have got better, some things have got worse.

"There are more orchard groups and local community orchards all over the country, but on the commercial side, we are still importing 80% of our apples- even during our own apple season - which is ridiculous."

Wildlife trusts are also involved, as well as the People's Trust for Endangered Species, which is carrying out a national search for the extremely rare Noble chafer beetle which resides in old orchards but hasn't been seen in Devon for several decades.

Anita Burrough, of PTES, is scouring the country for the beetle, which involves surveying old orchards: "It's a massive job, but everyone is so passionate about this habitat," she said.

"Everyone comes out with their own orchard stories, of 'I remember when...' which is just lovely.

Anita Burrough, on the hunt for a very rare beetle

"These orchards are such important habitat. I'm known as the Beetle Poo Lady, because I carry around this jar of what looks like coffee granules, but it's actually poo from the Noble chafer beetle.

"Every time I see a hole in the old bark of trees in traditional orchards, I have to put my hand in to see if I can find some because it means the beetle is present.

"Historically it's known in Devon but hasn't been recorded for a long time. But we've just had a success in Kent, where they've been recorded for the first time in 60 years. So we haven't given up hope that it's alive and kicking here."

The project will offer workshops, advice and help to orchard owners and community orchards, to ensure its legacy endures beyond its two years.

Standing in the midst of Killerton's rows of apple trees, Kate Merry says traditional orchards have more to offer than just apples: "I mean, just look at them!

"They are part of the landscape and traditionally have had a big social, community role.

"And the names of the apples are also part of history, they've been passed down through the years. They are part of our heritage."