DARTMOUTH’S COMMUNITY ORCHARD TO FEATURE ON BBC’S COUNTRYFILE
CITED AS GREAT EXAMPLE OF BIODIVERSITY IN TRADITIONAL ORCHARDS
28th September, Dartmouth: Dartmouth’s Community Orchard will be featured in the 4th October edition of BBC’s Countryfile. It will be included as a great example of biodiversity in traditional orchards. The orchard which is a much-loved community asset is owned and maintained by the Dartmouth Town Council Outside Spaces team. They have assisted a volunteer Friends Group who help with tree pruning and BRNC cadets. Therefore it’s doubly impressive that our orchard was selected by the programme’s producers.
In addition, the programme will cover the Friends of Dartmouth Community Orchard’s work in preserving and protecting the Orchard for the whole town to enjoy. To this end, it has already been registered as a Community Asset and now the Town Council has applied, on the advice of the Friends Group, for it to have Village Green status. Mayor Graham Webb will also be interviewed on why the town council, who own the Orchard, feel it is so important to protect it from any future attempts to sell and develop it.
Commenting on behalf of the Friends of the Dartmouth Community Orchard, Peter Shaw said, “Everyone that visits our beautiful community orchard will already know it is a haven for all sorts of wildlife and a shining example of biodiversity. So it is very heartening to see this also recognised by such a respected programme as BBC’s Countryfile. A major aim of Friends of Dartmouth Community Orchard has been to safeguard this community space from any development and preserve it, as is, for the enjoyment of the whole town. To this end, we have already registered it as a Community Asset with South Hams District Council. Now with the help of the Town Council, we would like it to have Village Green status. This provides the most secure protection possible against our orchard ever being used for development.”
Mayor Graham Webb added, “Like so many other residents, I enjoy being able to visit such a unique and beautiful place just a few minutes’ walks from the town. But it’s proximity to the town, coupled with its stunning views, means it could be seen as a prime location for residential development. If we attain Village Green status we will be preserving this wonderful place for future generations to enjoy and protect this important habitat for wildlife.”The Dartmouth Community Orchard can be accessed through gates on Ridge Hill and College Way and is open for all to enjoy.
For further information on the Friends of Dartmouth’s Community Orchard please contact Peter Shaw at peter_r_shaw@btinternet.com