Saving the traditional English orchard

Blossom at Barrington Court's orchard in Somerset. A new project was launched by the National Trust today to halt the loss of traditional orchards across England and help revive their fortunes. More than 60% of traditional orchards in England have vanished since the 1950s Photograph: Mark Bolton/National Trust

Daffodils in the early morning light in the Orchard at Sissinghurst Castle Garden, near Cranbrook, Kent. A traditional orchard is defined as having at least five fruit trees Photograph: Jonathan Buckley/National Trust

Pears growing in the orchard in autumn at Hardwick Hall. The importance of traditional orchards to wildlife has been recognised by the UK government Photograph: Mike Williams/National Trust

Damsons at Brockhampton's traditional orchards in Herefordshire. Though they are relatively small in area, traditional orchards are important for a wide range of species Photograph: Paul Harris/National Trust

Apples from the Killerton Estate in Devon being harvested to make cider. At Killerton, fruit from the traditional orchards is used to make cider and chutney and the profits are ploughed back into the essential work to maintain the orchards Photograph: Paul Mogford/APEX/National Trust

Beehives and trees in blossom in the traditional orchard at Sissinghurst Castle Garden, Kent. At a time of decline for the honeybee, traditional orchards provide a welcome source of pollen and nectar Photograph: Jonathan Buckley/National Trust

Elusive insects such as the noble chafer beetle lurk in the dead wood of older fruit trees in orchards Photograph: Matt Smith/National Trust

Waxcap fungi varieties are often found in traditional orchards Photograph: Richard Allen/National Trust

The corky fruited dropwert is found in traditional orchards in Devon, Dorset and Somerset Photograph: Richard Allen/National Trust

Traditional orchards also provide nesting and feeding areas for declining bird species such as lesser spotted woodpeckers Photograph: Kevin Carlson/www.bto.org.uk

Cotehele, near Saltash, Cornwall. The traditional orchards project will go a long way to raising the profile of local fruit varieties Photograph: Jim Wileman/Jim Wileman

Queens Stew apples at the old orchard at Cotehele, the National Trust property near Saltash, Cornwall. Photograph: Jim Wileman

Dr David Bullock, the head of nature conservation at the National Trust, said: “Traditional orchards have been disappearing at an alarming rate over the last 60 years. We are in real danger of losing these unique habitats – and the wildlife, local fruit varieties and their rich heritage – and if we don’t act in some cases we will not even know what local varieties of fruit have been lost” Photograph: Jim Wileman