Local Apples and Ancient Pears

Natural England, The National Trust, South Lakeland Orchard Group and The Northern Fruit Group are spearheading a project to create The Local Apple Register and The Pear Register.

The Local Apple Register will locate, record and preserve living specimens of local apple varieties for posterity. Local varieties are part of many communities cultural heritage and are often closely adapted to extreme environments. By adding them to already recorded varieties the gene pool available for breeding will be substantially enhanced with a greater chance of breeding varieties able to cope with climate change.

Pears are the forgotten fruits of our orchards and a register will help to bring them back from the brink. Pears can live for 300-400 years, so it is likely that varieties from as early as the mid 17^th century are still in existence.

With your help national registers for local apples and ancient pears can be created.

Do you know of a locally esteemed apple not nationally known? It may be a candidate for The Local Apple Register. Contact Simon Clark tel. 0113 2663235 e mail simonclark49@gmail.com for details of the scheme and how to get involved.

Pears, such a magnificent but neglected component of our traditional orchards are currently a closed book as to what varieties occur. Identification is a fascinating challenge as many turn out to be 18th or 19th C Belgian or French varieties. Contact Simon Clark at the above address or Philip Rainford tel  017727129; e mail; p.f.rain@btinternet.com to take up the challenge.  

September 2009