TRADITIONAL ORCHARDS FOR THE FUTURE INITIATIVE (TOFI)

Working alongside our partners, the Malvern Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, we are delighted to continue to run the Traditional Orchards for the Future Initiative (TOFI) scheme.

Traditional orchards (defined as 'groups of at least five fruit and nut trees planted on vigorous rootstocks at low densities in permanent grassland and managed in a low intensity way') are a big part of our local landscape and heritage.

Recognising the value that traditional orchards bring to both people and nature the initiative provides the opportunity for landowners to acquire new trees and tree protection, obtain free advice and free help to plant trees. In return landowners are responsible for providing a suitable planting location, selecting the fruit trees and taking care of them after planting.

The aim is to provide new trees to extend or to gap up existing traditional orchards in order that they continue to exist and thrive. 

We will be inviting applications from the 1st March 2023. To be eligible you need to be the landowner of non-garden land and be willing to plant at least five traditional orchard trees. Priority will be given to sites in the Parish of Colwall but we may consider applications elsewhere within the 

Malvern Hills AONB.

If you wish to be contacted once we are accepting applications in 2023 please email us at members@colwallorchardgroup.org