Valley Park Community Orchards
Species you might see in the Orchards
Orchard trees are good for species such as Chaffinches (Fringilla coelebs). The leftover seeds from decaying fruit provide an extremely valuable food source (The Orchard Project, n.d.).
The Amber Listed Bullfinch (Pyrrhula pyrrhula) is a large fan of fruit trees (The Orchard Project, n.d.).
Birds such as Goldfinches (Carduelis carduelis) prefer areas with scattered trees, so orchards can be beneficial to this species by providing this favourable habitat.
Pollinating invertebrates will benefit from the presence of fruit trees and wildflowers. Species such as the European Orchard Bee (Osmia cornuta) nest in holes of dead wood whilst wildflowers offer suitable nectar and pollen sources (The Orchard Project, n.d.).
Pollinating invertebrates such as butterflies rely on caterpillar food plants throughout the initial stage of their life cycle. These ‘food plants’ are often native floral species, so a richness of wildflowers on site will offer a mass of benefits for many butterflies (The Butterfly Conservation, n.d.).
Countryside Officers, often hang around counting stuff or planting it.