Help to grow more community orchards and mini forests in Worcestershire

The scheme is open to parishes and community groups who can apply for advice, trees, guards and other materials from the County Council’s Countryside Service. 

The scheme is very much aimed at community involvement with volunteers, Tree Wardens, schools and local groups also being given the opportunity to get involved.

The county has a history of community orchards stretching back over the last 30 years. There are already over 25 in Worcestershire, including sites in Chaddesley Corbett, Tenbury Wells, Headless Cross, Ombersley, and Pershore. This funding provides the opportunity to plant new and additional orchards and mini forests.  

The funding will be used by the County Council to supply communities with the trees and materials, local people will then be encouraged to come and join in on the planting and look after the orchard on an ongoing basis.

Sites looking to apply must have a level of community engagement and access, but can be on public or private land by agreement. 

The funding can also be used to help create mini forests. Mini forests are also known as Miyawaki forests, they provide small scale, intensive tree planting that is well suited where space is at a premium. 

You can find out more by watching the video below:

Councillor Emma Stokes, Cabinet Member for the Environment at Worcestershire County Council said: “Growing fruit locally can help bring people together. This funding can be used to both grow and celebrate the county’s rich orchard heritage and improve local areas for people, recreation and wildlife.

This funding provides a great opportunity to put our orchard heritage at the heart of our local communities here in Worcestershire, and get people growing fresh fruit in their neighbourhood or to boost local biodiversity by planting a mini forest.”

All projects have to be completed by Easter 2025.

For more information on accessing the funding, please email communitygreenspace@worcestershire.gov.uk