Who cut down our apple trees?

Fri Apr 18 2014 09:53 BST

Ten mature apples trees have been destroyed as a “proper path” is laid at the community orchard in Mansbridge – writes Liz Batten.

Not long ago, I went to see Court Leet in action in the Council Chamber. It’s an ancient court that hears “presentments” from local people and approves or declines them. On this occasion, some local people were putting forward the idea of reviving the old orchard in Mansbridge and turning it into a community orchard. The idea was well received and it went ahead. Southampton Woodcraft Folk and others were involved in getting things going, and last autumn I went to an apple pressing day at the orchard and realised there were numerous apple and pear trees there, full of fruit. Freshly pressed apple juice is scrumptious!

Alan, the Urbane Forager (left), showed us around and I began to realise that the garden village that is Mansbridge had originally been planted up with fruit and nut trees – there are walnut trees around the place, as well. It’s a vision of self-sufficient community living that we lost and are now trying to regain.

'On so many counts, this amounts to vandalism'

A couple of weeks ago I went for a circular walk from Cobden Bridge up to Mansbridge and back down the other side of the river, past the community orchard. Someone had cut back all the edges of the path, put up gates, and started putting a proper path through the orchard. WHY??? On so many counts, this amounts to vandalism. Opening up the area means that one of the few green corridors in the City has been made less friendly to wildlife, by encouraging more people to use it. The occasional motorbike would be far less damaging.

Apple trees destroyed

In the process of “cleaning up” the Monks’ Path, I’m told by Alan that ten mature apples trees have been destroyed. I’ve tried to find out who did this, but there’s no planning application on the City web site, there’s nothing anywhere to say who’s responsible. No-one thought to ask the neighbours, no-one thought to ask the Woodcraft Folk or Alan, who has mapped all the fruit and nut trees around here. As he said: This is far from the first time we have lost fruit trees to the council's clumsiness. Maybe they could employ me as a "Public Fruit Tree Ranger" - that would be a positive turn up for the books!

Liz Batten