Community Orchard
The community orchard in The Byes was established around 2010 as part of the Byes Environmental Education Project (BEE Project). It was developed by the Friends of The Byes (FoTB), a volunteer group dedicated to conserving and enriching the area. This project received support from local councils and a £50,000 lottery grant. Ongoing maintenance and development are driven by these local volunteers to promote wildflower diversity and create natural areas for community enjoyment. In a conservation context the "Community Orchard" can be categorised as a "recovering" grassland site, meaning it was historically used for agricultural purposes but is now managed more like a hay meadow with herbage cut late in the season and removed, aiding the development of a rich and dense flora. Community orchards are now uncommon but are recognised as valued ecological habitats and there is a national campaign to identify those that remain and provide them with protection and managem...