COUNCILLORS and conservation group members are working together to preserve traditional horticultural skills in South Gloucestershire.


South Gloucestershire Council is working with Dodington Parish Council and Wapley Bushes Conservation Group to teach people about tree pruning and the skills that are needed to maintain existing and newly-planted orchards.


A free tree pruning workshop will be held on Sunday, February 15 with fruit tree expert Graham White for anyone who is keen to preserve traditional fruit trees.


Those who attend the workshop, with no pre-booking required, will get to learn more about the skills needed to preserve vintage eating apples like Hunt's Duke of Gloucester.


Participants will also learn more about South Gloucestershire tree varieties, like the Magnum Plum tree, which can only be found in Winterbourne and Frampton Cotterell.


John Morris, partnerships and delivery officer, said: "Orchards and fruit trees are an important habitat for wildlife, especially for pollinating insects like bees.


“The council's Biodiversity Action Plan highlights traditional orchards as being in severe decline and we are looking at ways to help save them.


“Courses like these give local people a chance to learn new skills that will help conserve these important features for the future.”


The event will run from 10am to 1pm and is being held at the western orchard strip at the Wapley Bushes Local Nature Reserve and the meeting point is the southern Besom Lane entrance.