Orchard losses 'threaten species' (BBC)

[eppur_se_muova]

Traditional fruit orchards are vanishing from England's landscape - with serious consequences for wildlife, conservationists have warned.

The National Trust says 60% have disappeared since the 1950s, putting local varieties of apples, cherries, pears, plums and damsons under threat.

It is launching a £536,000 drive to reverse the decline of the orchards.

Their trees provide important habitats for species such as the noble chafer beetle and lesser spotted woodpecker.

The orchards - some with as few as five trees - also offer sources of pollen and nectar to bees, which are thought to be declining partly because of a lack of suitable food.
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more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/8014873.stm




"Damsons"? :shrug:

[midnight]

1. That crazy representative Michele Bachmann and her CO2 is

"natural" needs to be aware when the balance of CO2 immissions are so out of wack our trees, other plants and wild life are destroyed and that this is why we need to cut back on the CO2 emmissions.

[kestrel91316]

2. Damsons are a type of plum.

[eppur_se_muova]

3. Thanks, I googled. ;^)

It seems odd to list "plums and damsons" in that case, though.

Took me several minutes to recognize a corruption of "Damascene". Get old, brain get slow.