BBC Countryfile presenter Adam Henson has expressed profound sadness over a dramatic environmental change unfolding in the Gloucestershire countryside surrounding his Cotswold Farm Park.
A Heartbreaking Decline in the Heart of the Cotswolds
Speaking about the ancient winter tradition of wassailing, which involves singing and blessing fruit trees on Twelfth Night, Henson highlighted a stark contrast. While the custom persists, the very orchards it was designed to celebrate are vanishing from the landscape. Gloucestershire has lost more than 70% of its traditional orchards over the past half-century, according to the Gloucestershire Orchard Trust.
In a piece for Cotswold Life, Henson reflected on the region's deep-rooted connection to fruit growing. "In days of old, the sheer number of fruit orchards dotted across Gloucestershire made the county a prime place for wassailing," he wrote. He described the pagan-origin custom as involving singing, dancing, bonfires, and ample farmhouse cider to chase away evil spirits and ensure a good harvest.
"It’s heartbreaking that so many orchards have been lost in recent decades," Henson stated, before adding a note of hope: "but it’s good to know that there’s renewed interest in wassailing. Gatherings now take place all over the region."
Supermarkets and Agriculture Shift Blamed for Loss
The Gloucestershire Orchard Trust has pinpointed the causes behind this dramatic decline. They cite significant changes in agricultural practices and, crucially, the buying and selling habits of major supermarkets as key factors. These shifts have rendered many traditional orchards economically unviable.
The Trust emphasised the immense value at stake. "Traditional orchards have unique ecological, genetic, heritage and landscape value that we need to conserve and celebrate," a spokesperson said. What was once a familiar and defining feature of the county's scenery is now becoming a rare sight.
Henson's Broader Advocacy for Trees and Biodiversity
This is not the first time Adam Henson has championed the importance of trees. In a separate article for the BBC Countryfile website, he educated readers on the critical role of veteran trees—those often gnarled and full of holes.
He countered the misconception that such trees are useless, explaining they are hotspots for biodiversity. "Veteran trees are incredibly important for nature conservation," Henson explained. Their crevices and decaying wood provide:
- Homes for insects, fungi, and lichen.
- Food for squirrels and voles, and nesting material for birds.
- Ideal habitats for woodpeckers, nuthatches, owls, and tree-creepers.
- Roosting sites for bats and shelter for dormice, badgers, and even great crested newts.
Henson's comments on the orchard loss underscore a wider concern for preserving the UK's natural heritage and the complex ecosystems that mature trees and traditional landscapes support. The fight to save Gloucestershire's remaining orchards is seen as part of a larger battle for conservation and sustainable land use.
