Nairn Allotments Orchard Group presentation at Scottish Parliament Apple Day

 

Nairn Allotments Orchard Group were invited to give a presentation at the Scottish Parliament about all the apple goings on in Nairnshire.

 It was the Scottish Fruit Trees annual Apple Day at Parliament. A NAOG representative was presented with one of the yearly awards by Stewart Stevenson MSP for all the work that is going on in and about Nairn. 

 (pictures Dennis Mollinson)

John Hancox of Scottish Fruit Trees gave a speech calling for more apple trees to be included in Scottish Government tree planting initiatives. He said:

"Thanks firstly to our Co-sponsoring MSPs – Claudia Beamsish, Alison Johnstone, Jeremy Balfour, Beatrice Wishart and Stewart Stevenson

While thinking about what key message to get across at this – our 11^th Holyrood Apple  - I heard the SNP manifesto pledge to plant 30 million trees in Scotland

Then I looked at the other party manifestos – Greens, Lib Dem, Labour Conservative, and Brexit. And all the parties have made a significant commitment to tree planting

It is very important that our Holyrood Apple day has cross party support with our MSP sponsors representing Labour, SNP, Greens, Lib Dem and Conservative parties. This reflects a real understanding of the long terms importance of tree planting.

Everyomne agrees that tree planting is a good idea

What I hope you get from today is that planting fruit  trees and orchards  is a GREAT idea

If we are to plant say 30 million trees in Scotland – could 10% of them be fruit trees

Fruit trees so what trees do, plus they have extra benefits

Speakers today will talk of the value of orchards and fruit trees for health, education, well being and for the environment. Fruit trees on arable land would store carbon and improve soil health – while also giving a useful food crop.  Avoiding bringing in fruit from across the world – and reducing food miles – increases food security and carbon footprint.

Orchards also create far more employment than conventional forestry planting

Many of the fruit trees and orchards planted so far across Scotland are small scale but the impacts are big

Imagine the impact of a much bigger scale planting of Orchards across Scotland – as well as encouraging people to plant fruit trees in Gardens, parks, workplaces and allotments across Scotland. Planting 3 million fruit trees would be transformative

So a message for today. Yes lets plant trees and well done to all our politicianas for seeing the value in this .   But lets make lots of them be fruit trees !"