Funding for orchards in central Scotland.

Following on from the last two year’s success, Forth Environment Link has announced the launch of a third round of funding of its Central Scotland Green Network Orchard Grant Scheme 2012 / 2013.

The scheme, supported by the Central Scotland Green Network Development Fund 2012, aims to encourage anyone with an interest in orchards – including communities, schools, public agencies and landowners - to plant and manage orchards, use them for learning or celebrations, or use the fruit more productively.

We are looking forward to receiving applications that create and look after orchards, and bring people together to have fun in events to use and celebrate orchards.  The Central Scotland Green Network Orchard Grant Scheme 2012 / 2013 is open to all groups and individuals in the Central Scotland Green Network area, as long as they can demonstrate wider community involvement in the design, creation and management of the project, and can provide evidence of landowner approval. Grants of between £100 and £500 are available for designing and creating new orchards, managing traditional or other existing orchards, enhancing orchard biodiversity, and developing orchards as a learning ground. 

Applications should be completed online via the Forth Valley Orchards’ Initiative website at http://www.forthvalleysorchards.org.uk/, where the full application pack is available. The deadline for the receipt of applications is midnight on Monday, 10 September 2012.

For information about the scheme, please contact Amparo Echenique, Project Assistant, Forth Valley Orchards’ Initiative, at amparo@forthenvironmentlink.org or phone 01786 449215.