What is Plant & Protect?

Apple industry experts and Copella are concerned that traditional English apple varieties, beyond the well-known Cox's Orange Pippin, could face potential extinction due to a lack of consumer demand
for home-grown varieties.

To help reverse their decline, we're launching the Plant & Protect campaign.

We are working with two champions of the countryside; David Bellamy and the National Trust to put the English apple back at the top of the tree! Through raising awareness, planting and protecting native varieties and calling on fellow Britons to support our cause;
we aim to save the English apple for generations to come.

Plight of the English Apple

Delicious and evocatively named English Apples are part of our national heritage. However, they are now in decline.

In 1972, there were 55,000 acres of eating orchards; by 2010 this had fallen to 4,886 acres1. We must act now to keep Britains orchards brimming so that future generations can continue to enjoy home-grown varieties.

Over the last 10 years, demand for the Cox’s Orange Pippin
has halved. Many of us have had our heads turned by varieties shipped in from overseas – forgetting that what our apples may lack in looks, they more than make up for in taste.

It's time to get behind the varieties that grow in our own backyard!

Did you know?

Beyond the Cox’s Orange Pippin, other traditional English apples including the Worcester Pearmain and Egremont Russet have
been steadily declining
over the years.2
Apple Facts

More than 22,000 tonnes of the Gala apple (a New Zealand import) were sold in 2010 compared with 21,600 Cox’s Orange Pippin replacing it as the country’s favourite apple.3
Apple Facts

Orchards have declined in size by 33% since 1997.4
Apple Facts

Only 31% of eating apples sold in the UK are home-grown, despite the fact that 2,200 varieties exist in this country today.5
Apple Facts

110,000 tonnes of apples are produced in the UK; however two thirds of apples sold in supermarkets come from Europe.6

Our Apple expert explains... READ MORE

Our Plant & Protect Goals

We're championing the English Apple to raise awareness of their plight and encourage Britons to take action with us!

We aim to reverse the decline of the English Apple through working with the National Trust to plant and protect Apple Trees and building a UK Apple Tree Register!

We aspire to re-ignite Briton’s passion for the English Apple; from identifying your apple variety to discovering an apple orchard in your local area.