Memorial Woodlands, the Bristol based woodland cemetery, celebrated Apple Day today (18th October) by planting a variety of indigenous apple trees in their grounds and launching a regional search for a lost Gloucestershire apple with the help of local school children.

School children from St Helen’s CE Primary School visited the Memorial Woodlands this morning to help plant ten traditional apple tree varieties which are all in danger of dying out, including the Arlingham Schoolboy, the Berkeley Pippin and the Gloucester Royal, provided by Robert Watkins at Lodge Farm Trees.

Wayne Armstrong, from Memorial Woodlands said,

“The idea of an environmental legacy is absolutely central to Memorial Woodlands and we are delighted that we can use the land we have here to help preserve and propagate these endangered apple trees. Memorial Woodlands is an ideal place to plant indigenous trees since the land is protected, which means it can never be developed.”

Alongside the planting of indigenous trees, Memorial Woodlands are also launching a regional search for the Forest Styre, a variety of apple which is now believed to be extinct. The Forest Styre was last known in the Vale of Berkeley in 1968, yet since graft wood was being sourced from the area in the 1880s and the tree is believed to survive longer than one hundred years, it could well still be in existence in somebody’s back garden.

Mr Armstrong continued,

“The South West has a long tradition of growing numerous apple varieties, yet sadly many are dying out. Luckily, there are groups that are working hard to get them back into our orchards and gardens and we are glad that we are able to play a part in this. County experts have told us that the Forest Styre is well worth searching for and it would be fantastic if we discovered that it actually still exists. We are asking anyone who knows of a tree matching the Forest Styre’s description to get in touch.”

The Forest Styre tree is easily identifiable at any time of the year by its enormous size, having a tree butt larger than three feet in diameter. The apple itself is pale with a slight blush, a sunken eye and a short stalk causing it to sit close to the branches.

Please let us know if you have any further information about the Forest Styre or you believe you may know of one!