Inventory, Condition Assessment, and Management Recommendations for use in preparing an Orchard Management Plan for the Fruita Rural Historic District
Routson K and Nabhan GP. 2007. Inventory, Condition Assessment, and Management Recommendations for use in preparing an Orchard Management Plan for the Fruita Rural Historic District. Cultural Landscape Management Plans. NAU Center for Sustainable Environments
This report details the condition of fruit trees in the historic orchards of Fruita and makes recommendations for restoration and management actions needed to maintain the Fruita cultural landscape in Capitol Reef National Park. Maintaining the historic landscape specifically means: 1) focusing on retention of heirloom fruit varieties known to have planted in and around Fruita between 1882 and 1939; 2) restoration of the historic tree spacing configuration, pruning styles, and traditional maintenance cycles characteristic of this era; and 3) living history interpretation consistent with this period of significance. In planning future management actions and interpretation for the Fruita Rural Historic District, managers should consider the orchards as part of a broader cultural landscape, a complex system of landscape characteristics, archaeological, recreational, historic agricultural and ecological features. This report should be seen as a follow up to Gilbert and McKoy’s 1997 Cultural Landscape Report. The condition assessment identifies the name, location, orchard size, species composition, and tree condition in each orchard, with visual documentation. The document includes a calendar for maintenance and monitoring. An illustrated list of fruit and nut varieties at Capital Reef National Park describes the history and quality of the varieties. On March 25, 1997, 200 acres, including these orchards which contain heirloom fruit trees originally planted by Mormon pioneers, were listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the Fruita Rural Historic District. The Capitol Reef orchards, by all accounts, are the largest extant orchard complex in the U.S. National Park System. The historic orchards include both biological and cultural resources that provide research opportunities as well as recreational and educational opportunities to the park’s many visitors.
- Type
- Published Report
- Authors
- Routson, Kanin; Nabhan, Gary
- Date of Issue
- 2007
- Publisher
- NAU Center for Sustainable Environments
- Units
- CARE , IMR
- Keywords
- agriculture, fruit diversification, fruit production, guidance, heirloom fruit varieties, historic orchards, horticulture, integrated pest management, irrigation, James Hart Stark, maintenance schedule, Mormon, Nels Johnson, OMP, orchard, orchard condition assessment, orchard history, orchard maintenance, orchard management, pruning, scion-wood, tree replacement, vernacular landscape
- Subjects
- CRIS-CL: 890148: Fruita Rural Historic District