FOCUS AREA | HERITAGE ORCHARD
Efforts are being undertaken to install and cultivate heritage orchards throughout southern Arizona. One group, the Kino Heritage Tree Project, relies on root stock uncovered throughout Arizona and Sonora in backyards and other lost places, which are genetically descended from the original fruit trees brought to the New World by the Spanish padres. Heritage fruit crops are also being preserved on a more local level, obtained from local ranchers and farmers whose agricultural properties have been in the family for generations. The best way to ensure the survival of these heritage species that connect this area back to its cultural roots in Spain and the Old World is to plant these species far and wide to ensure their genetic diversity and cross-pollination.
The location of the Heritage Orchard was chosen specifically for its proximity to the Rojas House, listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is a well-preserved example of a historic Sonoran row house, and efforts have been made to interpret what day-to-day life would have been like for its inhabitants, with recreated interiors and a soundtrack that gives a more realistic feeling to the entire tableau. The Heritage Orchard will serve to reinforce this corner of the park as a cultural interpretation area specifically dedicated towards Mexican settlers and their lifestyles. Many Sonoran homes had fruit trees in their backyard, and this small orchard attempts to capture the feeling of a small, self-sustaining orchard that might be found in the backyard of any home in Sonora.
The location of the Heritage Orchard was chosen specifically for its proximity to the Rojas House, listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is a well-preserved example of a historic Sonoran row house, and efforts have been made to interpret what day-to-day life would have been like for its inhabitants, with recreated interiors and a soundtrack that gives a more realistic feeling to the entire tableau. The Heritage Orchard will serve to reinforce this corner of the park as a cultural interpretation area specifically dedicated towards Mexican settlers and their lifestyles. Many Sonoran homes had fruit trees in their backyard, and this small orchard attempts to capture the feeling of a small, self-sustaining orchard that might be found in the backyard of any home in Sonora.
