Preserving the Historic Orchards at Manzanar National Historic Site
Channel: NPS Park Cultural Landscapes Program
Date: 2018-09-07

The Wilder Orchard helps us better understand what life was like during the internment camp period at Manzanar National Historic Site. The Japanese Americans that were confined here, most of whom were American citizens, grew some of their own food, including fruit from orchard trees that were already growing on the land. Today, the National Park Service maintains the remaining fruit trees and replaces those that have been lost or damaged.

The NPS is partnering with nearby Lone Pine High School to propagate fruit trees for the orchard, which is part of Manzanar's cultural landscape. Students learn grafting techniques from certified NPS arborists and help to care for the young grafts until they are ready to be planted, continuing the restoration project and extending the life of the orchards at Manzanar.

Learn More:
Manzanar National Historic Site: https://www.nps.gov/manz
Cultural Landscapes: https://www.nps.gov/culturallandscapes

Produced by the NPS Park Cultural Landscapes Program