Roger Jones’ labour of love along the Tasman Great Taste Trail is set to bear its first small crop of fruit this year, and he has a vision to plant even more trees.
Together with his mate Bill Rait he has been shovelling free mulch around the trees already planted along a 540m stretch of the trail near Richmond. He is now seeking funding to continue planting -especially now that the Hope Bypass won’t impact the trees, at least for the foreseeable future.
“The chap I was talking to at the drop-in sessions said it will be safe for another 50 years. They should be reasonable-sized trees by then!”
His goal is to create a section of trail similar to the tree-lined Railway Reserve through Stoke. While establishing the trees has had its challenges, he’s learning as he goes and the hint of fruit is a reward.
All going well, the first figs, blackcurrants and plums will come to fruition, giving him hope the tree-lined trail will eventually flourish.
It hasn’t been easy – some trees, particularly fruit varieties, have been lost, while hardy species such as liquidambars have thrived.
To date, the trees have been donated, many from Frank’s Trees, but Roger says the total value adds up to thousands of dollars. Which is why he has applied to the Tasman District Council for a grant to plant more trees.
“Our plan is to plant more intensively and then let them grow. Another two to three years, it should start to look pretty good.”
