Treasure map
Free fruit forever – just follow the new map created by the NPA
Imagine plucking a plum as you stroll through the park. Or feasting on figs on your ride home from work. You could oil up olives, nibble some nuts, pocket a pear, find some feijoas….. Okay, you get the idea! And you could get free fruit forever if you follow a new map created by the NPA.
NPA programme manager Richard Butler has started an on-line interactive map revealing the location of over 500 publicly accessible fruit and nut trees across the top of the South.
“There are a lot of great trees right there on our doorstep that no one knows about,” he said.
“Nelson City Council, in particular, has been planting fruit trees for over 20 years.
“Figs, walnuts, hazelnuts, plums – quality trees producing huge amounts of goodies.
“So we created this as a kind of treasure map to lead locals to what’s on offer.”
The map, one of the first of its kind in New Zealand, is designed to encourage locals to get out and harvest the bounty as well as to share the produce of their own trees.
“It’s an interactive map so users can add their own fruit trees to it,” Richard said.
Some of them are listings are open orchards planted out by the NPA and community groups.
NPA programme director Helen Steenbergen said providing public fruit trees was part of the NPA’s strategy to make the healthy option the easy option.
“The NPA has worked with Waimarama Community Organic Gardens Trust and other community groups to plant over 200 fruit trees in 14 different open orchards. And we’re not finished yet,” Mrs Steenbergen said.
“Promoting locally produced food is part of our strategy to combat one of New Zealand’s biggest killers – poor nutrition.
“We’ve also been working with local primary schools to establish life-long healthy eating attitudes.
“We’ve worked with over 50 local primary schools and early childhood centres, helping them build vegetable gardens to use as a hands-on teaching resource and kitchens so kids can learn how to prepare basic meals.”
