Plastic-free tree planting initiative

Did you know, between 8 – 14 million tonnes of plastic enter our ocean each year? Sadly, this means that 88% of the sea’s surface is polluted by plastic waste.

As we become ever more aware of the problems with plastic pollution in our oceans, we look at how we can make positive changes, starting on land. That’s why Essex Wildlife Trust is working to revolutionise the way we plant trees, eliminate plastic in the tree planting process, and inspire the future generation of plastic-free tree planters.

Have you ever seen a group of up-right cylindrical plastic tubes on a field or grass bank? That’s a tree guard. Used since the 1980s, these shelters are designed to protect young trees from general damage, browsing animals, adverse weather and herbicide application. Usually, they will protect a tree for the first five years. After this, they should break free from the stem and be released, ready for collection and removal by the tree planter.

Plastic tree guards are robust and durable. Yet, the environmental impact of this material is substantial. Tree guards are rarely recovered once planted. Instead, they start to break down. Unlike natural materials that go back into the earth, plastic guards degrade into microplastics – less than 5mm in size. At whatever size, fragments of a plastic tree guard can entangle wildlife, be ingested or cause injury.

Long-term problems with plastic tree guards may include: being passed through the food chain, interfering with soil ecology, pollution, and releasing toxic chemicals, but there is little research into the effects of plastic tree guards.

Katie Goldsbrough, Ranger at Abberton Reservoir Nature Discovery Park, has been a pioneer for the plastic-free tree planting movement. Watch the video below to find out how her studies on plastic pollution and love of wildlife led to her launching the plastic-free planting initiative.

You can support our plastic-free tree planting initiative by reading and adopting our position statement, learning about the plastic tree guard recycling scheme or discover how to plant trees plastic-free!