Neglected Plastic Tree Guards Are Turning Forests Into Polluted Landscapes

Plastic tree guards are an unavoidable sight on many planting projects around the UK. We wish it weren't so, but it is. Sometimes, those plastics persist on sites beyond the point that they are needed.

This article explores the blight of uncollected plastic tree guards, which leads to landscape degradation and soil contamination - things Protect Earth are trying to reverse and right. We will examine the role of negligence, the rise of citizen science initiatives, and Protect Earth's commitment to removing redundant plastics from planting sites and nascent woodlands.

From Protection to Pollution: How Negligence Contributes to Plastic Pollution

Despite the best efforts and intentions, the environmental sector still struggles to move away from plastic, particularly in the use of plastic tree guards. These plastic guards are widely utilised to protect young trees during the crucial first 5-10 years of their lives. After this period, the guards should be collected for reuse or disposed of responsibly. Unfortunately, this does not always happen.

Some sites fail to retrieve these guards due to negligence, the project has run out of money and steam, or simply because they are forgotten over time—after all, a decade is a long period. Regardless of the reason, whether accidental or deliberate, the outcome is the same: discarded plastics mar the landscape, degrade into the soil, and contribute to the growing issue of microplastics, thereby undermining the very environmental work we are all passionate about.

Mapping Plastic Waste: How Citizen Science is Cleaning Up Forests

The sight of plastic littering natural sites is unsightly and contradicts the environmental sector's advocacy for better practices and reduced plastic usage. This situation is deeply frustrating for those genuinely prioritising the environment over profit. The presence of these plastics in the soil is a clear indication of failure, both aesthetically and ecologically.

Fortunately, technology offers a solution. A new app has been developed to help identify sites where plastic tree guards have been discarded, enabling their removal. This app, part of a broader citizen science initiative spearheaded by the Forest Plastics Working Group, aims to create a comprehensive map of plastic tree guards across the UK. Doing so will help ensure that these now-unnecessary plastics are cleared away, allowing the trees and surrounding habitats to thrive unimpeded.

Protect Earth's Commitment: Removing Redundant Plastics from Nature

At Protect Earth, we recognise plastic as a significant challenge to our mission. If a cost-effective, environmentally friendly alternative to plastic tree guards existed—one that would naturally decompose when no longer needed—we would champion it. However, despite ongoing efforts by various companies, no such alternative has yet been developed, and plastic remains the standard.

This has resulted in a legacy of decaying plastics scattered across sites in the UK. They either become absorbed by the expanding trunks of trees or break down into harmful microplastics that contaminate the soil.

In addition to supporting the citizen science project led by the Forest Plastics Working Group, Protect Earth is committed to helping remove these redundant plastics from the environment. Whether it's a site you own and struggle to manage or an area you pass regularly and see these plastics, we encourage you to contact us. We will investigate why the plastics remain and work to find a solution, ensuring they are removed for responsible reuse or disposal. Together, we can address this problem and protect our cherished natural habitats.