Saplings to be wrapped in wool in drive to cut plastic

TREES are being protected by wool in a pioneering project to eradicate the use of plastic in new woodlands.

A national scheme is testing alternatives to plastic guards used for protecting saplings from animals and the elements. They include waterproof cardboard and a polymer created from bacteria as well as materials made from wool and cashew nuts.

The Forest Canopy Foundation, a not-for-profit organisation, is installing 870 experimental tubes at 10 planting sites in the UK this year. At present, plastic tubes are widely used, with millions thought to have been installed over the past few decades.

Tender saplings must be protected from being eaten by Britain’s growing deer population, and the protective sheath also acts as a greenhouse, shielding the plant from harsh weather.

But the plastic tubes are often not removed once the tree is grown and can remain in woodlands for years. The current push for tree-planting has led to fears of a rise in plastic use, undermining the environmental goals of forest creation. Before the 2019 election the Conservative party pledged to plant 30million trees a year by 2025.

The wool and cashew nut formula, created by UK company Nexgen in partnership with Italian scientists, uses woollen fibres held together with a resin made from castor oil and cashew nut shell liquid. It is designed to break down over five to 10 years.

Founder Gary Hurlstone’s father Graham invented the original plastic tree sheath in the 1980s. The company is now using wool from 1,200 UK sheep farmers and surplus cashew nut shells from the food industry. “The plan is to eradicate the use of single-use plastic in forestry within five years,” he said.

The project is monitored by Grown in Britain, a certification scheme that campaigns for cleaner air, reduced flooding and enhanced wildlife habitats while boosting local economies. The test sites are in Herefordshire and North Yorks.