Tree care and protection buyer's guide: Some of the best products on the market right now

GREEN-TECH 
NEXGEN

Green-tech has introduced biodegradable NexGen tree , helters to its extensive tree planting range.

Green-tech is a leading supplier of tree and shrub shelters and continues to work with manufacturers to find viable alternatives to plastic to meet the growing demand for sustainability and environmentally conscious choices.

Heralded as the natural alternative to plastic, NexGen tree shelters, shrub shelters, spiral guards and vole guards are 100 per cent biodegradable, made from British wood, ethically sourced cashew nutshell liquid and castor oil, and an innovative custom polymer.

READ MORE: APF 2022: Tree shelter brands Tubex, Rainbow and Vigilis on their latest products

NexGen was founded by Gary Hurlstone. Gary follows in the footsteps of his dad, Graham, who invented the market-leading Tubex Tree Shelter in the mid-1980s. 35 years on and now aware of the harm that plastics can cause, Gary took his father’s design and began four years of painstaking research to produce an updated version that would perform just as well, be cost-effective, and, most important of all, be environmentally friendly. The result is a high-performance tree shelter called NexGen.

Protecting in the region of 10 million trees each and every year Green-tech will be a key distributor of the NexGen range.

Richard Gill, sales director for Green-tech, said: “At Green-tech we are continuously searching for products and solutions that complement our 28-year history of product research and development. Many of our customers require environmentally-friendly tree planting options and we are delighted to become an official NexGen distributor and add their shelters to our range, giving our customers more viable choices. The research and technology that has gone into this product is impressive, as are the results. I am anticipating great take-up.”

The biodegradable NexGen shelters are lightweight and rigid to withstand handling and weather. They are designed to change colour over time to blend into the natural environment with no loss of performance and will start to break down after five years to feed the soil and support the ecosystem.

Green-tech is taking enquiries and pre-orders now for delivery from October onwards. 

For more information visit www.Green-tech.co.uk/tree-planting-products/tree-and-shrub-shelters/nexgen-shrub-shelter-protection.

TUBEX 

THERE is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to tree shelters and choosing the right shelter for the right tree is critical if your saplings are to survive to maturity. 

Demand for tree shelters is soaring as both conservation groups and foresters respond to ambitious planting targets, but failed projects hitting headlines have highlighted the importance of choosing tree protection solutions wisely. 

Tubex has been manufacturing tree shelters for over 35 years and we’re keen on helping specifiers and forestry managers to ensure that their saplings survive and thrive. 
For tree planting at scale the Tubex Standard range is a great choice. Versatile and available in a range of sizes (from 0.6 to 1.8 metres), the Standard range is an ideal … ‘standard’ tree shelter that will protect a diverse range of saplings in a variety of planting environments. 

That said, it’s important to take into consideration the specific risks a location poses and the species of sapling you are protecting when choosing the height of shelter to use. For instance: if voles present the main browsing risk, a 1.2 metre tree shelter probably isn’t necessary! 

The Tubex Standard range is also made of up to 50 per cent recycled content and is fully recyclable at end-of-use with our Collection & Recycling Programme.

However, we know that some planting environments are more forgiving than others and in more exposed locations, typical dangers to saplings such as extreme variations in weather and animal browsing are much greater. 

For these environments, specialised shelters are available such as Tubex Combitube which is specifically designed to shield saplings from these heightened risks. 

Combitube, as with most tree shelters, provides an improved micro-climate at the base of the shelter which results in better initial establishment of the tree – but also features a ventilated upper section which enables the sapling to better acclimatise to harsh external conditions.

Much like the ‘Standard’ range, Combitube is also made utilising post-consumer recycled material. 

When choosing a tree shelter for a planting project, what happens to the shelters at end-of-life is a critically important consideration. 

That’s why Tubex has a Collection & Recycling Programme which, for a small flat-rate fee, collects used tree shelters and turns them into recycled material. This material is then used in the manufacture of brand-new Tubex products. Collections can be booked from distributors or directly from Tubex.

Recycling tree shelters is always the lowest-impact choice based on third party cradle-to-grave lifecycle studies. But, as many forest managers will know, collecting used tree shelters isn’t always practical and is sometimes impossible.

In these restricted-access environments, biodegradable tree shelters such as Tubex Nature are a fantastic sustainable alternative. Manufactured using a bio-based blend, including sugarcane, corn and starch, Tubex Nature can be left to biodegrade in situ and will, after three to five years, begin to degrade and break down into water and CO2 through a microbiological process.

https://tubex.com/

CARR’S BILLINGTON SAFETY 
DUALLINK FORGED BYPASS LOPPER

Born of a need for reliability, our tools serve the demands of professionals and serve to inspire those looking for professional results. A Corona tool in your toolkit is an investment in years of reliable performance. 

A Corona tool in hand is the means to forge a truly proud outdoor space. For us, it’s a promise of the highest standards in utility, quality and craftsmanship; for you, it’s with Corona Confidence.

Founded in the 1920s, Corona is a leader in the marketing and manufacturing of professional and consumer tools for the lawn and garden, landscape, irrigation, construction and agriculture markets.

The Corona Max Forged DualLINK Bypass Lopper SL8180D is the cutting tool that professionals use day in and day out. Forged steel and a power-compounding link feature means that these loppers go the distance to achieve the professional results you want.

The DualLINK tool reduces effort while cutting with its power-compounding lever for ease of cut. The SL8180D is easy to resharpen.

Visit carrs-billington-safety.com for more information. 

SIRANE 
EARTHBOARD

SIRANE’s plastic-free tree shelters are a sustainable, recyclable and compostable alternative to traditional plastic tree guards.

Our Earthboard tree guards use unique water-resistant board, additionally coated to give all the properties required to last outside for many years.

More than two million trees are planted every year in the UK alone – meaning a massive amount of plastic could be removed from the environment.

Simon Balderson, Sirane MD, said: “Drive up and down any motorway in the UK, and you’ll see plastic tree guards, and it’s not just motorways, they are everywhere… Well, we can now offer a viable alternative.

“Our shelters have been in development for a while, with design alterations along the way to ensure they survive in the wild for as long as is needed.”

Tree guards are commonly used to protect young trees. They are generally left in place for at least three years and need to resist all weathers.

The inside of the guards is white, and helps create a micro-climate.

Simon added: “Another benefit of our Earthboard tree guards is that they don’t need to be collected at the end of their life. They will last the requisite amount of time in the wild but eventually just rot away into the soil. In larger woods and forests, this could save a considerable amount of time and manpower as people don’t need to be sent to collect them.”

There is also another cost saving to using Earthboard tree guards – they are supplied flat-packed, and just fold into shape – meaning many more tree guards can be supplied on just one pallet, cutting delivery costs.

Our tree-guards are supplied in green as standard – but could be supplied in almost any colour – and can also be supplied with custom printing/branding if required. Standard sizes are 60 cm, 90 cm, 1.2 m and 1.5 m.

For more information, email Corissa Haycock, sales executive, at corissa.haycock@sirane.com or visit sirane.com 

CEUK
PRUNING, LOGGING, SPLITTING – BLADE TOOLS FOR THE SEASONS AHEAD

MORE professionals are renewing their interest in hand tools. Rather than getting the job done as quickly as possible, many are becoming more creative knowing hand tools provide a quality finish and a more craft-oriented approach to work. Those in the industry have a strong connection with nature, literally shaping the world we see in our gardens, orchards and open spaces. Many hand tools will allow you to deliver while enjoying the process along the way.

With an ambition to champion the supply of bladed products, CEuk has been sourcing cutting-edge tools for outdoor professionals since 2009. So, what makes up the range?

Trojan handsaws, Stallion telescopic polesaws, Leyat secateurs and loppers, Bison axes, Root Assassin shovels and Sawpod all feature in the hands of hardworking professionals.
Stallion telescopic polesaws have become a flagship pruning saw for the industry, winning various awards. Built for secure, high-reach tree pruning, Stallion polesaws can be easily extended to various heights in the canopy while safely operating from the ground. Stallion polesaws feature robust 400 mm high-carbon tool steel blades designed to bite hard and cut smoothly to leave a clean branch finish. Available in four pole lengths (reaching up to 3.1 m, 4.1 m, 4.6 m and 6.3 m), Stallion polesaws come complete with curved Stallion blade and scabbard. Designed to cut only on the pull stroke, the weighted curved blade profile helps with cutting control and reduces the amount of effort exerted by the user to produce the desired cut.

Last year, CEuk unveiled the ultra-compact Stallion 4.1 m telescopic polesaw. Developed from industry feedback, the Stallion 4.1 m polesaw is appealing to those looking for a quality polesaw that not only reaches high but is extremely transportable. Easily adjustable telescopic points allow you to safely extend high, whilst the Stallion 4.1 m polesaw revolutionises transportation with the ability to condense to 1.3 m, making it convenient to fit in a small vehicle boot space.

Stallion blades are also designed to fit AUS fibreglass pruning rods as well as other pole manufacturers.

CEuk focuses on being the best at what it does and not necessarily the biggest, developing performing products that offer genuine value for money with a service that goes the extra mile. Every product supplied has a professional guarantee and a back-up to readily available spare parts giving you product longevity.

Check out the range and find your nearest stockist online at www.CEuk-intl.com.

VIGILIS 

VIGILIS Tree Shelters is a new standalone company, recently separated out of Suregreen. We are a manufacturer of traditional and plastic-free, soil biodegradable tree shelters. Vigilis Tree Shelters will continue the work that Suregreen started; supplying the UK markets with high-quality tree protection to support woodland creation, restorations, and highway projects. We also supply and distribute throughout Europe and the USA. 

Here at Vigilis Tree Shelters,, we envision a forestry industry free from plastic waste, and we aim to solely supply and manufacture biodegradable tree shelters within the next five years. We have designed, manufactured and brought to market a truly innovative tree shelter – Vigilis-Bio – that retains the performance and productivity benefits of traditional tree shelters, but without the environmental burden of plastics at the end of life. 

The Vigilis team at APF 2022 (Image: FJ)

After biodegradation, all that remain are water, minerals, and biomass which provide a food source to soil microbes. No microplastics. No toxic residues. No collection required.

For enquiries or further information, please contact our technical sales manager, Oliver Beech, at oliver.beech@vigilistreeshelters.com or visit vigilistreeshelters.com.