If you’ve been hanging around Protect Earth for a while, you’ll know the name Screech Owl Sanctuary pops up more often than a hedgehog in a compost heap. Nestled near Cornwall, they’ve long been our feathered favourite—loyal collaborators, owl whisperers, and all-round good eggs. So when they rang us up and said, “We’ve secured woodland creation funding—fancy a bit of tree planting?” our response was somewhere between a gleeful yes and a muddy sprint to our wellies.
A Sanctuary of Saplings
The planting occurred in the South West of England, just as February was preparing to loosen its chilly grip on the landscape. Across two gloriously sunny days—28th February and 1st March 2025—we helped transform a corner of the countryside into a future woodland. 1,850 native broadleaf trees went into the ground, thanks to a dedicated gang of ten volunteers (five per day) and a cracking plan.
If you’re wondering what 1,850 trees can achieve, let’s just say this: over the next 50 years, this new woodland will quietly gobble up 630 tonnes of carbon.
But it wasn’t just saplings we planted—the Protect Earth community grew with more people taking action against climate change and the UK’s biodiversity loss.
Planting Powered by People (and Grants)
Kevin and Karen - Screech Owl Sanctuary’s owners - who have been a joy to work with throughout, secured grants to cover saplings, stakes, guards, and mulch. Which meant we put our energy to bringing good people together and planting saplings.
And Kevin and Karen had this to say afterwards:
“Firstly, let me say a BIG thank you to Steve, Phil, Angus & Leo that kept all the volunteers organised and planting. We are extremely pleased with the outcome. Steve and his knowledge of the trees and the planting scheme was invaluable. We are extremely grateful for your support of this activity.”
Why It Matters
We love these moments—not just because of the woodland creation—but because they remind us how much can be done when communities, conservationists, and landowners pull in the same direction. Whether it’s through our High Wood Summer Fair or getting our hands dirty for a good cause, collaborations like this one with Screech Owl Sanctuary are how woodlands get planted—one sapling (and one good laugh) at a time.