Andrew Morton

Dear Countryfile, I have been watching with great interest and admiration the initiative to plant so many trees. They are essential and to be applauded. I know the plants need to be guarded from the ravages of deer and other wild life. However, has any thought been given to the removal of those plastic guards once the trees are sufficiently mature? Here in Kimpton, Herts, we have been removing guards from mature trees, some of which have been suffocated by the guards which should have been removed years ago. Recently, we saw a piece in Countryfile of a couple of lads on bikes picking up litter from the path, but, in the background was a a grove of mature trees with guards still round them. The plastic will eventually degrade, but into micro-plastics which will pollute the soil and get into the food chain. Have any plans been made for the disposal of the huge quantity of plastic in those guards? Can you advise us as to companies that we could take the guards to?