Thorncombe Street

In March 2026, Duncan returned with a bunch of volunteers to carry out a targeted restock across the site. Some volunteers were from TML, the second time they have volunteered with us this season, plus some keen local volunteers.

TML planted some of these trees on a previous visit a couple of years ago and were keen to see how ‘their’ trees were doing. The were please to give them a little TLC and to replace those which hadn’t made it. A total of 460 trees were replanted to replace losses identified during Angus’ survival rate survey conducted at the end of summer 2025.

The volunteers carried out the restocking and maintenance work, checking existing planting lines and ensuring replacement trees were distributed evenly across the site to support the healthy establishment of both the original planting and the newly restocked trees over time. Some rotting stakes were replaced and a few new guards were used to replace damaged ones.

What went well according to the volunteers? The weather. The company. The entertaining landowner making us nice coffee. Really enjoyed Duncan’s company and chatting bikes with him.

The main wood has a 70% survival rate, and the linear patch of wood on the hilltop is also doing well. We will go back and have a woodland maintenance day and plant a few additional trees to keep the overall survival rate to a maximum.

The main wood has a 70% survival rate, and the linear patch of wood on the hilltop is also doing well. We will go back and have a woodland maintenance day and plant a few additional trees to keep the overall survival rate to a maximum.

In June 2025 Steve led a group of ten corporate volunteers from Talking Tables to carry out some routine maintenance on the trees here, some of which they had planted themselves in the first place. They were keen to see what progress ‘their’ trees has made and to give them a little TLC. They removed grass growing inside guards and straightened or replaced stakes and guards as needed.

It was a dry day and pleasantly warm. Helen and Henrietta provided refreshments, which were very appreciated by everyone.

Talking Tables gave some lovely feedback. “ Wanted to say we had such a wonderful day volunteering with Steve and so pleased to say he was really impressed with how healthy our plot of trees were.”

After the success of our planting here last year, the landowners asked if we could help them again. This time, they had the trees, but desperately needed some help to plant them. We had volunteers from TML Partners all organised to help us, but then there was a train strike and they couldn’t make it, so our three team members at least made a start in the planting. Not all events go smoothly!

We made a new date, and even found some extra volunteers from Park Avenue Recruitment to lend a hand too. So, in March 2024 we returned to Thorncombe to finish the job of planting 2500 trees and shrubs.

There is very little mobile signal here so Google maps stopped working at a crucial moment. One group of volunteers accidentally went to a nearby farm and said they they were the volunteers who had come to plant the trees. The farmer couldn’t believe his luck, because he just happened to have a big pile of trees that needed planting, so he set them to work. The volunteers had planted a good 40m of the neighbour’s hedge before Phil managed to track them down and point them in the direction of the trees they SHOULD have been planting!

Despite this, we still managed to get the job done and the volunteers said that the had had “a cracking time” and asked when they could volunteer with us again!

Thorncombe Street is a beautiful hamlet (confusingly!) close to Guildford. Protect Earth were brought on board to help plant several shelterbelts, as well as the beginnings of a brand new ancient forest. This was a bit of an arduous task, as first we had to strip back the land from some invasive Cherry Laurel. You’ve likely seen this; it’s (unfortunately) used a lot in hedgerows. The primary issue with Cherry Laurel is that it’s just too good at growing! It outpaces almost all other native species planted alongside it, and steals all the nutrients, leading to a monoculture. That is, as you might imagine, working entirely against what we’re trying to do, and that is to reintroduce rich and vibrant ecosystems. So, out with the loppers!

After cutting a swathe through them, we were then able to plant some local variants of trees, ensuring a much wider variety in the immediate vicinity of the planting area. By creating these areas of diversity, it means that all manner of little critters and beasties are able to make their homes in and amongst the trees.

Thorncombe Street is a beautiful Hamlet (confusingly!) close to Guildford. Protect Earth were brought on board to help plant several shelterbelts, as well as the beginnings of a brand new ancient forest. This was a bit of an arduous task, as first we had to strip back the land from some invasive Cherry Laurel. You’ve likely seen this; it’s (unfortunately) used a lot in hedgerows. The primary issue with Cherry Laurel is that it’s just too bloody good at growing! It outpaces almost all other native species planted alongside it, and steals all the nutrients, leading to a monoculture. That is, as you might imagine, working entirely against what we’re trying to do, and that is to reintroduce rich and vibrant ecosystems. So, out with the loppers!

After cutting a swathe through them, we were then able to plant some local variants of trees, ensuring a much wider variety in the immediate vicinity of the planting area. By creating these areas of diversity, it means that all manner of little critters and beasties are able to make their homes in and amongst the trees.