POC Member, The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), has announced its endorsement of the TreeHugger range of biodegradable tree guards from Agrovista Amenity, a supplier of professional turf care, landscape and amenity solutions.

Tree guards are planted to provide protection for the successful establishment of young trees or whips (slender, unbranched shoots or plants) and reduce damage from grazing and browsing animals.

But the Agrovista Amenity TreeHugger range offers something extra: a much more environmentally friendly alternative to the commonly used plastic tree shelters and guards that either have to be removed at end of life, or degrade into the environment.

The shelters biodegrade completely in soil at the end of their useful life, removing the need to collect and dispose of single-use plastic tree guards. This helps reduce both maintenance costs and environmental impact.

Manufactured in the UK in accordance with the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS), the tree guards are made using loom state organic cotton encapsulated in renewable FSC pine tree rosin and have a minimum lifespan of five years, providing valuable protection during a tree’s critical establishment period.

The Tree Hugger range has also earned the TÜV Austria OK biodegradable SOIL certification, which confirms that the shelters break down naturally and safely without leaving behind plastic, toxins or microparticles.

First launched in 2022, the TreeHugger range has now earned an endorsement from POC Member, the RHS.

The aim of the RHS endorsement is to help promote more sustainable planting solutions and support best practice across the horticultural and landscaping sectors. It covers the entire TreeHugger range of sustainable tree guards, vole guards, shrub shelters and hedge wraps.

The RHS endorsement logo will be used across relevant marketing materials and advertising, on social media and on the Agrovista Amenity website.

The endorsement was launched on the Agrovista Amenity stand at APF 2026 (24-26 September) exhibition, the UK’s largest forestry, woodland, arboriculture, firewood, fencing, trees and timber trade show.

Tree shelters are used across the UK by a wide range of business customers including, to name only a few, forestry contractors, private estates, forest nurseries, trusts and highways. Agrovista Amenity, which is the exclusive distributor for the shelters, is able to manage orders ranging from one or two tree guards to tens of thousands.

The woven material provides robust protection against damage from grazing animals and weather extremes while remaining gentle on young trees. Its low-friction surface helps minimise the risk of damage to newly planted whips. The cotton used in the TreeHugger range creates a microclimate with good airflow that prevents damage from frost and heat, allowing the tree to thrive.

A division of Agrovista, a leading supplier of agronomy advice, seed, crop protection products and precision farming services (which is itself a division of Japan’s Marubei group), Agrovista Amenity operates independently, with a team of 40 in-house agronomists servicing a diverse industry made up of golf clubs, football, regreen spaces, race courses, highways and more, including 3.25 million hectares of woodland and forest.

Cathy Snow, licensing manager, RHS said: “Many conventional tree guards use plastic shelters that can introduce microplastics into the very environment they are trying to protect. Tree Hugger reduces waste that could harm the environment and promotes more sustainable planting solution, but without reducing the effectiveness of the product itself – all of which are winning propositions for the RHS.”

Ed Smith, landscape and IVM manager, Agrovista Amenity, said: “We have long been committed to products that are sustainable as well as effective. We are thrilled that our passion for excellence and the environment has earned the support of the UK’s favourite gardening charity.”