Invented in the UK in the late 1970s, the original tree shelter design concept—essentially a cylindrical tube secured to a stake—continues to be the foundation for a range of products used to aid in the early survival and growth of tree seedlings, shrubs, garden plants, grape vines, and most any small planting.

While most tree-sheltering (or plant-sheltering) devices are mere evolutions of the original concept or product, the Tree Sentry is revolutionary in its approach to plant protection. With an entirely new and vastly improved approach to shelter design, shape, materials, manufacturing methods, and installation technique, it’s not surprising that the Tree Sentry is rapidly gaining favor over old standards for plant protection.

Forest agencies face increasing pressure with reduced federal funding to maintain forest lands, rehabilitate burned woodlands, and balance wildlife concerns with the need to manage a very precious, renewable natural resource properly. As such, tree shelters are becoming a more significant part of planting practice. Testing with the Tree Sentry has confirmed that in many sites with vast numbers of seedling plantings each year, the use of this shelter results in savings in overall project expenditures through dramatically improved yields and the more rapid establishment of seedlings into these sites.

Since an individual district may plant a half-million or more trees yearly, a shelter that installs quickly without heavy stakes or tooling and yet performs better than conventional shelters can quickly find favor with these large agencies. As the world’s first one-piece, self-staking conical shelter, The Tree Sentry is meeting this challenge.

A growing number of forest agencies use the Tree Sentry, including The US Forest Service (USFS), Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), and numerous Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCD) across the country. It is also gaining favor with private practice to increase seedling survival rates and improve seedling establishment’s general health and speed.

This revolutionary design requires no installation tools and effectively improves young plantings’ survival and growth rates. While used primarily on tree seedlings, the Tree Sentry—with its wider basal area—is also well suited to improving the results in your garden with suitably sized plants. Many nurseries that start tomato plants and other garden varieties that need protection against rodents, frost, and damaging winds use the Tree Sentry.

Viticulturists have also successfully used the Tree Sentry to protect young, precious vine grafts from small rodents and maintain more productive soils around the vines.