Launching Winter 2026: Native Silvopasture Tree Guard Pilot
Blog post.
Tom Mackay-Smith and Raphael Spiekermann
2/18/20262 min read
We are pleased to announce the launch of the Native Tree Guard Pilot Programme, ahead of our planned Winter 2026 release.
Tree Guard Update
We’re continuing to make strong progress on our native tree guard ahead of its planned Winter 2026 release.
Our three guiding design goals are:
Effective – Protects seedlings from cattle and sheep in any grazing situation.
Portable and safe – One person can safely carry 6–12 guards.
Cost-effective – Enables affordable silvopastoral planting systems comparable to existing guards on the market.
Designing a guard that achieves all three has been a genuinely challenging technical task.
2026 Tree Guard Pilot Programme
This winter, we will be working with six selected North Island landowners to establish protected native trees in grazed paddocks using our new tree guard system as part of a pilot programme.
Each pilot site will receive tailored planting plans, installation support, a full tree guard guarantee, and ongoing site guidance throughout the establishment phase.
Places are limited, with three of the six pilot sites already filled.
If you are a farmer, landowner, or council interested in hosting a pilot site, please reply to this email to receive further details, site requirements, and an outline of costs.
We expect the remaining pilot sites to be confirmed in the coming weeks.
Photos of the month
Below are examples of kānuka and lemonwood planted in Winter 2023 using our initial prototype in Taranaki.
The kānuka are on average 219 cm high after 29.5 months (≈70 cm/year growth rate), and the lemonwood are on average 213 cm high (≈57 cm/year growth rate).
