Planting for the Future: Major Step into Regenerative Agriculture for St. Ewe Free Range Eggs
This winter marks a milestone in St. Ewe’s journey toward a more resilient, nature positive future. Over the course of February 2026, we began Phase One of our largest ever tree planting project.
Delivered in partnership with Plant One Cornwall, and funded by the Forest for Cornwall (part of Cornwall Council), this project is more than just planting trees. It’s about restoring ecosystems, improving soil health, protecting our environment, and creating a thriving farm for generations to come.
And this is only the beginning.
Why Trees, and Why Now?
Trees are one of the most powerful tools we have in regenerative farming. They stabilise soils, increases organic matter, support wildlife, improve water management, and create natural shelter and shade for our hens. When integrated into working farmland - known as agroforestry - trees help build healthier, more resilient food systems.
This winter, we planted 3,800 native trees, representing 25 different species, including willow, hornbeam, sycamore, oak, hazel, hawthorn, crab apple, rowan, blackthorn and more. Each species was chosen to boost biodiversity, improve water quality, strengthen soil structure, and enhance the welfare of our future free-range flocks.
These trees form the first half of a two-phase project, with Phase Two planned for next winter. Together, they will create a mosaic of habitats across the landscape, supporting everything from pollinators to birds of prey, otters, water voles, bats and other mammals, while also contributing to long term carbon capture.
A Partnership Rooted in Purpose
Our planting has been expertly delivered by Plant One Cornwall, a community focused organisation dedicated to restoring native woodland across the county. Their work highlights the deep connection between land and sea - something we’re proud to support through their No Trees, No Seas campaign, which raises awareness of how healthy terrestrial ecosystems protect marine environments.
From preventing soil runoff to improving water quality, planting trees inland plays a vital role in safeguarding Cornwall’s coastal habitats. It’s all connected, and we’re proud to be part of that bigger picture.
A Turning Point for St. Ewe
Our CEO, Bex Tonks, reflects on what this moment means for the business:
“Our first major tree planting marks a real turning point in bringing regenerative agriculture to life at St. Ewe Free Range Eggs. By integrating 3,800 native trees into our home farm, we’re investing not just in biodiversity, but in the long-term resilience of our land and food system. True sustainability in farming only works when it strengthens both nature and the business.”
This project also represents an important step forward for our work at Gargus, where we’re developing new approaches to land stewardship and regenerative practice.
Elle Sambrook, our Senior Sustainability Manager shares her motivation behind the tree planning initiative:
“As the old adage goes ‘The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago, the next best time is today.’ The UK is one of the worst places globally for biodiversity, and Cornwall has less tree cover than the UK average at just 9% vs 13%. We are so fortunate to be able to able to change this figure on our home farm whilst at the same time create and expand critical natural systems to support climate resilience, biodiversity restoration both on land and sea, and bring our community at St. Ewe together to do so. I'm very proud of this milestone project, and we're looking to expand on it in the near future.”
A Team Effort Through Mud, Rain, and Determination
The weather this winter has been challenging to say the least. Weeks of heavy rain left large areas of pasture waterlogged, making access difficult and planting conditions tough. But thanks to the dedication of our team and the expertise of Plant One, the trees are now in the ground.
Our Estate Manager, Steve Nelson, shares his perspective:
“Wow, what a great project we have just been involved in from a company working together across all departments, to launch something special around the headlands of our Gargus farm.
Together with Plant One, we have created some real achievements in getting some 3,800 trees planted in our Estate grounds. This has been challenging with the weather and wet ground - we have struggled to move over large parts of our pasture since December due to constant rainfall.
However, our very own super staff across all departments and the guys from Plant One have delivered on this project, and the trees are in the ground. This will go a long way to helping keep our Gargus site a sustainable farming future, and along with our customers and teams keep the belief that we truly do care about our farms and our impacts on the environment.
It’s not something we do every day, planting trees, but once you see the results you can truly be inspired that you are doing your bit to bring positivity to farming and helping to keep farming fresh for generations to follow, living by our values.
I personally cannot wait to get on to Phase 2 of this project and create some real special landscapes and areas of natural beauty. Together as a company, this is something we should be so proud of delivering.”
Looking Ahead to Phase Two
With Phase One complete, we’re already preparing for next winter’s planting. Phase Two will expand on the work we’ve started, creating even more diverse habitats and strengthening the ecological network across the farm. We’ll also be focusing on the ongoing management of the newly created woodland from Phase One, to ensure it stays healthy for the future.
This is long term work (decades in the making), and we’re committed to seeing it through. These trees will grow alongside our business, shaping the future of St. Ewe Free Range Eggs and the landscapes we care for.
A Future Rooted in Regeneration
Tree planting is just one part of our wider regenerative journey, but it’s a powerful one. It represents hope, resilience, and responsibility - values that sit at the heart of St. Ewe Eggs.
As these trees take root, so too does our commitment to farming in a way that restores, protects, and enriches the land we call home. Following recent Storm Goretti, we’re keen to ensure we’re doing our part to protect the Cornish landscape. The more trees we can plant, the more protection we’ll have from periods of drought, prolonged rainfall and high winds – all of which Cornwall can expect to see more of over the coming decades.
We’re proud of what’s been achieved so far, and even more excited for what’s to come.
