Plant a Tree with Plant One Cornwall

Plant One Cornwall

Plant One Cornwall are a Community Interest Company (CIC) on a mission to increase forests and biodiversity of woodland in the UK, one tree at a time. The aim is to restore the English countryside back to rich woodland that benefits both the environment and local wildlife.

Meet the Founders

Carl Rowlison and Rai Lewis founded Plant One to plant more trees in Cornwall. With a shared passion for the environment, they created Plant One Cornwall to engage local businesses and the public in creating a lasting environmental legacy in their area.

“Britain was once a wooded isle, with over 98% of the land covered in trees. But now only 2% of that ancient wild wood survives. Cultural amnesia means we have forgotten our woodland past, but we are a people of the woods. Our fates are linked; ensuring the survival of our woodlands and trees is imperative to our future.”

– Carl Rowlison, Director and Co-Founder

The Partnership

In 2021, Whistlefish became a certified partner of Plant One Cornwall and introduced the Plant A Tree Pledge as one of the five Green Matters pledges.

The Plant A Tree pledge is an optional donation, starting from just £1, which can be added to any order at checkout on whistlefish.com.

100% of the donation goes directly to Plant One Cornwall. Whistlefish also contributes with a monthly donation, aiming to plant at least 1,000 trees in Cornwall – and we are getting very close to reaching this goal.

Read more about the pledge and follow our tree-planting progress here >

With Plant One, we can ensure that every tree donation goes straight back into the land. Once saplings are established, Plant One Cornwall carefully monitors their growth to ensure they thrive in their new homes.

We spoke to Carl, co-founder and director of Plant One Cornwall, to find out more about the vision behind the work they do.

How and when did you start Plant One Cornwall?

I started Plant One back in 2019. As a tree surgeon, I understood trees well and wanted to make a change. I met Rai at a tree event – her love of wildlife and dream of creating homes for hedgehogs made her the perfect partner. We began by planting one field, and it’s grown from there.

How many trees have you planted?

Established! Not planted! That’s our mantra. This year we’ll reach a milestone – ten thousand trees established, covering around 80 acres of woodland. Definitely time to celebrate with a bottle of rum!

How do you check the health of saplings?

We aim to establish trees to around five years old – that’s when they become self-sufficient. We revisit sites twice a year, clear weeds, replace any failures, and check the stakes and tubes.

How do you decide which trees to plant where?

We’re recreating a specific habitat: Atlantic Oak woodlands, dominated by Sessile Oak (Cornish Oak). These ancient temperate rainforests once covered Cornwall and beyond, and remnants still exist near the Helford and Fal. The moist climate supports twisted oaks, moss, and rare biodiversity – that’s what we’re aiming to restore.

How much carbon can a tree offset?

Our focus is on biodiversity and amenity, but the trees also sequester carbon. We help businesses offset unavoidable emissions, but only if they’re also committed to reducing emissions at the source.

Whistlefish’s goal is to plant at least 1,000 trees in Cornish soil. We’re especially excited for our upcoming Tree Planting Day in January, when the Whistlefish team will be helping to plant over 800 trees in our designated site.

How can I help plant trees in Cornwall?

Simply add the Tree Planting Donation to any Whistlefish order. From wherever you are in the UK, you’ll be helping us restore Cornish woodland from the comfort of your own home.

Plant One Cornwall brings together landowners, businesses, and communities to reforest the UK. If you’d like to volunteer, sign up your business, or join a local tree planting event, visit their website at plantonecornwall.com.