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The Clootie Tree fundraising campaign supports five Indigenous-led reforestation programmes in the Atlantic and Amazon Forests.

We invite you to join our community of heart-centred action!

04/06/2026

Hace unos dias, el presidente de Chile declaró que pretende hacer modificaciones a la Ley Indigena para permitir que los territorios colectivos y ancestrales se puedan arrendar y comercializar.

Junto con Comunidad Autonoma de Quinquen, con quienes hemos trabajado desde 2018, hacemos llamado a resistir y apoyar resistencia contra el gobierno chileno, especialmente desde la comunidad internacional.

La ancestralidad no está a la venta.

03/06/2026

There is a lot of giant fennel growing at Guardians’ Portelas Forest in Penamacor.

The plant’s umbels attract a variety of pollinators—bees, flies, and beetles—making it ecologically very valuable! 💚💚

And it really is giant!

23/05/2026

This is the door knocker on my house…

There is a tradition in Portugal and Spain (and Northern Africa) of having a woman’s hand as door knocker. It comes from an Islamic tradition: Hamsa. Hamsa or “five” is the name given to Fatima’s hand.

Fatima was the daughter of the prophet Mohammed. In Portugal, the Catholic Virgin is said to have appeared in a village named Fatima. The village was named after a Muslim princess who took her name from the Prophet’s daughter. This princess was kidnapped and forced to marry a Christian prince.

The Islamic Fatima was a powerful spiritual symbol of protection and wellbeing, especially to women, newborn babies and the sick.

She is associated with Stewardship (Khilafah): Believers of Fatima are viewed as trustees (khalifah or guardians) responsible for protecting and maintaining the balance of the natural world. Fatima’s life of simplicity, gratitude, and care for her community exemplifies this stewardship: of life, light and everlasting connection with the environment.

19/05/2026

Yesterday, Guardians UK was awarded a Green Roots award by the Mayor of London for our Tree Rescue Hub. The Hub is our community space in Sydenham Hill where we rescue saplings from roadsides, paths, allotments etc, and where we nurture and prevent the spread of tree disease for thousands of native trees, before transporting them and establishing them in major reforestation sites across London and the UK.

Our work is entirely run by volunteers, the majority of whom are Iranian and Afghan migrants, refugees and asylum seekers.

Along with 33 other amazing groups, we were invited to City Hall yesterday (sorry I didnt take any pictures of the event) to celebrate the good work.

Sadiq Khan said:

“I am delighted to award funding from my Green Roots Fund to support 33 brilliant organisations and community groups to deliver more green, blue and climate resilient spaces for our city. In addition, communities in areas most affected by rising temperatures will benefit from thousands of new trees”.

We are very grateful to the mayor and his amazing team for supporting us and hosting us yesterday.

Here are some pics of the Tree Rescue Hub over the past year!

18/05/2026

Yesterday at the Guardians Tree Rescue Hub we celebrated our volunteers and Iranian and Afghan community members from South East London with whom we will be working in the next few months.

So much fun, kindness, positivity!

09/05/2026

Today, is running 120kms in one day, yes 120kms in one day (that is 3 marathons back to back) to raise money for our charity.

He has raised 1700 euros out of 2500. Help us get over the line.

Visit https://kiliancook.com for details on how to donate or check the QR code (last pic).

We have cleared 3 hectares of land and have grown 250 cork oaks (see pics) to plant at our Reserva Floresta Portelas in Penamacor.

Good luck, Kilian! I’m sure your family and friends are really proud of you. We are, for sure.

Heroic work!

04/05/2026

Today we finish our Zezere River Retreat, celebrating the tradition of Nabia, Celtic goddess of Portuguese waters, Arthelinho: women keepers of traditional knowledge, water stewardship, “cantigos e cantos” and other cultural forms of water stewardship.

🙏🙏💦

03/04/2026

One of the most intriguing stories of guardianship I have ever come across…

In the valley of the Arces river in Central Portugal is the Caminho da Moura Encantada. Along this road you find Fonte do Mouro and the town of Mouriscas, all along an ancient riverside road used since Roman times.

According to the legend, two Moorish sisters were taken advantage of by a Christian knight while bathing in the river. The sisters were punished for eternity and their spirits were made to stay on the waters of the river and trees. They will remain there until someone comes to restore their honour and dignity.

It’s quite amazing that Moorish women should be the eternal guardians of the Arces river and its trees, including the Oliveira de Muchao, a 3350 year old olive (Portugal’s oldest tree). The tree stands in Mourisca, a village named after the sisters (or a group of historical Moorish women that were forced to convert on this site).

That the spirit of enchanted Muslim women should be the guardian spirit of this river is a powerful myth.

Arces is in my opinion one of the last remaining tracts of wild forest and riverine life in Meio Tejo, a territory otherwise destroyed by heavy industrialisation and monoculture.

22/03/2026

The discovery of African pig flu in Catalonia back in December has caused a frenzy, feeding an existing popular perception of wild boar in the Iberian peninsula as destructive, dangerous animals.

Since Jan 2026 (2 months) almost 14,000 wild boar have been killed in Catalonia alone to prevent the disease from affecting farm pigs.

Following an invitation from , I have written a two-part piece on the importance of boar for forest ecology. Thank you, Marta, for the invitation to contribute and for the work you do.

You can read about the killing of boar in Spain here:

https://www.apd.cat/en/girona/195-infected-wild-boars-and-16-municipalities-with-access-to-the-natural-environment-still-closed_4200_102.html

You can read my article on wild boar and why they are known as “ecosystem engineers” here:

18/03/2026

There is a hawthorn grove on our forest reserve at Portelas in Penamacor with dozens of trees in bloom. Last week, I brewed some hawthorn flower tea.

Hawthorn is a medicinal tree throughout Europe- known as a cure for anxiety and heart problems. These days, as it is not rare to feel on edge, receiving flower medicine is, I think, timely and needed.

Master Wu- that is how my kids call this tree. Long story… 😂🌱💚

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