Our Story
The Giant Tree Circle was first conceived in 1984 by Embercombe’s founder when he lived in Ynys Mon, Anglesey. The island is at the centre of the circle and the birthplace of our vision. The original dream was simple yet powerful, to plant a single tree at each of the four cardinal points of the British Isles every four years to symbolise life and hope for the century to come.
Today, this captivating tale has become a monumental reality spanning Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, Ireland, and England. The movement has grown into not four, but thousands and potentially millions of trees that weave together art, community and environmental care.
The Giant Tree Circle was first conceived in 1984 by Embercombe’s founder when he lived in Ynys Mon, Anglesey. The island is at the centre of the circle and the birthplace of our vision. The original dream was simple yet powerful, to plant a single tree at each of the four cardinal points of the British Isles every four years to symbolise life and hope for the century to come.
Today, this captivating tale has become a monumental reality spanning Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, Ireland, and England. The movement has grown into not four, but thousands and potentially millions of trees that weave together art, community and environmental care.
Our Goal
To build an inclusive, sustainable, and creative community - a circle that embodies friendship, kindness, togetherness.
Our Values
Inclusivity
Every voice matters.Sustainability
Living in balance with nature.Creativity
Expression as a path to connection.Community
Building trust and togetherness.
Our Team
A collective of dreamers, doers, and caretakers. We are artists, organizers, and volunteers working side by side.
Mac Macartney
I am a writer, speaker, eco/peace activist, and the founder of Embercombe. I have explored many paths, some unwisely, some with discernment, all with enthusiasm, vigour, and persistence.
As a young child I fell deeply in love with nature and since that time I have endeavoured to listen to the guiding dreams, visions, and experiences that have been offered me, and take action to shift our world for the better. I am privileged to move between, learn from, and contribute to, many diverse and contrasting spheres of society. I find this enriching, stimulating, and often, deeply troubling.
I walk with grief and joy cupped together in my hands, rejoicing to be alive at such a time, and happy that the storms, droughts, blizzards, and beauty-blessed wonderment of years past seems to have enabled me to love other humans and myself with some measure of compassion and delight.
I am a writer, speaker, eco/peace activist, and the founder of Embercombe. I have explored many paths, some unwisely, some with discernment, all with enthusiasm, vigour, and persistence.
As a young child I fell deeply in love with nature and since that time I have endeavoured to listen to the guiding dreams, visions, and experiences that have been offered me, and take action to shift our world for the better. I am privileged to move between, learn from, and contribute to, many diverse and contrasting spheres of society. I find this enriching, stimulating, and often, deeply troubling.
I walk with grief and joy cupped together in my hands, rejoicing to be alive at such a time, and happy that the storms, droughts, blizzards, and beauty-blessed wonderment of years past seems to have enabled me to love other humans and myself with some measure of compassion and delight.
Muji Zia
Muji’s expertise is as a forest ecologist, with training across the UK, US and Sweden. He holds an MSc in Forest Ecology and Sustainable Management from the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) in Umeå and Alnarp. He has conducted mycology research at SLU alongside world-leading researchers, on the topic of Chaga (Inonotus obliquus) cultivation in Birch, at the South Sweden Research Centre.
With over 10 years of experience, he has managed organic vegetable gardens, medicinal herb gardens, and agroforestry sites.
In Sweden he was a Ranger at the Söderåsen National Park and in the UK, he served as a Tree Health Woodland Officer for the Forestry Commission, working to enhance the resilience of woodlands.
He now consults independently on multiple UK based forestry projects, encouraging multi-use forestry and the preservation of functional forest ecosystems within management regimes.
Muji also holds a Deer Stalking Certificate (DSC1) issued by the British Deer Society.
He is an Associate Member of the Institute of Chartered Foresters (AICFor) and an active member of the Royal Forestry Society, British Ecological Society, British Mycological Society, and British Deer Society.
Muji’s expertise is as a forest ecologist, with training across the UK, US and Sweden. He holds an MSc in Forest Ecology and Sustainable Management from the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) in Umeå and Alnarp. He has conducted mycology research at SLU alongside world-leading researchers, on the topic of Chaga (Inonotus obliquus) cultivation in Birch, at the South Sweden Research Centre.
With over 10 years of experience, he has managed organic vegetable gardens, medicinal herb gardens, and agroforestry sites.
In Sweden he was a Ranger at the Söderåsen National Park and in the UK, he served as a Tree Health Woodland Officer for the Forestry Commission, working to enhance the resilience of woodlands.
He now consults independently on multiple UK based forestry projects, encouraging multi-use forestry and the preservation of functional forest ecosystems within management regimes.
Muji also holds a Deer Stalking Certificate (DSC1) issued by the British Deer Society.
He is an Associate Member of the Institute of Chartered Foresters (AICFor) and an active member of the Royal Forestry Society, British Ecological Society, British Mycological Society, and British Deer Society.
Luke Mitchell
My name is Luke. As a young boy, I was very dreamy, often lost in other worlds. I went on to co-found Boomtown, which has become one of the most creative festivals in the world.
More recently, I co-founded Wake The Tiger, the world’s first amazement park, an immersive art experience, focused on harnessing the power of creativity to bring about change in the world. I am incredibly proud to bring my whole self to this incredible, lifelong project; it truly is an honour.
My name is Luke. As a young boy, I was very dreamy, often lost in other worlds. I went on to co-found Boomtown, which has become one of the most creative festivals in the world.
More recently, I co-founded Wake The Tiger, the world’s first amazement park, an immersive art experience, focused on harnessing the power of creativity to bring about change in the world. I am incredibly proud to bring my whole self to this incredible, lifelong project; it truly is an honour.
Our partners
We collaborate with local and national organisations, cultural spaces, and eco-conscious groups to bring projects to life.
Trees planted
Every tree planted in the Giant Tree Circle becomes part of something bigger. Planted a tree on the Circle? Let us know and we’ll add it to the count.
Submit your tree
Connect with us
We’d love to hear from you — whether it’s a question, an idea, or an invitation to collaborate.