Why We Grow Cricket Bat Willow at Woodhall Estate
Q: How long has the Estate been growing cricket bat willows, and why did we start?
A: Currently, our oldest bat willows are 15 years old and have just reached maturity for harvest, with felling taking place throughout April-May.
Cricket is played professionally and recreationally all over the world, from international stadiums to back gardens and village greens. Professional cricket bats are traditionally made from English willow, Salix alba caerulea, so it felt like a natural fit for the Estate to explore growing a crop that is both commercially valuable and deeply rooted in British sporting heritage.
The Ideal Growing Conditions for English Willow (Salix alba caerulea)
Q: What makes Woodhall Estate a good place for growing cricket bat willow?
A: We have many wetland environments at Woodhall, particularly around the River Beane and its floodplain areas, which create ideal growing conditions for willow of all species.
Willow thrives in damp ground, and the Estate’s landscape gives these trees exactly the environment they need to grow quickly and produce high-quality timber.
15 Years in the Making: What Makes This Harvest a Milestone
Q: Why is this first “proper” harvest such a milestone for us?
A: Forestry is such a long-term form of land management and within our traditional forestry woodlands, we very seldom see the benefits of our own labour.
We’re working with what past generations of foresters have left behind, while managing the woods for the benefit of future generations. It’s an unselfish form of stewardship, thinking about how we can benefit nature now while future-proofing the Estate’s woodlands for future generations.
The cricket bat willows offer something slightly different. They allow us to see an entire forestry operation through from planting to harvest within our own working lives. Because the trees require yearly maintenance, you almost get to know them individually and begin to recognise which ones will eventually produce exceptional timber.
Q: What does it mean for the Estate to become known for bat willow?
A: We may not be able to trace the final destination of the timber, but it’s exciting to think that wood grown here could one day be used at the very highest level of the game, think Woodhall Willows at The Ashes!
What’s Next for Woodhall’s Cricket Bat Willow Programme
Q: How does this project fit into the wider vision for the Estate’s land management?
A: By creating a rotation between cricket bat willow harvesting and traditional commercial forestry, we can give our wider woodlands more breathing space. That means more opportunity to enhance habitats, improve biodiversity and focus on environmental management rather than simply timber production.
Q: What excites you most about this project?
A: More than the willow itself, I’m excited about what it allows us to do elsewhere across the Estate.
Ultimately, I’d love to see Woodhall become known for its forestry practices, creating woodlands that are sustainable, environmentally rich, and resilient for future generations of foresters.
