Purchasing & Maintaining Willow for the Cricket Bat Industry

BUYERS

GROWERS

SUPPLIERS

CLEFT MAKERS

Welcome to English Willow

Offering choice & better opportunities for farmers & landowners across the UK

English Willow is committed to helping British farmers & landowners generate a financially robust and flood resilient future by planting, maintaining & purchasing Cricket Bat Willow trees (salix alba caerulea), across the UK, on low-lying, wet and often under-utilised areas of land.

Cricket bat willows tend to reach their prime and are ready for harvest after just 15-20 years and offer numerous benefits. Growing them sequesters carbon, boosts biodiversity, provides riverbank stabilisation & flood mitigation, whilst the sale of the timber offers landowners significant, tax-free, generational returns.

For every tree we purchase and harvest, we supply and plant at least one, 16ft unrooted set completely free of charge, which is cared for and cultivated by hand in an organic and sustainable environment.

England's temperate climate, well-suited soils and long history and expertise in selecting and breeding the best trees has meant that English cricket bat willow remains the benchmark for quality and is the most highly sought after for professional cricketers around the world. We are proud of our heritage and the many exciting financial and environmental opportunities this brings for British landowners.

Please click here to find out more about the benefits, or contact us to discuss your requirements.

Watch our Introductory Video below

The Benefits of Cricket Bat Willow Trees for Landowners

LAND USAGE

Utilising Wetlands

Great use of otherwise unproductive low lying, heavy soils - pastures, wetlands, rivers, streams, and areas with a high water table.
No area is too big or small
Grown 10m apart, 100 trees per hectare (40 trees per acre).

RETURNS

High Value

Fast growing, high value investment with proven profitable returns taking only 15-20 years to mature.
Due to being commercial forestry returns are tax free (income tax, corporation tax, capital gains tax & IHT tax free).
Free replacements planted.

ENVIRONMENT

Ecological

Carbon sequestration - recycling the timber into cricket bats ensures the carbon is absorbed, withheld and not released back into the environment.
Riverbank restoration - flood mitigation, riverbank and soil stabilisation.

BOOK SITE VISIT

ABOUT

BENEFITS FOR LANDOWNERS

WHAT MAKES US DIFFERENT

What Makes us Different

Recycled Waste - we are the first in the industry to not burn tree waste unless absolutely necessary, minimizing our carbon footprint whilst supporting local businesses and protecting the environment.

Free Maintenance on Sets with no Hidden Deductions – this ensures healthy & sustainable growth of trees whilst providing maximum generational returns for landowners. No one else offers this in the industry.

Supply UK Bat Makers - we supply UK bat makers allowing us to sustainably & responsibly source, manufacture and produce quality cricket bats whilst minimising our carbon footprint and backing British business.

Staggered Planting - is advised to test the efficacy of site growing conditions reducing unnecessary losses and staggering income.

High Purchase Price - if your trees have been well looked after, we pay generously, providing landowners with tax free returns.

Harvesting Method - our harvesting approach makes the process quicker and neater, leaving clients with a tidy site and minimal damage to the surrounding environment.

Tailored Service - We manage everything in-house offering many tailored options, because we understand everyone's needs are different.

Wider Environmental Schemes - we are passionate about the environment, keeping up to date with the latest grants, schemes and expert advice on how landowners can benefit financially from incorporating cricket bat willows into wider environmental schemes. Contact us to find out more.

"Offering choice and better opportunities for farmers and landowners across the UK"

The Process - What to Expect

English cricket bat willow is the finest willow in the world, processed into clefts our willow is sold to bat makers to supply the production of cricket bats worldwide. With new cricket markets gaining traction globally, especially in countries like the U.S, the demand for high quality cricket bats is only set to rise.

We offer a complete service, from consultation, establishment, maintenance, through to harvest and re-planting.

If you already have mature trees, we will offer to buy them, beating any genuine written quote, and replace each tree felled with a sapling completely free of charge. Otherwise, we can work with you on a new, adjustable planting and tailored re-generation programme, with guaranteed buy back when mature.

Here at English Willow we not only want to support this fantastic global supply chain but work closely with farmers, landowners and our partners on the diverse benefits that willow can bring from a financial and ecological perspective.

BENEFITS

WHAT TO EXPECT

"We are similar to our competitors.

We just do things a little bit better..."

Memberships & Partnerships

Blenheim Estate & English Willow Partnership

English Willow are always looking to work with responsible partners to support them on their long-term ecological as well as financial goals

“We’re excited to be working with English Willow on this new project and helping to support a great local business. The Estate has a long association with cricket, the Blenheim Park Cricket Club still play their home fixtures on the South Lawn, so for us to be able to supply the timber to make bats is absolutely brilliant. Working with English Willow means we can manage our willow trees in a sustainable and organic way, which is good for the environment, promotes bio-diversity and makes use of traditionally unproductive areas of the estate.”