The Wright approach to felling and sustainability
We are proud of our legacy as the world’s leading supplier of English cricket bat willow clefts to bat manufacturers around the world. But with this scale comes responsibility.
Our passion is the long-term future of willow cricket bats in the sport, and we are strategic, long-term investors doing all we can to ensure the supply is sustainable, from both an environmental and affordability point of view. We live in hope others in our industry will come to share this responsibility. When it comes to felling mature willow trees, for example, we do things the Wright way.
Beyond the axe: the art of felling
The felling of a mature willow tree is not just a matter of cutting it down; it is a skilled operation. We employ experienced, highly-trained teams capable of tacking the trickiest of jobs, such as felling a tree that is leaning a ridiculous amount (see pics).
Use a tried and tested felling process, our teams ensure every job is done safely and efficiently, with care to avoid damaging or splitting the wood, even in the more challenging situations. Their skill and care maximises the yield of valuable clefts from every tree, which directly contributes to keeping the cost of cricket bats down for the end consumer.
The Wright way: a sustainable philosophy
An important difference in our approach is our philosophy on harvesting. Unlike others in our industry who might choose to purchase only high-quality trees, we are committed to taking every type of tree, good and bad, from a site.
By clearing away damaged or lower-quality trees – see the pics above of a tree split in two, or where the central core of the tree is rotting out (likely only good for salvage) – we clear space for new, high-quality, arrow-straight stock, safeguarding a sustainable and long-term supply of willow for cricket bat manufacturers.
Investing in the future: our 4-to-1 commitment
Our commitment is laid bare in the numbers. Each year, we process around 11,000 trees, but most importantly, we are planting more than 40,000 new trees a year. This ratio is our commitment to ensuring future generations continue to enjoy the unique sound of leather on willow.
Our promise: looking after your land as if it were our own
Our relationship with landowners often spans more than 100 years, built on a foundation of trust. We commit to a process that respects your land, starting with minimising our impact. For example, when ground is soft, we use 360 excavators to minimise disturbance. When finished, the area is left clean and tidy, and ready for replanting. We provide high-quality replacements sets at no charge. Ultimately, you’ll hardly know we were there, except for the clear space ready to produce the next generation of world-class cricket bat willow.
