Harvesting mature cricket bat willow trees: why replanting matters
When English Cricket Bat Willow trees reach maturity, a landowner’s thoughts turn to harvested value. However, wise minds place equal importance on the value of the land in 12 to 15 years. While the felling process is critical, an equally important consideration happens after the last tree is cleared. This is because the future value of your estate is decided the moment new sets are placed in the ground.
Quality in, value out
With timber, you reap what you sow. If harvested trees are replaced with crooked, weak, or low-grade sets, the biological die is cast. A poor-quality start leads to lower survival rates, increased maintenance costs, and inevitably leads to a lower overall grading across the entire stand, reducing the market value of your timber.
By ensuring the tree grows straight and true from the very first day, we maximise the volume of high-value wood, ensuring your investment pays the highest possible dividend. This is why we provide and plant only premium, “arrow-straight” sets. As Director Oliver Wright demonstrates [see image], these sets are selected for their vertical integrity and vigour.
The JSW standard: professional stewardship
Choosing who harvests your mature willow should be about more than the offer on the day; it’s about the stewardship of your land. Our industry-leading replanting program is a cornerstone of our partnership with landowners, and lays the foundations for the future of the sport.
Zero cost, maximum gain: For every mature tree we harvest, we provide and plant a new high-quality set at no cost to you.
Precision planting: Our teams ensure new sets are positioned for optimal growth and survival.
“Clean slate” policy: Our feeling teams leave your site tidy and professionally prepared, ensuring new sets have the best opportunity to thrive.
Looking ahead
Please note: we are operating at full capacity for new growing partnerships (we expect to review availability for new clients in the 2027/28 planting season). However, for landowners with trees reaching maturity, our commitment remains unchanged: we don’t just harvest your past; we plant your future. When you work with JSW, you aren’t just clearing a site, you are investing in the next generation of elite English Cricket Bat Willow.