Howzat! Willow trees felled at Peterborough's Nene Park to create cricket bats
Fast growing new trees are being planted to replace willows
A number of willow trees at the Rowing Lake at Nene Park have been reduced to stumps – as they have been chopped down to create cricket bats.
The ten trees were specifically planted more than 20 years ago with the intention of turning them into cricket equipment – and now their time has come.
Other willow trees in the park will also be felled in the coming weeks.
The money raised by selling the wood to make the bats will be used to maintain the park.
Replacement trees are being planted in the area – which have been described as a ‘commercial crop’ by Nene Park Trust – and will also be used to create cricket bats in the future.
A spokesperson for the Nene Park Trust said: “These willow trees were planted with the sole purpose of later being felled for wood for producing cricket bats.
"This hybrid species of Willow (derived from the White Willow - Salix Alba) is a fast growing crop species, perfect for producing timber for cricket bats – with an even grain, strong and durable. Ten willow trees have been felled at Thorpe Meadows with the same number being replanted in November.
"The replacement trees will be the same species of willow, planted for the purpose of producing wood for cricket bats, which will again be around for 20-25 years before being felled.
"There are additional 15-20 willow trees further to the west on our rural estate which will be felled for the same purpose with replacement trees being planted in November.
"Every part of the trees will be recycled, with the tops of the trees being used for chipping on our paths and at our Winter Festival this year.
"Nene Park Trust as a charity relies on the income from this crop to help continue to look after and improve Thorpe Meadows and the wider Nene Park estate.”
Willow is the perfect material for making cricket as it is light, but also a hard wood that doesn’t splinter when it is hit by a ball.