When Boydlands Farm in Capel St Mary needed their reed beds flailed to support their cricket bat willow plantation, they turned to Anglian Land Services for specialist vegetation management. This unique project required careful flailing techniques to manage reed growth whilst protecting the valuable willow trees that form an essential part of the traditional cricket bat manufacturing industry.
The Challenge
Reed beds can quickly overtake agricultural land if not properly managed, competing with crops for nutrients and water. At Boydlands Farm, the expanding reed beds were encroaching on their cricket bat willow plantation, threatening the growth and health of these specialist trees. The farm needed professional flailing services to control the reed growth without damaging the willow trees or disrupting the plantation’s careful layout.
Key challenges included:
- Dense reed beds spreading across the plantation area
- Need to protect valuable cricket bat willow trees during clearance
- Working around existing plantation layout
- Managing cleared vegetation appropriately
- Completing work during optimal seasonal conditions
Our Approach
Our team arrived with specialist flailing equipment designed for working in sensitive agricultural environments. We worked closely with the farm management to understand the plantation layout and identify which areas required priority attention whilst ensuring the willow trees remained undamaged throughout the process.
Day One: Reed Bed Assessment and Initial Flailing
We began by surveying the site with the farm team, marking out the willow tree locations and identifying the most heavily affected areas. Our experienced operators then started the flailing process, systematically working through the reed beds whilst maintaining safe distances from the willow plantation. The flailed reeds were mulched in place, returning organic matter to the soil.
Day Two: Completing Clearance and Final Checks
The second day focused on clearing the remaining reed bed areas and ensuring all zones around the willow trees were properly managed. Our team paid particular attention to areas where reeds had grown closest to the trees, carefully flailing to prevent any damage to the valuable willow stock. A final inspection with the farm management confirmed all areas had been successfully cleared.
The Result
The reed beds were successfully controlled, giving the cricket bat willow trees room to thrive without competition from invasive vegetation. The farm can now maintain their specialist plantation more effectively, supporting the continued production of high-quality willow for the cricket bat industry.
Key outcomes included:
- Complete reed bed flailing across the plantation area
- All cricket bat willow trees are protected and undamaged
- Flailed material mulched to benefit soil quality
- Improved growing conditions for the willow plantation
- Work completed during optimal seasonal window
Specialist Vegetation Management Across Suffolk
This project showcases our expertise in agricultural vegetation management and our ability to work sensitively in specialist farming environments. Cricket bat willow production is an important traditional industry in Suffolk and East Anglia, and we understand the value of these unique plantations to local farmers and the wider cricket community.
Our team has experience working across various agricultural settings, from traditional arable farms to specialist crop production. We use appropriate equipment for each project and work closely with land managers to ensure our services support their long-term land management goals.
