Saplings for Staircases – Our Anniversary Wood

Nestled in the picturesque High Peak, our workshop is surrounded by the gritstone hills, open moors, and farmland that define this beautiful landscape. It’s hard to imagine now, but this entire area was once a vast Royal Forest. In fact, our village, Chapel-en-le-Frith, roughly translates to ‘chapel in the forest’, a nod to its wooded past.

Over the last millennia, much of the natural woodland which once filled the Peak District has been lost. Now, however, the trees are making a comeback and we’re doing our part to ensure a leafier future for the Peaks. Back in 2003 we decided that for every wooden staircase we made, we’d plant five saplings. And, with the ever-growing popularity of our staircases, this has led to us planting over 3,000 trees!

We’ve been fortunate to have Ben Lambert from the Peak District National Park Authority guiding us in our efforts to plant such a high number of trees. His expertise has been invaluable in selecting suitable native species and ensuring that the existing ecosystems remain protected.

With over a hectare of land now covered by these new trees, we decided it was to give our growing woodland a name. In honour of our 25th anniversary in 2018, we christened it the ‘Anniversary Wood.’

While our woodland is still in its early stages, we’re excited to watch these saplings grow into a flourishing forest. We’ll keep you updated on their progress, and who knows – it might not be long before we’re planting the next section of woodland and crafting more stunning staircases!