We’re so excited to announce two new partnerships that give us an opportunity to create play destinations that are truly rooted in nature, without relying on one material. This marks a new chapter for us in nature-based play, born from our desire to make playgrounds that feel deeply connected to the natural world. This approach to nature-based design goes beyond choosing color schemes and nature-themed elements; the materials themselves establish the connection.
Introducing ACRE and WholeTrees, two new offerings from MRC Recreation and GameTime. ACRE offers a wood-like option that is tree-free – in fact, it’s made from upcycled rice hulls but looks, feels, and functions exactly like wood. WholeTrees offers natural round timber play elements from sustainably managed forests, with the organic form of real trees. With these two new paths to natural play, we can create more tactile, organic, and site-responsive play environments.
ACRE reimagines what natural playgrounds could be with a revolutionary wood-like material made without a single tree coming down. This is a fantastic option for designers who want the warmth and character of wood with greater material consistency and lower maintenance requirements. ACRE is made from upcycled rice hulls, an agricultural byproduct that would otherwise go to waste. It resists splintering, rot, water, weather, and pests, built for high-traffic playground environments. It’s also great for playgrounds because it does not require routine sealing, and factory-applied coatings help maintain its appearance. This and other material properties address some maintenance considerations we run into with traditional lumber, which is why we’ll be using it for barriers, decks, platforms, and custom play sculptures!
Rather than just creating playground components with a wood-look, ACRE’s excellent workability allows us to create beautiful sculptural forms. It gives our designers freedom to create unique custom environments, and our new series of forest creatures and climbers: EverForms! The first collection features Ren the Bird, Fern the Fox, Milo the Mouse, and more. The larger animal forms incorporate climbing, gathering, balancing, and imaginative experiences, while the smaller spring riders introduce movement with recognizable farm and garden creatures. These critters expand on the story of the landscapes they serve, giving the playground the look of having grown straight from the soil.
What if you don’t want the look of natural timber, but the real thing? Here’s a different approach.
WholeTrees uses solid structural round timber that retains the shape, grain, curves, branching, and individual characteristics of actual trees. They bring the beauty, strength, and tactile character of the forest into community playgrounds. WholeTrees uses Black Locust, one of America’s most decay-resistant trees, for most of our play equipment. All of our timber is sustainably harvested from carbon-smart forests, giving us an impactful way to bring biophilic design to public play spaces. We define biophilic design as integrating nature, natural materials, and natural patterns into spaces, with children able to touch, move around, balance on, and gather within the natural geometry of trees. Each piece is unique, designed to be adventurous and open-ended.
WholeTrees hand-peels, sands, treats, and finishes the timber to prepare it for installation in play environments. This way, they retain their organic form but are intentionally fabricated for playground use, designed and reviewed to meet applicable ASTM and CPSC playground standards. The joy of creating playgrounds with these trees is the character that already exists in the material. They naturally promote play opportunities like climbing, balancing, crawling, finding routes, and imaginative play. We’re launching our partnership with five pre-configured play experiences, or you can work with your local MRC Recreation representative to accessorize a unique play system. Some configurations include our Tree Fort, Pole Climbers, Log Stepper, and Log Maze. Similar to our EverForms critters, these stunning natural elements evoke the idea that the playground simply sprouted from the Earth.
Used together, ACRE and WholeTrees create layers of natural character that can be used to complement each other across a playground design. Together with GameTime play systems, we can create whole, inventive environments. Here’s a helpful chart:
|
|
ACRE + EverForms |
WholeTrees |
|
Material |
Upcycled rice hulls & PVC |
Structural Black Locust timber |
|
Appearance |
Consistent wood-like grain |
Naturally varied real timber |
|
Design style |
Sculptural and expressive |
Organic and unique |
|
Play character |
Animals, playful forms, storytelling |
Climbing, balancing, exploration |
|
Customization |
Paints, stains, custom forms |
Natural variation, custom configurations |
|
Maintenance |
No sealing required |
Periodic cleaning and refinishing* |
*WholeTrees recommends cleaning and reapplying finish every 1-5 years depending on conditions.
There are so many ways to design: WholeTrees can provide the major visual anchors, like a log maze, climbing feature, or tree fort. ACRE can support the surrounding system with coordinated decks, barriers, panels, trim, and custom sculptural details. We can also coordinate natural colors, surfacing, added plants, pathways, and site amenities. The result is a park truly, cohesively rooted in nature, through both material and design.
Nature-based playground design doesn't have to follow one aesthetic or rely on one material. With ACRE and WholeTrees, designers now have two very different ways to introduce natural character into commercial play spaces. ACRE offers the familiar warmth of wood in imaginative, highly expressive forms with a sustainable material designed for outdoor performance. WholeTrees celebrates the irregularity of real timber, allowing the curves, grain, and character of each tree to become part of the play experience. Together, they expand the possibilities for creating playgrounds that don't simply look inspired by nature, but feel and are more connected to it. Explore our new nature-based play options and connect with our team to find the right materials and play experiences for your next project.