Built for Wonder. Rooted in Nature.
We construct immersive, nature-based play environments using sustainably sourced timber, stone, cork surfacing, and permeable systems — built to endure, built to inspire.
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CSLB Licensed
Contractor Lic. #1067489
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40+ Years
Division of CK Landscape
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CPSI Certified
Playground Safety Inspector on Staff
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Bay Area & Northern CA
Dedicated Nature Play Specialists
BUILT BY CRAFTSMEN. MADE FOR KIDS.
CK Nature Play is a construction and installation company dedicated to building natural play environments that feel real — not manufactured.
We specialize in natural log play structures, boulder terrain, Corkeen safety surfacing, Addaset/Addapave permeable systems, water play features, outdoor classrooms, ADA-accessible pathways, shade structures, and full landscape construction.
We build for every child — incorporating ADA-accessible pathways, ground-level play features, and inclusive terrain that welcome children of all abilities into every project we deliver.
While we collaborate closely with architects and landscape architects, our core role is construction — translating thoughtful designs into safe, durable, and deeply engaging environments for children.
Who We Serve
For Municipalities & Parks Agencies
We understand public bidding, ADA requirements, and agency timelines. Our CPSI credential and CSLB-licensed construction team are ready for park and civic space projects of any scale. We provide full safety documentation, ASTM compliance records, and post-installation inspection at every handoff.
For Schools & Campuses
We build on school timelines — completing installations during summer and break windows to minimize disruption. We work directly from architect plans, communicate proactively, and provide full safety documentation before the first child sets foot on site.
For Landscape Architects & Designers
We are construction partners, not competitors. We provide constructability input, material expertise, and CPSI-informed safety alignment — then build your vision faithfully and responsibly. Designers lead vision. We build it responsibly.
A Construction Company with a Clear Purpose
CK Nature Play is first and foremost a construction and installation firm — a dedicated division of CK Landscape, the company Gary Cartwright founded over 40 years ago and that his son Alex has grown up in, worked in, and now carries forward.
We build structural timber elements, boulder groupings, engineered surfacing systems, water play features, outdoor learning environments, and ADA-accessible site features. We understand soils, foundations, drainage, anchoring, and durability — and we build environments that last.
Alex Cartwright grew up in the landscape business — and in the redwoods. His father, Gary Cartwright, founded CK Landscape over 40 years ago and built it into one of the San Francisco Bay Area’s most respected landscape construction firms. Every summer, Gary brought Alex and the family to the Santa Cruz Mountains, passing down not just a trade but a love of the natural world — the uneven ground, the filtered light through the canopy, the feeling that a landscape could shape how you move through life. Gary passed away a few years ago. His name is in the company, and his spirit is in every project his son builds.
Alex grew up working in the business, learning construction from the ground up — and now has young children of his own, whom he takes to those same Santa Cruz redwoods every chance he gets. CK Nature Play is his most personal project: a chance to design and create the way his own small children experience the world, to think about what they reach for and what stops them in their tracks, and to emulate those cherished landscapes for kids who may never otherwise have access to them. Building these environments is not just work. It is a way of honoring his father, sharing what was given to him, and passing it forward to the next generation.
Alex is personally involved in every CK Nature Play project — from initial site review through post-installation inspection.
Alex Cartwright — Founder, CK Nature Play
The Research Is Clear. The Need Is Real.
Nature-based play environments are not a trend. They are a response to decades of research showing that children's physical, cognitive, and emotional development is directly supported by unstructured engagement with natural landscapes.
Built for Every Child
The benefits of nature play are not limited to typically developing children. Research increasingly shows that natural environments support children with ADHD, sensory processing differences, and autism spectrum conditions — reducing anxiety, improving focus, and creating social opportunities that structured environments often do not.
Nature play spaces, when thoughtfully designed and inclusively built, offer something that traditional playgrounds rarely do: a genuinely welcoming environment for children of all abilities, backgrounds, and developmental profiles.
Benefits and Findings
Motor & Physical Development
Children playing in natural landscapes show improved motor fitness, balance, and coordination.
(Fjørtoft, 2004)
Attention & Concentration
Exposure to green outdoor settings improves concentration and reduces attention fatigue in children.
(Kuo & Taylor, 2004 — University of Illinois)
Emotional Regulation
Access to green space is associated with reduced stress, improved emotional regulation, and increased imaginative play.
(Multiple peer-reviewed studies)
Physical Activity
According to the CDC, only 24% of children ages 6–17 meet recommended daily physical activity levels. Nature-based environments increase active play duration and engagement.
(CDC Physical Activity Guidelines)
Inclusive Benefits
Nature play has documented benefits for children with ADHD, sensory processing differences, and autism spectrum conditions — improving focus, reducing anxiety, and supporting social engagement.
(Taylor & Kuo, 2009; Larson et al., 2011)
The Next Generation of Environmental Stewards
Children who play in natural environments grow up to care about them. Access to natural landscapes in childhood is one of the strongest predictors of environmental stewardship in adulthood.
Every nature play space we build is an investment not just in the children who use it today — but in the adults who will make decisions about the natural world tomorrow.
We build with materials that belong in nature — because that's where they'll live.
Our timber is sourced from sustainably managed forests. Our boulders are locally quarried where possible. Corkeen safety surfacing is made from renewable cork — a natural, rapidly regenerating resource. Addaset and Addapave permeable resin systems are engineered for longevity, reducing the frequency of replacement and the resources consumed over the life of a project.
We build things that last — because durability is its own form of sustainability.
Our Materials & Sustainability
SERVICES
CK Nature Play provides complete construction and installation services for natural play environments. We work from architect and landscape architect plans, or alongside design teams from early in the process.
Outdoor Classrooms & Learning Environments
Seating circles, teaching walls, planting beds, chalkboard surfaces, and structured gathering spaces that extend learning into the natural environment.
We work with school planners and landscape architects to build outdoor classrooms that are durable, weather-appropriate, and educationally functional — on school construction timelines.
Site Preparation & Grading
Full site preparation including clearing, grading, drainage installation, and sub-base preparation for play surfaces and structural elements.
With 40+ years of landscape construction experience, CK brings the heavy-equipment capability and soil knowledge to prepare even challenging Bay Area sites — clay soils, steep grades, and drainage-sensitive ground included.
Shade Structures, Site Integration & Interactive Play Elements
Installation of structural shade systems — cantilever, sail shade, and timber pergola configurations — coordinated with the natural character of the environment. We also supply and install prefabricated interactive play elements such as outdoor drums, magnetic art walls, chalkboard panels, and sensory play features that complement and enrich the natural environment.
We install engineered shade structures with proper footings and wind load compliance, and coordinate all site elements — structural, natural, and prefabricated — so the finished environment reads as a unified, cohesive space rather than a collection of separate installations.
Post-Installation Safety Inspection
A formal post-installation CPSI walkthrough covering safety compliance, surfacing integrity, fall zone verification, equipment spacing, and structural review.
Every CK Nature Play project closes with a documented safety inspection by our on-staff Certified Playground Safety Inspector. Full written documentation is provided at handoff — essential for public agency and school district records.
Natural Timber Play Elements
Log scrambles, climbable timber forms, balance beams, natural slides, and structurally anchored features — each selected and installed with long-term durability and ASTM F1487 safety compliance in mind.
All timber elements are anchored with engineered footings appropriate to site soils and load requirements. We use sustainably sourced hardwoods and redwood where specified.
Boulder Play & Stone Terrain
Boulder scrambles, climbable stone clusters, retaining systems, and playable grade transitions — encouraging strength, balance, and spatial awareness.
We source locally quarried stone where possible and work with geotechnical requirements on engineered sites. Boulder groupings are set and anchored for permanent stability.
Water Play Features
Seasonal and year-round water play elements including water tables, stream channels, pump features, and splash zones integrated into the natural landscape.
We coordinate with civil engineers and plumbing contractors on wet utility connections and design water play to complement the broader site ecology.
ADA Pathways & Accessible Play Features
Accessible pathways, ground-level play features, and inclusive terrain built to ADA Standards for Accessible Design and ABA Accessibility Standards for public facilities.
Every CK Nature Play project incorporates accessible routes and inclusive site features — not as an afterthought, but as a core element of the design build. We build for every child.
Corkeen Safety Surfacing
Renewable, impact-attenuating surfacing meeting ASTM F1292 standards. Seamless installation, natural tone and texture, and reduced heat retention compared to most synthetic systems.
Corkeen is made from natural cork — renewable, non-toxic, and visually consistent with the natural character of nature play environments. Available in multiple depth profiles for varying fall height requirements.
Addaset / Addapave Permeable Systems
Durable, permeable resin-bound aggregate systems for ADA-compliant pathways, park transitions, and drainage-sensitive sites.
Addaset and Addapave meet ADA pathway requirements for firmness and stability while maintaining stormwater permeability. Ideal for sites with drainage constraints or impervious surface limits.
HOW WE WORK
We believe the construction process should be as thoughtful as the environment we're building. Here's how a typical CK Nature Play project unfolds.
We learn about your project, site, timeline, and budget. No commitment required. We'll discuss your design team setup and how CK Nature Play fits into the process.
Discovery Call
We review your plans — or your landscape architect's plans — and provide constructability feedback, material recommendations, and CPSI-informed safety alignment before ground is broken.
Design Review
We provide a detailed written scope of work, material specifications, project timeline, and transparent pricing. No surprises.
Proposal & Scope
Construction
Our crew delivers. We keep your site clean, communicate proactively with your team, and hit our milestones. Alex Cartwright is personally involved in every project.
Post-Install Inspection
Our CPSI-credentialed team conducts a final walkthrough covering safety compliance, surfacing integrity, fall zone verification, and structural review before handoff. Full documentation provided.
Already working with a landscape architect or designer?
We're experienced in collaborating with design teams already in progress. Send us your plans, and we'll provide constructability feedback, material pricing, and CPSI-informed safety input — without disrupting the design process.
We respect the designer's vision. Our job is to build it faithfully, safely, and to last.
Let's Build Something That Matters.
If you're developing a park, school campus, or civic space and seeking an experienced natural play construction partner, we welcome the opportunity to collaborate.
