No matter what material is chosen it is going to be a lot of work!

I considered using wood ties for the retaining wall initially but the lifespan is much less than concrete block (20 vs +40 yrs). Concrete won't "rot" and should require little to no maintenance for many years. It is also practically inert and will not leach or deposit chemicals into the environment as with treated wood products when they decompose. If the type of wood features you are referring to are those like at Sunderbruch on the Jubilee trail, we don't and probably never will have authorization to build those at Illiniwek because it is being managed for a more natural appearance.

The block color is going to be a dark brown to blend in with the surroundings. Grey was used in the rendering to better highlight the structure.