OAKBANK NEWS AND BLOG

As the next Ashes series looms on the cricketing calendar, it’s timely to reflect on how the iconic contest between England and Australia creates a broader spotlight on the raw material behind cricket bats. The sport depends on quality timber from English willow and growing that timber may offer opportunities for landowners. When a bat made from prime English willow is used in Tests, from the famous stroke-play of national heroes to the domestic grass-roots club games that fe

There’s never a day without food on the ground at Brewery Farm, Suffolk. That’s how farmer and keeper Graham Denny has managed to ring over 80,000 birds across his 200-acre holding - proof that when supplementary feeding is done right, it transforms the fortunes of farmland wildlife. Graham’s approach is simple but relentless. Most mornings through winter, he’s out on the quad scattering seed by hand; feeding along the hedgerows and into the cover crops where the little birds

Defra confirms a one-year Countryside Stewardship Mid-Tier extension for over 5,000 English farmers, offering payment continuity and environmental delivery support.

At Oakbank, we spend a lot of time helping clients design and establish new hedge plantings. Done well, they can transform a farm - in...

We spend most of our time working away, alongside farmers, landowners and estate managers, helping to design and deliver habitats that...

Supplementary winter feeding bridges the "hungry gap" for farmland birds from December to April, when natural seed sources run low. Under Countryside Stewardship (AB12) and Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI, AHW2), farmers supply a compliant seed mix weekly across a minimum of two feeding sites per hectare. Using small seeds alongside cereals, feeding little and often and placing feed near existing habitat helps support species such as yellowhammer, corn bunting, linnet and

The start of August saw us welcoming our newest member to the Oakbank team. Max Cowell is currently studying at Harper Adams University...

This season is the first where growing a cover crop after maize is funded under the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) 2024, offering...

You can hardly go to an arable farming event without hearing about "cover crops" and "catch crops". But are they worth the space, time...

August is a critical month for game cover management. By now, the season’s early optimism has given way to reality: some plots look...

Version 3 of the Woodland Carbon Code (WCC), the quality assurance standard for verifying woodland carbon credits in the UK, was unveiled...

Herbal leys are more than just a latest fashion in livestock grazing swards - they play a strategic role in arable rotations, delivering...

Discover how to make the most of the England Woodland Creation Offer (EWCO) including tree survival during extreme drought - with innovative mulching, GPS planning and sustainable grant-backed solutions.

Harper Adams placement student Louise Webster reflects on her year with Oakbank - from woodland planning and environmental surveys to Groundswell and social media strategy.

Maximising IPM and soil health with well-designed companion crops under IPM3 / CIPM3. Establishment guidance, research and practical tips.

[APPLICATIONS NOW CLOSED] Defra's offer of £150m capital grants for farm investment in England.

With hot, dry days dominating much of the UK and some combines already rolling across the South and East before the end of June, many...

Local Nature Recovery Strategies (LNRSs)  are spatial plans, stemming from the Environment Act 2021, to drive habitat restoration,...

There is no hiding the fact that our wildlife is in need of some help. In the UK, 41% of species have experienced declines since 1970. Farmland birds have been some of the hardest hit, with an overall 56% decline in populations in the same 50 years. Corn bunting, grey partridge, turtle dove and tree sparrow have all declined by over 90%, with the turtle dove fast approaching extinction in the UK. As farmers, gamekeepers, and land managers, many are well placed to contribute t

Join us for the Cover Crop Clinic - begging you for MERCI session at Groundswell this year