OAKBANK NEWS AND BLOG

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.

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

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...

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

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

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

We held our second annual demonstration evening at Pilsgate, Stamford, on the 4th June 2025. An audience of almost 100 people gathers in...

At Hadleigh Castle, a new chapter in the landscape's history is unfolding. Beneath its ancient ruins, over 100 hectares of tired arable land are being transformed into vibrant wetland through a Higher-Tier Countryside Stewardship project. Designed to support lapwing, redshank and other wildlife, the scheme blends ecology with regenerative farming, using native grazing livestock, predator-proof fencing, and expertly crafted habitats.