OAKBANK NEWS AND BLOG

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...

Local Nature Recovery Strategies (LNRSs)  are spatial plans, stemming from the Environment Act 2021, to drive habitat restoration, nature-based solutions and environmental improvements across England. With nature in decline (e.g. species studied across the UK have declined on average by 19% since 1970) and in the context of national targets for reversing this decline, LNRSs should provide locally led roadmaps showing where best outcomes (i.e. most needed and most likely to su

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

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.

What exactly is a weed?  In basic terms, the term 'weed' refers to any plant growing in an unwanted location, whether that’s in a garden...