The Oakbank Pod

Can a working estate make more room for wildlife without compromising financial performance? Tim and Ryan visit Godmersham Park in the Kent Downs to find out from Ben Palmer, the rural surveyor who took the it to a Silver Purdey Award for Game and Conservation in 2023. Godmersham is about a thousand acres, - a third woodland, a third grassland and a third arable, - with a syndicate shoot and two kilometres of the River Stour, a Kent chalk stream. Ben's brief was to maximise biodiversity without compromising the character or the financial performance of the estate. Ten years on: lapwing from one pair in 2018 to 10 to 15 pairs, hares from two on the whole estate to more than 200, yellowhammers from two on a winter feeder to over 150, six pairs of grey partridge where there were none, three singing nightingales, and in one spring more than 30 barn owls, a dozen kestrels and 28 little owls fledged, eating 208 mice a night between them. Ben explains how it paid. The wet grassland now earns £500 to £600 a hectare in wader payments. Six kilometres of deer fence, built by the gamekeeper at 500 metres a year, lifted the arable rent from £80 to £140 an acre. Taking the worst land out of the rotation on a neighbouring farm improved wheat yields by nearly two tonnes a hectare. There is practical detail on baselining before you start, the margin template, 400 nest boxes that fledged up to 2,000 young birds this year, supplementary bird feeding through to the end of April and how a shoot of a dozen days a year funds the keeper who makes it all possible.

What is a farmer cluster, what does it actually deliver for wildlife and how do you start one? Tim and Ryan visit the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust at Fordingbridge to speak to Megan Lock, senior farm environment advisor and facilitator of the Martin Down and Allenford Farmer Clusters. Megan looks after clusters covering 13,000 hectares of farmland across Hampshire, Wiltshire and Dorset, with Martin Down National Nature Reserve at the centre. The farmers pay £2 a hectare, take no government facilitation money and monitor everything. The results: grey partridge pairs up 147%, corn buntings up 346%, butterfly abundance up 183%, 600 Pheasant's eyes on one farm and more turtle doves on the farms than on the nature reserve. Megan explains what a farmer cluster is and what a facilitator does day to day, why a baseline survey comes first, how to monitor species, and how to get a cluster going (spoiler alert: it starts down the pub, but ultimately needs a purpose to thrive). There is practical advice on where corn buntings nest, why one farm went back to cultivating its headlands for arable plants and how the GWCT Partridge Count Scheme has been collecting data since 1933 and is always looking for new counters. Our regular bonus - Cheesed Off section, with a tasting of Lyburn cheeses, and the quickfire round: which British species Megan would be, the fossil she found on a molehill, and what frog in the ditch is. Find out more about the Partridge Count Scheme at gwct.org.uk/partridge. For independent environmental advice and seed, visit oakbankgc.co.uk

In this episode, hedge layer and countryside writer Richard Negus joins Tim Furbank and Ryan Peach in Suffolk for a practical discussion on hedgerow management, including how to tell whether a hedge needs laying, coppicing or a change in cutting regime, and what each choice means for the wildlife that call it home. Richard explains how he reads a hedge and why old hawthorn should be coppiced rather than laid. We discuss zombie hedges, staking, binding, hedgerow grants, the A-frame cutting to get sunlight to the base of a hedge and where yellowhammers and linnets choose to nest. And, of course, we also discuss Suffolk cheese. Richard Negus lays hedges across East Anglia, writes for the shooting press and is the author of Words From the Hedge. His next book, Natural Allies, is due to be out  in summer 2027. Oakbank supports farmers and landowners across the UK with independent environmental advice, quality seed and responsible conservation. Find out more at www.oakbankgc.co.uk

England, mainly the south and east of the country, is home to around 85% of the world's chalk streams. Yet these beautiful habitats are among our most threatened. Few people have done more to champion their recovery than Charles Rangeley-Wilson. In this episode we sit down with Charles, a founding member of the Wild Trout Trust and Norfolk Rivers Trust who has been instrumental in restoring chalk streams across the country. We cover how it all started, the projects he's been involved in, and how degraded rivers can be turned around with a little time and funding. As you'll hear, Charles's passion for wild trout, chalk streams, and wildlife in general is truly infectious.

Oakbank team sit down with Emily Graham from Conservation Communication to discuss the positive impact of their Upland Matters and Lowland Matters events. The episode highlights real success stories, including increased bird and insect populations, and stresses the importance of data collection and baselining to demonstrate conservation outcomes. The conversation also delves into the importance of upland management, and examines the double-edged role of social media in conservation - showcasing its power to share success stories while acknowledging the risks of miscommunication. The conversation explores the value of collaboration between farmers, gamekeepers, conservationists and policymakers, showing that most agree on key issues when open dialogue is encouraged. The podcast also covers the economic and community benefits of responsible land management, and offers practical advice for engaging the public, such as using QR codes and involving local groups, to build understanding and support for countryside management.

In this episode, Tim and Ryan head to meet Toby Simpson and Stuart Tabernor who farm in Northamptonshire and Cambridgeshire - to delve into the topic of Regenerative farming ahead of Groundswell next month. We cover how regenerative farming has helped their farm businesses, natural assets and biodiversity. We explore their thoughts on natural assets, such as soil structure and waterways, and how catch cropping, cover cropping and longer rotations are all intertwined and support one another. They share their thoughts on noticeable increases in species biodiversity, how to tackle invasive species while not always having to use herbicides and the do’s and don’ts of farming regeneratively that they’ve learnt so far. The episode finishes in real Oakbank style with not so local cheese and some quick-fire questions to round off a captivating discussion. A real must listen for farmers from all practises, gamekeepers, conservationists and anyone else with a real passion for positive change in the countryside to produce the wildlife-rich landscapes we all want to see.     

In this episode, Tim and Ryan head to meet Rupert Brewer, Game and Wildlife Ranger at Bisterne Estate, for a deep dive into wader conservation in lowland England. Rupert shares the story of a ten-year lapwing and redshank recovery project that has transformed breeding success across the estate. We explore how habitat management, targeted predator control and long‑term monitoring have driven measurable results, including increased fledging rates, growing redshank numbers and wider benefits for wetland birds, water vole and river habitats. The conversation covers: Why lapwing and redshank have declined and what works to reverse this trend The importance of winter grazing, water levels and invertebrate‑rich scrapes Predation management decisions on complex, publicly visible landscapes Using ringing, tracking and generational data to prove conservation outcomes As always, the episode blends practical detail with wider reflection on the realities of modern land management and finishes in true Oakbank style with local cheese, quick‑fire questions and Rupert’s thoughts on what, if anything, still holds UK conservation back. A must-listen for farmers, land managers, gamekeepers and conservation practitioners working towards productive, wildlife-rich landscapes.  

This time, we are exploring turtle dove conservation with Graham Denny at Brewery Farm in Suffolk.

For this episode, we sit down with Alex Keeble, Game and Wildlife Advisor at the GWCT, to discuss the role of predator control in a wide range of conservation projects, from wild game to reintroduction of waders. Alex shares his journey in conservation, explains the science behind effective predator management and highlights practical methods for controlling predators. We explore the three-legged stool approach - habitat, feed and predation management - for boosting biodiversity, and discuss challenges like legal changes to trapping and the importance of sustainable habitat creation. In addition, we touch on the importance of baselining before making habitat changes, shift to non-toxic shot, promoting game meat consumption and actionable tips for landowners and conservationists. As is the tradition, we also sample a selection of cheeses and discuss our favourites.

For our debut Oakbank podcast, Tim Furbank and Ryan Peach sit down at the Arundel Estate with Head Gamekeeper Charlie Mellor and Farm Manager Conor Haydon, exploring what it really takes to run a successful wild grey partridge project in the UK. The conversation lifts the lid on the working relationship between farming and gamekeeping, how habitat and predator management intertwine, what stewardship and SFI mean in practice and the crucial role of having a long-term vision. Charlie and Connor share refreshingly honest insights into collaboration, pitfalls, practical decisions and the realities of delivering both productive farming and thriving wildlife. The episode also includes a feature from GWCT’s Megan Lock on the importance of the Big Farmland Bird Count.