Oakbank Game & Conservation Ltd

29/08/2026

A bit of competition? Moi? 😇🐦
The full podcast on all things hedges is available now.

27/08/2026

Instagram hedgers have been warned! 📸 😄 Hedge laying season is upon us in the UK, but Richard Negus may be leaving his billhook in the shed until well into October. Many hedges are too stressed from the drought and laying works best when the plant has the energy to respond. Full conversation in Episode 8 of The Oakbank Pod, out now! Link in bio.

25/08/2026

Today I was lucky enough to visit the Shaw Memorial Elms on Boston Common (Massachusetts USA), which are believed to have been planted by John Hancock between 1772 and 1812. Local tradition and historical documents from 1780 indicate these European elms (Ulmus minor 'Atinia' ) were planted across from the Hancock Mansion when John Hancock served as governor. They are considered the oldest English elms in the Western Hemisphere.

(Ulmus minor 'Atinia' and Ulmus procera are taxonomic synonyms referring to the exact same tree—the classic English Elm.)

((Wife for scale))!

20/08/2026

No cloud in the sky, not a problem for this Oakbank Maize crop in the Dorset hills!! 🤠

Look forward to hearing from you when Mr Blue Sky gives us some rain 🌧️ 🌧️🌧️

📞01480 890686

01/08/2026

It's a glorious sunny day Blakesley Show Pop down to meet our team to discuss seed, cover crops, woodland and much more!

23/07/2026

23/07/2026

Back on one of my all time favourite estates yesterday in Gloustershire. Checking in on a large ash regeneration fell harvesting operation with Marcus Ling and Dan Small. Oakbank Game & Conservation Ltd Everything is going to plan thanks to the dry conditions and the 2000t contract is on track for completion by mid August, ready for mulching and then replanting as of November

15/07/2026

What a day (I really have the best job).

This morning I welcomed the Forest of Marston Vale Trust team to look at the linear mulching system we devised with the Jockey Club Estates, which are in place now for over 18months and as yet we have had

14/07/2026

Wow! 2 x full days of FC in the last week for me!.. Last Thursday I attended a meeting in darkest Suffolk as part of the quarterly East Anglian FC advisory committee. Great morning of discussion / workshops and FC/ private sector relationship conflabs. Staggering afternoon visit to Kiln Farm, where Lucy the owner bought it only 4yrs ago, when it had 💯% deer damage. Lucy’s objective for the land was simply biodiversity. I witnessed eye watering results from managing deer numbers, the woods looked like they were back in the 50’s and I honestly though the regeneration growth I saw would have taken >10 years to prosper, not…. less than 4! Just shows what can be done if massively high deer numbers are taken out of the equation. What a superb day. Thank you Richard Pearce MICFor Elizabeth Nicholls and the FC.