Tree Amble

Farming / Rewilding / Native Breen Cattle / Climate: Chris, Helen and the family agreed several years ago that they were increasingly concerned about the state of nature and that, with some money they had at hand, they would buy some land in North Yorkshire for a tree planting project. I met Chris and Helen around this time more or less when they had acquired their first site. We talked about possible outcomes and went on to create a woodland with wildflowers much like Alwyn did [see one of earlier episodes - Alwyn's Forest of Flowers]. Since then they have acquired more land and started a farming and wildlife operation and employing a small team under the banner "Make it Wild". This interview is with Chris at a gorgeous site which links a low input farming system with ancient woodland and scrub restoration.

Oxford REAL Farming Conference has become one of the most exciting, warm and creative events in the calendar. Set, as you would imagine, in Oxford the event brings together people from all walks of life but who share a passion for changing our farming and food systems to include people at all levels but also nature in all its glory. In January 2024 1800 paying delegates went to Oxford REAL - this REAL has become a big DEAL! Tree Amble went along with a mic and a bag of questions. We interviewed many people and this episode brings together many of those voices into one space to give you an idea of the variety of people, thoughts and activities on offer. IF you can ... book in for 2025!

Oxford REAL Farming Conference has become one of the most exciting, warm and creative events in the calendar. Set, as you would imagine, in Oxford the event brings together people form all walks of life but who share a passion for changing our farming and food systems to include people at all levels but also nature in all its glory. In January 2024 1800 paying attendees went to Oxford REAL - this REAL has become a big DEAL! Tree Amble interviewed two of the founders - Ruth West and Colin Tudge - to hear about the inspiration and the early days of ORFC.

Scotland / Crofting / Native Breeds / Rainforest Woodland Sam and Alasdair's croft is in a beautiful location overlooking the sea and includes land by the water. It also rises up sometimes quite steep wooded slopes to the foot of the "hill" behind. This croft has supported generations of folks from its small but productive grazing fields yet it also contains remnants of what we might now call Temperate Rainforest or even, this close to the sea, Maritime Rainforest. This zone of rainforest has moderate year round temperatures and high humidity.. it is extremely rare and every bit as valuable as tropical rainforest. Within this rainforest are also hazel woods which hit the "rare" scale in a big way. Sam and Alasdair manage their croft with animals and for nature. Alasdair is a true man of the woods and his knowledge is exceptional.

Restoration / Landscape / Ecology / Lowther / Rewilding / Beavers Tree Amble went to meet Mike in Cumbria in a patch of woodland where beavers have been released - and where they have really got to work creating ponds and pools and coppicing trees. Mike does a lot of work with Pete from Tree Amble. Pete wanted to get a glimpse of Mike's work monitoring the response of wildlife to management changes in projects designed to bring back nature. Mike and Tamsin are a couple and both work as ecologists helping us monitor change. The evidence they provide can either give us satisfaction that we have done something well and nature is returning or that we need to do more or change an aspect management. We spent a long time counting frogspawn in this episode!

Farming / Nature / Trees / Native Breed Cattle: Tree Amble went to meet Ruth at her and Wal's holding in the South Lakes towards the end of the summer. We talked about how, by grazing native cattle, planting trees and managing hedges they have brought back life to this small but characterful area of land. Part of the conversation reflects how they each advocate for slightly different outcomes and like all good farming couples have to come to agreement about where what and when in their farming system. Ruth does a lot of work with farmers across Cumbria and, notably, works with Pasture For Life on their mentoring programme. The programme brings regenerative farmers together to provide support and to share knowledge. She also has other multiple strings to her bow and is truly one of those people who is rooted in managing land for both people and nature. Enjoy the listen!

Wild Flowers / Climate / Wellbeing / Tree Planting: One of Tree Amble's favourite projects is Forest of Flowers [FOF] - this is where we take ex arable soils in very poor condition, deep plough them, broadcast wildflower seed and then plant trees. The idea came from Denmark and their forestry creation work but was interpreted by the great folks at Landlife and given a new life as a way to provide suitable wildflower seed beds using the same principle - reduce surface fertility by inverting the top layers of soil potentially to 1m in depth. We have pinned this on one stage by adding in trees to the mix. Many people are now very and rightly concerned about ploughing and its ability to impoverish soils, release carbon, open soil up to erosion. Many more are concerned that we should not be ploughing and planting arable soils upon which we could grow food. But this approach will only ever operate on a few small sites and the monitoring we have carried out on these few sites suggest that [as a one off operation] the carbon release is rapidly compensated for by sequestration and the boost to biodiversity is off the scale. Alwyn's site in Yorkshire - which we visit in this episode - was restored only in 2015 and 2016 and is now one of the best butterfly sites in Yorkshire. This is creative conservation at its best!

Soil / Geology / Restoration / Lancaster University John and I were at school together too many years ago to think about - he introduced me to Neil Young and I introduced him to Jethro Tull. I'm still a fan of both. As kids we already had an idea of our interests - his was geography and rocks and mine was geography and trees. An inspirational teacher probably gave us license to think about both. Roll forward 40 years and John is now a professor of Soil Science at Lancaster University - we are both still mates and enjoy getting together for walks and talks. We met on a cold early spring day in a wild valley in Cumbria and talk about old times as well as our overlapping work in difficult spaces trying, where we can, to bring people together, to mend soils and restore biodiversity.

Farming / Hedges / Trees / Organic Dairy: Tree Amble were delighted to go and meet James Robinson on his farm near Kendal for the second interview in series 2. James is an organic dairy farmer and a leading light in the Nature Friendly Farming Network. He loves the cows on his farm but he also revels in the nature which comes when you manage land organically in a system of small fields surrounded by hedges - which James lays on a rotation - and mixed grass leys and herb rich meadows between. It was such pleasure to spend an hour chatting with James. We hope you enjoy this episode!

Episode 1 of our second series sees Pete up in the Cairngorms with Alan Crawford underneath an amazing granny pine within a very old patch of woodland. The views out from under the tree include mountains, gorgeous old woodlands and streams. It is truly beautiful. Alan talks about his mental health and wellbeing and how he finds peace and calm in old woods and with veteran trees. He is very knowledgeable about such places and his love of them comes across.

Rainforest / Scotland / Temperate / Networking / Ecology The second of two "Tree Amble Specials" this episode saw us heading to Scotland for a meeting of partner organisations and individuals working to save Scotland's Rainforest. Yes! Scotland has rainforest, and very special rainforest at that. The soft wet fringes of the west coast have just the tight conditions for rainforests to form with an amazing variety of mosses, lichens, bugs and beasts. It is highly fragmented and threatened ... but a lifeline is emerging as local people and groups with bigger organisations like Woodland Trust Scotland and RSPB come together to think and act in a coordinated way. Have a listen to some very special people working together to save something of immense significance for nature in Scotland. Bear in mind also that England Wales and Ireland (check out Eoghan Daltun's book - An Irish Atlantic Rainforest) also have remnants of gorgeous biodiverse rainforest.

Rewilding / Upland Farming / Native Breeds / Riggit Galloway / Pea Restoration / Slowing the Flow In this episode Tree Amble's Pete visits Kingsdale Head, a 1500 acre / 608 ha upland farm and natural regeneration project in the Yorkshire Dales. Owners Catherine Bryan and Tim Yetman discuss the challenging landscape and their ambitious plans to restore peatbogs as well as increase biodiversity and create a mosaic of habitats using native breed cattle to stimulate natural function. The project is focussed on extensive peatland restoration, rewetting the area so the site can store more carbon, water and ultimately support widespread natural regeneration. Kingsdale has a site manager who looks after the cattle and has become an excellent dry stone waller. Kingsdale Head is the final episode of Series One of Tree Amble. We have a couple of specials - Carbon Calling (out now) and Saving Scotland's Rainforest (coming soon!) before we commence Series Two in October!!

Carbon / Farming / Soils / Water / Nature / Nature friendly farming Carbon Calling is an awesome gathering of farmers in Cumbria, created and lead by farmers, talking about regenerative agriculture. 2023 was the second year of this conference hosted by Tim and Emma on their farm at Kirby Thore. About 200 folks talking positively about changing farming practice to save costs, deliver good food, manage soils, bring back nature and enjoy farming. Today's episode is a brings together many of the voices at the conference.

In this episode, Fidelity Weston shows Pete around Romshed Organic Farm in Kent, which she has managed for 40 years with a focus on restoring nature. With a network of woodland, hedges and species-rich meadows the 80ha Romshed Farm supports wildlife and biodiversity as part of a successful farming system. Fidelity is Honorary Vice President at Pasture for Life which works for sustainability, health and welfare standards through grass-fed meat farming. Grazing animals on 100% pasture brings positive impacts for biodiversity and carbon, human health and wellbeing, and animal health and welfare. Pasture for Life works on the ground, every day, to restore ecosystems, implement positive change in our food and farming systems, and demonstrate the benefits of 100% pasture fed animals.

Pete meets with Paul Arkle, a self employed advisor who works with farmers and landowners on agri-environment schemes in Cumbria. Paul's business is called Cumbria Farm Environment Partnership. Pete and Paul have worked together on many schemes in the last 18 years and discuss the changes in farming over that time. Has there been a shift towards working with nature and more awareness of the impacts of poor practice on wildlife and soil health? With wide-ranging experience in the agri-environment schemes now available, Paul also offers insight into how these are working (or not working) for farmers and landowners.

Pete catches up with Lee Schofield, author of Wild Fell, at RSPB Haweswater where Lee leads a team managing an amazing complex of habitats from wetland to woodland from fields with sheep grazing to upland fells with native breed cattle. Lee discusses the fascinating flora, fauna and fungi within the nature reserve, and the methods used by his team to support this important and thriving habitat. The pair also reflect on the difficulties facing upland farms, plus how diversification and simple changes can offer a huge benefit to farming businesses and wildlife.

As CEO of Ribble Rivers Trust, Jack leads a team of folks working to improve the River Ribble in Lancashire and all its tributaries, for both people and wildlife. He is immensely inspiring and hard working. Pete and Jack discuss the key threats to our rivers and their wildlife - from water quality and water flow to water temperature and river bank erosion. Jack explains how he works with farmers around the Ribble catchment to support and manage habitat on their land to improve the river, while often benefitting their business and livestock. Jack and Pete visit a small feeder stream and chat about the resident freshwater invertebrates, revealing the importance of this high quality river habitat.

David talks to Pete about Wakelyns Farm in Suffolk, a long established diverse agroforestry project of real note in the UK. The farm is small at 23 hectares but is incredibly productive with numerous stacked enterprises - the land managed in collaboration with a wide range of small businesses. Pete and David discuss how the Wakelyns project uses efficient growing methods, tailoring agroforestry principles for a variety of purposes across the site’s multiple 5-acre plots. This is a fascinating project which offers inspiration for farmers and food communities of all scales, demonstrating how different techniques can benefit nature and bring people together. David will be a speaker at the Soil Association / Woodland Trust Agroforestry Show 6th 7th September at Eastbrook farm, Swindon. This is an event really worth supporting!

Organic Dairy / Upland Farm / Sheep / Curlews / Nature Friendly Farming Andrew runs a remote upland farm of 460 acres in the Yorkshire Dales. His herd of native rare breed cows (Northern Dairy Shorthorn) produce a rich and flavoursome cheese from the farm’s diverse floral grasses and traditional wildflower hay meadows. Against the backdrop of curlew calls, Andrew talks to Pete about how he manages the farm with nature in mind, taking hay at the right time to protect ground-nesting birds, while avoiding fertiliser input and reducing sheep grazing. Andrew’s methods have proven to be an economic and practical solution for his farm, benefitting wildlife in the process.

In this episode, Archie, Estate Manager and Owner of the Spains Hall in Essex, talks to Pete about its 860 hectares, from ancient woodland, tenanted farms, and holiday cottages, to a ground-breaking beaver introduction, which Archie masterminded for local flood management. We discuss a wide range of topics across conservation and farming economics, and how Spains Hall Estate is navigating both of these on its path to a sustainable future.

Pete meets Jenny and Mark Lee on their Cumbrian dairy farm, which they’ve radically changed from intense dairy unit to organic, pasture-only system. As 'Torpenhow Farmhouse Dairy', they now make their own cheese, butter and ice cream, to get the most out of their high quality milk. We join the family on a momentous day - the first day of ice cream production! Pete sees the dairy setup in action, and finds out more from Jenny and Mark about their shift to regenerative farming.