Tree Amble

Tree Amble went to meet Jonny in Yorkshire where we walked a stretch of stream which had undergone restoration - fencing off stock, tree planting and in stream work - with his help and where outcomes for nature are looking up. Jonny is a very keen fisherman and works for the Wild Trout Trust with a day a week at Lancaster University as Professor in Practice. He is deeply committed to both research and delivery of ecological restoration and  having spent many years seeking to answer ecological questions, primarily in aquatic ecosystems. His research includes freshwater food webs as w...

Bill and Alison Lloyd are truly legendary in Cumbria. Perhaps best known for their musical ability as folk performers on the festival circuit and with their studio and recording business but also well known for their work with woodlands. They came to Cumbria by horse to work woodlands by horse power in a time of oil shocks and price rises... this seems familiar today does it not? Well, the oil shock and price rises anyway...  Deeply committed to environmental ideals this couple have worked the land, sung its stories and supported their fellows in a way very few have. T...

Martin farms arable crops in South Cambridgeshire and leads the Nature Friendly Farming Network. On farm, he focuses on soil health, integrated pest management, mixed rotations and schemes that pay for public goods. In his CEO role, he works with government, retailers and the finance sector to back farmers with simple rules and fair funding. Martin convenes farmer networks, shares what works in practice, and acts as a constructive voice across the sector – aiming for resilient businesses, better food and more nature. We hope you enjoy this walk and talk with Martin on his home farm!

In this episode we meet Luke Barley - Senior National Consultant - Trees and Woodlands for the National Trust to talk about his fabulous book "Ancient - Reviving the Woods that Made Britain" which was published in early 2026. Just before the book was published we went to meet Luke in Yorkshire and went for a walk to look at some ancient woodland and veteran trees on what turned out to be a miserably wet day! Despite the rain we had a cracking chat about Luke's motivation for writing the book and his very personal experiences in and around woodland...

In this Tree Amble episode we went to the South Lakes to find forester Edward Mills in his patch of ancient woodland. Ed's wood is buried deep in a part of the world rich in a woodland heritage and culture around wood products and management but also one which encompassed mining and farming. We talk about the woodland and its management today but also imagine how these sites were lived in, worked and connected to the outside world through trading of woodland products and their connection with mining, farming and textile production.  Our modern world looks at these sites f...

In this episode we meet Antonio from Spain and Charles from France talking about what we would call "Wood Pasture". Antonio talks about the value of his old wood pastures for the quality of his stock in his holistic system. He also says that where he lives they are now experiencing temperatures over the mid 30 degrees regularly... and sometimes 40... and his trees are essential to feed his cattle but also for their welfare. Charles talks about adding trees in his french system - 3D grazing. Well worth a listen particularly given our very high temperatures of the moment!

A group of committed volunteers came together in spring 2026 to create the first "Cumbria Nature Festival". We were invited to come along and record some of the festival voices ... and we did... this episode has 18 different voices from the weekend. Such a positive gathering of people who care. I hope you enjoy this Tree Amble Special!

Chloe and Rakesh were instrumental in bringing farmers and climate activists together in the North Pennines and filming the conversations about food, farming and climate..... its a great listen!

Chloe and Rakesh came together in a project which brought climate activists onto farms in the North Pennines and filmed the process - the film is called "Leaving it Better" and can be found on line. The idea was simple - bring people from 2 opposing views and see how they could work together positively - and it worked well. We talked about the film and process with Chloe and Rakesh and their motivation for the project. 

Anyone in the "re-wilding" conversation will be well aware of Knepp - from Isabella's book on Knepp's ground breaking work to copious media reports, videos and personal testaments. But fewer folks will be aware of some of the deeper thinking that underlies the conversations about nature people and history and how do we restore vital habitats without erasing or better still positively respecting our culture and history? This podcast episode is of a 2025 meeting of ecologists and archaeologists who got together at Knepp to talk about just that! I hope you enjoy.... 

One of the most traditional forms of woodland management is that of coppicing - cutting a tree to its base, using the material you have cut to make things like tool handles, fencing or chair legs, letting the tree regrow and cutting it again later on. This craft and way of living has had something of a resurgence in South Cumbria with apprenticeships and co-ops now working to support young workers into a skilled and satisfying craft. Listen here to Sam and Emily on their work and life and ideas.... 

In this episode we meet Patricia Wiklund from Finland - recorded over TEAMS. Regular Tree Amble listeners will know we spent some time on Aland in 2025, Patricia was behind our journey there. Patricia's company, known as Invenire, has the ambition to create rural landscapes that are regenerative and thriving. It was set up to help farmers and companies design and deliver better, more equal, human-centric and regenerative systems products and services. Check out Invenire.fi - we hope you enjoy this episode.

In this episode of Tree Amble we meet Chris Clark of Nethergill Associates. Chris and his colleagues now work from a North Devon base, though we first came across him on farm in Cumbria. Nethergill Business Management Consultancy has developed a unique approach to farm management which seeks to find a sweet spot where the farm is most profitable which they call the maximum sustainable output (MSO).  

To date Chris's team have analysed over 370 farm accounts from all types of farming enterprises, across the UK and overseas, and calculated the MSO for each one. Tree Amble is in...

Lynn Barnes kick started a veg revolution in Cumbria through her business Vista Veg. Since we chatted with Lynn about her early days growing vegetables and starting her veg box scheme. The box scheme she kicked off has grown and Vista Veg are now working with a number of other vegetable growers across Cumbria in a group called "Home Grown Here". The aim is clear - grown locally, grown responsibly and grown together. This project is supporting great food with low miles and lots of good organic credentials whilst employing people in rural Cumbria.  Please listen in and hear L...

In summer 2025 Tree Amble was invited to the Finnish Island of Aland to meet with a group of people trying to safeguard and restore the traditional wood pastures on the island through regenerative practices. The project, run by Patricia Wiklund and her colleagues, is aimed at bringing farmers together to learn and discuss regen techniques and to look at ways of re-evaluating their traditional pastures in a modern way. They still have extremely biodiverse pastures scattered around more intensive farms. Whilst in Aland we met with farmers, project managers, the water company, foresters, chefs and Jenni who is promoting...

In summer 2025 Tree Amble was invited to the Finnish Island of Aland to meet with a group of people trying to safeguard and restore the traditional wood pastures on the island through regenerative practices. The project, run by Patricia Wiklund and her colleagues, is aimed at bringing farmers together to learn and discuss regen techniques and to look at ways of re-evaluating their traditional pastures in a modern way. They still have extremely biodiverse pastures scattered around more intensive farms. Whilst in Aland we met with farmers, project managers, the water company, foresters, chefs and Jenni who is promoting...

In summer 2025 Tree Amble was invited to the Finnish Island of Aland to meet with a group of people trying to safeguard and restore the traditional wood pastures on the island through regenerative practices. The project, run by Patricia Wiklund and her colleagues, is aimed at bringing farmers together to learn and discuss regen techniques and to look at ways of re-evaluating their traditional pastures in a modern way. They still have extremely biodiverse pastures scattered around more intensive farms. Whilst in Aland we met with farmers, project managers, the water company, foresters, chefs and Jenni who is promoting...

In summer 2025 Tree Amble was invited to the Finnish Island of Aland to meet with a group of people trying to safeguard and restore the traditional wood pastures on the island through regenerative practices. The project, run by Patricia Wiklund and her colleagues, is aimed at bringing farmers together to learn and discuss regen techniques and to look at ways of re-evaluating their traditional pastures in a modern way. They still have extremely biodiverse pastures scattered around more intensive farms. Whilst in Aland we met with farmers, project managers, the water company, foresters, chefs and Jenni who is promoting...

Claire Whittle is now very well known in the regenerative agriculture sphere - she has a significant presence on social media and talks both vocally and passionately about natural systems and managing animals as naturally as possible - indeed this comes across as soon as you get into conversation.  Claire trained as a vet and worked until recently in standard veterinary roles but became aware of the limitations of drug based therapies through her study of dung beetles. These small animals are so important to soil health and the cycling of nutrients yet are often missing on farms due t...

The fourth of our mini series talking with the team who manage Epping Forest - a 6000 acre ancient woodland which sits cheek by jowl with the City of London. The forest stretches from the core of the city right out to the M25. Now it also has an area called the Borderlands where there is potential to create a new forest extension and its here that we meet and talk with Tanith Cook who heads the conservation team for Epping Forest. We discuss the potential for landscape and nature enhancements in the Border Lands.   

Tanith's episode is the fourth of our series of 4 podcasts about Epping Forest. We chatted to Tanith about the future extension of the Forest northwards (beyond the M25) into land already set aside for tree planting, cattle grazing, public access and engagement - a truly brilliant addition to Epping's 6000 acre ancient woodland and site of special scientific interest which sits cheek by jowl with the city of London. The existing woodland sits mainly between the London boroughs of Chingford and Epping - an area of woodland that rises not far from the city and travels north and east out...

John Phillips manages the long horn cattle in Epping Forest - John's episode is third in our series of 4 podcasts about Epping Forest. This amazing 6000 acre ancient woodland and site of special scientific interest is literally cheek by jowl with the city of London - the woodland sits mainly between the London boroughs of Chingford and Epping - an area of woodland that rises not far from the city and travels north and east out to the M25. Its management history goes back 1000's of years of cattle grazing and tree management through pollarding and coppicing of trees. Its...

Andy's episode in second in our series of 4 podcasts about Epping Forest. This amazing 6000 acre ancient woodland and site of special scientific interest is literally cheek by jowl with the city of London - the woodland sits mainly between the London boroughs of Chingford and Epping - an area of woodland that rises not far from the city and travels north and east out to the M25. Its management history goes back 1000's of years of cattle grazing and tree management through pollarding and coppicing of trees. Its conservation status is fascinating too as it was the first major...

Tom Boughton's episode kicks off our series of 4 podcasts about Epping Forest. This amazing 6000 acre ancient woodland and site of special scientific interest is literally cheek by jowl with the city of London - the woodland sits mainly between the London boroughs of Chingford and Epping - an area of woodland that rises not far from the city and travels north and east out to the M25. Its management history goes back 1000's of years of cattle grazing and tree management through pollarding and coppicing of trees. Its conservation status is fascinating too as it was the first major...

James needs little by way of introduction - he's well known for his views on farming and both his books and many broadcasts and interviews he's had on the subject. We were lucky enough to have worked with James on the farm with various hedge and tree planting events over the years.  Enjoy an episode about farming planting trees and hedges and not losing productive land!

We meet coppice worker Lee Bassett on a Cumbrian farm talking about his work to bring farm woodlands back into economic use and value to farms. Given the increase in planting on farms we need to value wood on our farms either using it directly or for sale. Lee is especially interested in bringing sweet chestnut into use in Cumbria, and on this farm discusses how it might be planted, managed and used.   

James Rebanks needs little by introduction. He has made a name for himself by authoring books and talking about his farming life in Cumbria and now many appearances on TV and Radio and even as guest editor on BBC Radio 4's Today Programme. But Tree Amble knows James of old from his tree planting, hedgerow, river rewiggling and pond building - much of which we have helped with. Look forward to our chat with James about trees and farming.  

In this episode we meet Maurice Pankhurst who spent his life working for nature and especially trees and woods. Maurice recently retired as the National Trust's forester for Borrowdale in the north of the English Lake District - and, for this interview, we meet him close to his home in Borrowdale for a walk in some of his favourite woods and trees. As with many people that work with natural systems the history of human engagement with them becomes very important as to how they were shaped and continue to be so. We discuss how busy with people, industry...

Andy and Kathy Swinscoe have developed, from very small beginnings, a cheese retail business that now employs over 20 people in the heart of Yorkshire.  The business has been located just outside Settle since 2017 and has grown to include the Cheese Shop, cheese production facility, museum and restaurant. Andy has spent a life in and around cheese both as a retailer and as maker in the UK and in France - his knowledge about cheese is astounding. 

We went to interview Andy because of the effect his business is having on a small but beautiful resurgence of quality ar...

Mike has been ecologically monitoring habitat restoration sites for us for nearly a decade. He has shown to us several times over not just the value of monitoring change but also how, when you do monitor change after a habitat restoration project, nature responds rapidly.... but not always by the book! He has uncovered lots of positive changes that the textbooks say should not happen. The value of having a "Mike" in the team is enormous. This chat we had opens up some of Mike's findings and how he approaches monitoring. 

The second agroforestry show is coming to Woodoaks Farm, Maple Cross in Hertfordshire on 10th and 11th of September. Here at tree Amble we really support the bringing back together of trees and farming - particularly with all the benefits for animal welfare, productivity and nature that can be gained from well planned agroforestry systems. So, we went to chat with site manager Steve Dutch at Woodoaks and also met with Rose Lewis (Steve's boss!) to talk about how Woodoaks farm came to the SA and there thinking around soils and agroforestry.  

Part 2 of our conversation with Peter Livingstone at his not for profit tree nursery near Glasgow. We hear more about about the other species Peter is working on and more about his motivations, people and projects. 

As a younger man Peter got involved with remediating derelict land in Scotland's central belt. His work eventually exposed him to using trees to aid restoration and before long he discovered that aspen was used all over Europe for restoration but not at home. Research and grant aid later finds him collecting and growing aspen clones for planting on remediation sites and then a journey into trees.....

Mention Phil's name in West Cumbria and many folks will know him. He has created a wonderful community of people around him through his work as a basket maker and willow weaver. Phil grows willow and makes baskets but he also shares his knowledge widely and engages in many other willow related things - including river restoration! Phil is a complete gem and is great spend time with.

Rose, Anwen and I met at a farming conference and very quickly hit it off. We were all wondering why a tree lover and two archaeologists would spend a weekend talking about mob grazing and soils. Yet it is obvious really - learning about how we manage land reflects on where we have come from and how we might restore nature to farming once more. Rose and Anwen have such life and energy for their chosen subject!

Neil and Leigh Heseltine farm in the North Yorkshire village of Malham - famous for its amazing geology and beautiful setting. Neil's journey into farming with nature, in fact farming nature, is fascinating. He has moved from farming sheep to farming cattle. He loves the landscape he has farmed all his life and it comes across in this episode. 

In this episode of Tree Amble we head up to Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park in Central Scotland to meet Hamish Thompson the Estate Manager of the Woodland Trust's largest single site Glen Finglas. Hamish and his team are responsible for managing over 4000 ha / 10,000 acres of ancient woodland, wood pasture, peat bog and mountain.  This is tree management on an epic scale and a day's walk around the tracks or up one of the Glen's hills is hardly enough to take in the scale of this landscape. Hamish's work crosses many disciplines but we meet him in a...

Have you ever thought about beef or dairy from the cow's perspective? In this episode of Tree Amble we meet Dr Lindsay Whistance who has a life long passion for cows and is deeply concerned about our relationship with them. She works as the senior livestock researcher at the Organic Research Centre and has 4 themes to her work: 

* Farm animal behaviour 

* Participatory research and facilitation

* Health and welfare planning and assessments

* Role of trees and shrubs in landscapes and food systems for farmed animals

I hope you enjoy this co...

We met Kate Hanley down at Dovestones just east of Oldham on a very wet day in 2024. Kate works for the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) and manages a brilliant project on land above Dovestones which is owned by water company United Utilities but leased to the RSPB for nature recovery. Kates work here is really drilling down into how we restore very degraded peat bogs - essential for carbon storage, water management [keeping water back for both flood prevention and droughts] and for nature. Our upland peat bogs have been hammered by pollution, extraction and...

In this Tree Amble Special we went back to Torpenhow [pronounced Tre'pen'ah] - Mark and Jenny's Farm - and joined the Specialist Cheesemakers Association at their annual gathering. We had a ball with these amazing cheese makers eating and talking about the best of the best cheeses in the UK. These folks are brilliant food producers and all concerned with nature on land they manage or where their milk comes from and what it can do for good food taste and production.