David Oakes
banner
davidoakes.bsky.social
David Oakes
@davidoakes.bsky.social
Actor & Ecologist
http://www.davidoakes.co.uk

🚂 Levin in ‘Anna Karenina’ @ Chichester FT
https://www.cft.org.uk/events/anna-karenina

⚔️ ‘Vikings: Valhalla’ on Netflix
🎙️ Hosts www.treesacrowd.fm
🔬 Student of Evolutionary & Behavioural Ecology
Pinned
That said; with a united backing, I would call on @wclnews.bsky.social to coalesce around a strong and bold vision that is uncompromising in placing nature and the environment at the top of their agenda.
Anything less than a united voice is proving easily batted away by a government prioritising *Planning* above the *Environment*.

@wclnews.bsky.social is our best current mechanism to mount an opposition.

I call on all British eNGOs (big & small) to work together to refocus the Labour govt.
Reposted by David Oakes
The eyes of the world should be on Ecuador tomorrow. The Trump-backed government is holding a referendum to permit US military bases in the Galapagos, and allow changes to the country's unique constitution to facilitate mining, threatening the rights of nature and indigenous people. Disastrous! 🦤🐢🌎
November 15, 2025 at 2:20 PM
Reposted by David Oakes
Watching Labour MPs take a wrecking ball to nature makes me so angry & so sad. Their action tonight voting down amendments to the #PlanningBill intended to protect wildlife & habitats from destruction is so reckless & so counterproductive. People didn’t vote Labour for this 👇
Housing secretary tells Labour MPs to vote down planning bill amendment
Amendment restricts protection for animals to allow faster house building
www.theguardian.com
November 13, 2025 at 9:06 PM
Yup…

…called it. What a sad day for British nature and British politics.
When the bill returns to Parliament, should Labour whip the vote against art.130, they are proudly saying that Labour are not a party that gives a damn about nature.

For a nation of nature lovers; our govt is tone deaf.

Write to your MPs now, please.
Peers have passed a “milestone” pro-nature amendment to the Planning and Infrastructure Bill following a late night debate in which ENDS is told the bill’s “economic and ecological illiteracy” was “laid bare” ⬇️
November 13, 2025 at 8:53 PM
Reposted by David Oakes
When the bill returns to Parliament, should Labour whip the vote against art.130, they are proudly saying that Labour are not a party that gives a damn about nature.

For a nation of nature lovers; our govt is tone deaf.

Write to your MPs now, please.
October 30, 2025 at 3:10 PM
Reposted by David Oakes
Sussex Wildlife Trust celebrates success in legal battle to stop Marine Conservation Zone dumping as licence is quashed

sussexwildlifetrust.org.uk/news/sussex-...

Short-snouted Seahorse © Paul Naylor
November 7, 2025 at 11:48 AM
When the bill returns to Parliament, should Labour whip the vote against art.130, they are proudly saying that Labour are not a party that gives a damn about nature.

For a nation of nature lovers; our govt is tone deaf.

Write to your MPs now, please.
October 30, 2025 at 3:10 PM
Reposted by David Oakes
New paper - Learning about a topic by interacting with AI chatbots rather than following links provided by web search can produce shallower knowledge

Just saying ...

academic.oup.com/pnasnexus/ar...
Validate User
academic.oup.com
October 28, 2025 at 5:46 PM
I met some extraordinary people at the IUCN WCC; I was even fortunate enough to record one of the conversations…:
“We’ve lost half of life in the ocean since the 1950s — but as long as there’s life, there’s hope.” 💙

We’re back! David Oakes dives deep with Her Deepness Dr Sylvia Earle and Mission Blue’s Dr Tessa Hempson — two extraordinary ocean champions.

🎧 Listen now at www.treesacrowd.fm/dr-sylvia-earle
October 21, 2025 at 7:33 AM
The shame of living where moving from Environment Sec. to Housing Sec. is seen as a promotion.

The double shame of living where the integrity of our politicians shift according to the labels written on their office door.

Remind your local MP: With no Nature, there’s no roof that can shelter them.
October 18, 2025 at 2:59 PM
Reposted by David Oakes
A mandatory swift brick for every new home won't be supported by Housing Secretary Steve Reed. That's quite a u-turn from the former Environment Secretary. www.theguardian.com/environment/...
Government U-turns on support for bird-friendly swift bricks in new homes
Housing minister Steve Reed refuses to back mandating measure, despite giving support while in environment job
www.theguardian.com
October 17, 2025 at 2:14 PM
Yep - @greenparty.org.uk just secured my vote.

Come for the environment; stay for their social agenda.

And for the naysayers; you tried Blue (a lot), Red isn’t going all that well… so maybe in three years, it’ll be time to go Green.
October 17, 2025 at 9:05 AM
Is anyone pleased with the Planning Bill?

Wildlife Groups are (rightly) ‘displeased’.

The Govt. continues to spout hyperbolic claims of “unshackling” Britain.

And NOWHERE can I find quotes from anyone in the building sector who is genuinely excited!

www.propertyreporter.co.uk/the-planning...
The Planning Bill pretends to help developers. In reality, it will only create chaos
Sally Hayns, CEO of the Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management, explores why Part 3 of the Government’s Planning and Infrastructure Bill is far from the “win-w...
www.propertyreporter.co.uk
October 16, 2025 at 9:05 AM
The hope that quashing environmental protection will kickstart UK building is a derided fallacy. Building stops when ppl can’t afford houses:

“…the market remains uncertain…” Taylor Wimpey

“…we saw build costs increase by around 33%… house price inflation (is) flat.” Persimmon

It’s
Not
Newts!
We are being sold a false story that nature is the enemy. That newts, bats, snails and spiders are somehow responsible for the so-called housing crisis and a blocker to economic growth. This is a deliberate lie - using a cynically chosen group of species that could be found in a witches cauldron.
October 14, 2025 at 2:05 PM
That said; with a united backing, I would call on @wclnews.bsky.social to coalesce around a strong and bold vision that is uncompromising in placing nature and the environment at the top of their agenda.
Anything less than a united voice is proving easily batted away by a government prioritising *Planning* above the *Environment*.

@wclnews.bsky.social is our best current mechanism to mount an opposition.

I call on all British eNGOs (big & small) to work together to refocus the Labour govt.
October 12, 2025 at 3:51 PM
Anything less than a united voice is proving easily batted away by a government prioritising *Planning* above the *Environment*.

@wclnews.bsky.social is our best current mechanism to mount an opposition.

I call on all British eNGOs (big & small) to work together to refocus the Labour govt.
October 12, 2025 at 3:08 PM
Reposted by David Oakes
In Abu Dhabi since yesterday attending the World Conservation Congress of #IUCN which will end on 15 October 2025. Great place to learn and meet #conservationists and #naturelovers @davidoakes.bsky.social
October 10, 2025 at 1:41 PM
PLAN:

1. Locate 2nd/3rd homes on the UK mainland worth in excess of £1m.

2. Rehouse all inhabitants of Isle of Wight into these properties (reimburse previous owners with gratitude and certificate saying they’ve provided a social good.)

3. Rewild IoW - including reintroduction of Lynx & Wolves.
October 2, 2025 at 8:46 AM
If you've not discovered @thenerve.news yet, their first edition is out today and is more than worth diving into.
September 30, 2025 at 8:19 PM
Reposted by David Oakes
Gosh, what a mystery. Whatever could have happened to them?

No bodies, no tags, no prosecutions, no accountability, no deterrent. This will continue.

#RaptorResearch #WildlifeCrime

raptorpersecutionuk.org/2025/09/29/t...
Two Golden Eagles ‘disappear’ in south Scotland – Police appeal for information
Press release from Police Scotland, 29 September 2025: APPEAL FOR MISSING GOLDEN EAGLE Detectives are appealing for information after a satellite-tagged golden eagle disappeared in the hills to the…
raptorpersecutionuk.org
September 29, 2025 at 2:51 PM
Took D1 to meet @drjessfrench.bsky.social and some of her mini-beasts at the Bath Children’s Literature Festival yesterday. Jess is ALWAYS an enthusiastic whirl of joyful entomo-trivia!

Flashback listen:
www.treesacrowd.fm/dr-jess-fren...
September 28, 2025 at 8:06 AM
A renewed perspective upon the genocide we could, as a nation, work harder to halt.

Please take time to read.
September 27, 2025 at 8:30 AM
Very well deserved!!
🌳🌳🌳
🥳🍾The Argyle Street ash has been crowned UK #TreeOfTheYear 2025 🎉🏆

The 1st tree in Glasgow to be protected by a tree preservation order, it's adored & cared for by the community. Thanks to David Treanor for nominating, & players of People's #PostcodeLottery for their support of the contest.
September 25, 2025 at 6:29 PM
Reposted by David Oakes
"10 years after the Paris Agreement, governments plan to produce more than double the volume of fossil fuels in 2030 than would be consistent with limiting global warming to 1.5°C"

Stark "production gap" report from @unep.org today
www.sei.org/publications...
September 22, 2025 at 8:18 AM
I would **love** to interview Walton Ford for the podcast…

…if any one contemporary artist epitomises the juncture between art and nature (alongside my love of the absurd and grotesque!) then it is he; “John James Audubon meets Hieronymous Bosch” as someone once told me.

@treesacrowd.bsky.social
September 1, 2025 at 7:16 PM