0:00:03 > 0:00:05There's a change in the air.
0:00:05 > 0:00:08And with it comes the most spectacular, the most theatrical,
0:00:08 > 0:00:11seasonal show of all -
0:00:11 > 0:00:13autumn.
0:00:15 > 0:00:19It's a time of fruitfulness, of harvest.
0:00:19 > 0:00:25When our six million acres of woodland come alive with colour.
0:00:25 > 0:00:28It's one of the busiest times of the year across the land.
0:00:28 > 0:00:32And for wildlife, it's a chance to stock up before the
0:00:32 > 0:00:34harsh winter days ahead.
0:00:35 > 0:00:38All this week, we're travelling the length and breadth of Britain,
0:00:38 > 0:00:42discovering the very best seasonal stories that matter to you.
0:00:43 > 0:00:46Oh, oh, ho, that's a biggie.
0:00:46 > 0:00:50Yeah. That is our family walnut tree.
0:00:50 > 0:00:52This is Countryfile Autumn Diaries.
0:00:57 > 0:01:02Here's what's coming up on today's programme...
0:01:02 > 0:01:07- Absolutely perfect.- Keeley reveals an ingenious idea to protect wild salmon.
0:01:07 > 0:01:10If you want to keep farm animals, and you don't have the space,
0:01:10 > 0:01:14I'll be showing you how it's possible, even in the heart the city.
0:01:14 > 0:01:18And Jules is finding out how your dog could be a killer without you
0:01:18 > 0:01:22- even knowing it.- The parasite eggs in there can last for many weeks.
0:01:22 > 0:01:24Even if there's not sheep or cattle here at the moment,
0:01:24 > 0:01:26it could be a problem.
0:01:28 > 0:01:32We're here all week in the Kielder Forest in Northumberland,
0:01:32 > 0:01:34England's biggest man-made forest.
0:01:34 > 0:01:39And right in the middle of it is the UK's biggest man-made reservoir.
0:01:39 > 0:01:43It's a truly stunning place to be on an autumn day like this.
0:01:46 > 0:01:51But we start with one of England's loveliest woodlands, the Chilterns.
0:01:51 > 0:01:56They stretch for 322 square miles across four south-east counties.
0:01:58 > 0:01:59Beneath the canopy,
0:01:59 > 0:02:03there lurks an uninvited guest that's causing devastation.
0:02:03 > 0:02:06We sent Margherita to investigate.
0:02:08 > 0:02:10OWL HOOTS
0:02:10 > 0:02:13This might look like your average,
0:02:13 > 0:02:17ancient woodland but these twisted branches are harbouring
0:02:17 > 0:02:18a little horror.
0:02:18 > 0:02:20SINISTER SCORE
0:02:24 > 0:02:26It has razor teeth, a rabid appetite,
0:02:26 > 0:02:29it's an unstoppable eating machine.
0:02:32 > 0:02:36Meet...the edible dormouse.
0:02:39 > 0:02:43Edible dormice, often referred to by their Latin name, Glis glis,
0:02:43 > 0:02:45are an invasive species from Europe,
0:02:45 > 0:02:48who've made the Chiltern Woods their home.
0:02:48 > 0:02:51In the last ten years, their population has exploded.
0:02:51 > 0:02:53So much so,
0:02:53 > 0:02:58dormouse specialist Roger Trout now leads a team studying their impact
0:02:58 > 0:03:01and his findings are alarming.
0:03:01 > 0:03:05Roger, this is one of the nesting boxes for the edible dormouse.
0:03:05 > 0:03:07Can we see who's inside or how many we've got here?
0:03:07 > 0:03:13Yes, of course. We can put your little camera in very carefully.
0:03:13 > 0:03:16Hope that nobody's moving about too much.
0:03:16 > 0:03:18So, there we are.
0:03:18 > 0:03:22You should be able to see two tails, fairly obvious,
0:03:22 > 0:03:27crossing each other. There are obviously at least two animals in there.
0:03:27 > 0:03:31Roger, I have to say, these look really cute, sweet little things.
0:03:31 > 0:03:34Why are they such a problem?
0:03:34 > 0:03:36The real problem is that they're an alien species,
0:03:36 > 0:03:40they shouldn't be in Britain, and they're interacting with wildlife,
0:03:40 > 0:03:44causing quite a lot of damage to the local wildlife here and elsewhere in
0:03:44 > 0:03:46the Chilterns.
0:03:46 > 0:03:49Edible dormice got their name because the Romans bred these little
0:03:49 > 0:03:53critters as a delicacy, often serving them as a snack,
0:03:53 > 0:03:56drizzled with honey and poppy seeds.
0:03:56 > 0:03:59Autumn was the season they were most in demand.
0:03:59 > 0:04:04Now the tables have turned and they're biting back with a vengeance.
0:04:04 > 0:04:10They're causing quite significant losses to birds that nest in tree holes
0:04:10 > 0:04:12or, in our case, in nest boxes.
0:04:12 > 0:04:16They'll climb up the tree, go into the nest box, and eat whatever's in there,
0:04:16 > 0:04:19whether eggs, young chicks, the feathered chicks, or even the adults.
0:04:19 > 0:04:22It's a free meal in a nice hotel.
0:04:22 > 0:04:27Our measurements suggest that up to 50% of breeding birds in those
0:04:27 > 0:04:30nest boxes are being killed by glis.
0:04:32 > 0:04:36Native woodland bird numbers are already in decline due to
0:04:36 > 0:04:41loss of habitat. One more threat could put some local species in danger.
0:04:43 > 0:04:46However, the birds are not the only British wildlife who've become a
0:04:46 > 0:04:52victim of this ever-growing edible dormouse army.
0:04:52 > 0:04:54We have even less hard evidence,
0:04:54 > 0:04:58but it's extremely hard now in the Chilterns, which is where the glis are,
0:04:58 > 0:05:00to find hazel dormouse populations.
0:05:00 > 0:05:05I know of several populations that I was in fact involved in studying
0:05:05 > 0:05:09about 15 years ago and they're no longer found there.
0:05:11 > 0:05:15The increasingly rare hazel dormouse is our native species and it's a
0:05:15 > 0:05:20lightweight by comparison, weighing just 20g.
0:05:20 > 0:05:23Its European cousin can be seven times heavier.
0:05:23 > 0:05:27It arrived on these shores over 100 years ago.
0:05:27 > 0:05:29How did they get here?
0:05:29 > 0:05:33Well, they apparently were brought in in about 1902 by Lord Rothschild
0:05:33 > 0:05:36into his menagerie at Tring.
0:05:36 > 0:05:40Escaped a few years later and they have spread throughout the whole of
0:05:40 > 0:05:44the Chilterns area in the 100 years since.
0:05:44 > 0:05:46Lord Rothschild was a wealthy banker and zoologist,
0:05:46 > 0:05:50whose hobby was collecting exotic animals.
0:05:50 > 0:05:53He brought the dormice from Hungary.
0:05:53 > 0:05:5917 animals escaped captivity, to live and breed in these woods.
0:05:59 > 0:06:03No-one is quite sure how many there are now but Roger believes,
0:06:03 > 0:06:07in the right conditions and environment, the population could explode,
0:06:07 > 0:06:10and may have already.
0:06:10 > 0:06:14Somebody had estimated the population at something like 10,000
0:06:14 > 0:06:17a couple of decades ago. But in the whole of the Chilterns,
0:06:17 > 0:06:20you've got nearly 1,000 square miles.
0:06:20 > 0:06:25We've probably got well in excess of 2,000 or 3,000 in this wood alone.
0:06:25 > 0:06:29So, multiply up, and you'll probably come to millions.
0:06:29 > 0:06:31All from 17?
0:06:31 > 0:06:32All apparently from 17.
0:06:35 > 0:06:39Later, I'll be finding out that it's not only wildlife that's under attack,
0:06:39 > 0:06:41it could be your home.
0:06:41 > 0:06:45They are a nightmare. They got into our water tanks.
0:06:45 > 0:06:49To replace both tanks, it was about £3,500.
0:06:49 > 0:06:51I mean, I catch them in built-up areas,
0:06:51 > 0:06:55places you wouldn't even expect to find these things.
0:06:59 > 0:07:02Well, I used to live on the Chilterns myself and I know at first-hand
0:07:02 > 0:07:05just what damage those edible dormice can do.
0:07:05 > 0:07:10And as we'll be discovering later, the threat they pose is spreading.
0:07:10 > 0:07:16Now, how can you experience country life if you live in a town or a city?
0:07:16 > 0:07:18Well, maybe Paul has the answer.
0:07:22 > 0:07:25Well, I've heard of urban foxes and seagulls in a city,
0:07:25 > 0:07:27but a herd of goats in the back streets of Bristol?
0:07:27 > 0:07:30You've got to be kidding me!
0:07:30 > 0:07:31And this one's eating my script.
0:07:31 > 0:07:34HE CHUCKLES
0:07:34 > 0:07:38This gang of light-fingered pickpockets make up street goat,
0:07:38 > 0:07:44a tough-as-you-like pack of billies taking over neglected city spaces.
0:07:44 > 0:07:47The project's run by Lynne Davis.
0:07:47 > 0:07:51- Hi, Lynne. Hello.- Hi, Paul. How you doing?- All right, thanks.
0:07:51 > 0:07:55What possessed you to come up with such a mad - but brilliant - idea?
0:07:55 > 0:07:59I guess this idea came about from my own experience, working on farms.
0:07:59 > 0:08:03And finding a connection with the animals and with my food,
0:08:03 > 0:08:08how food is produced, and how the animals are fed, how they're kept.
0:08:08 > 0:08:09When I moved to Bristol,
0:08:09 > 0:08:13I really wanted to bring that connection to people here,
0:08:13 > 0:08:15and to really help people understand where their food comes from,
0:08:15 > 0:08:17how it's produced.
0:08:17 > 0:08:20So, bringing the community together.
0:08:20 > 0:08:24Lynne first found this seven-acre allotment space in the St George
0:08:24 > 0:08:27neighbourhood in Bristol, where many plots had been abandoned,
0:08:27 > 0:08:30due to the tough growing conditions.
0:08:30 > 0:08:32With local authority permission,
0:08:32 > 0:08:37she and some dedicated locals raised £9,000 through crowdfunding,
0:08:37 > 0:08:41to buy seven goats and turn part of the allotment into a mini farm.
0:08:43 > 0:08:46Now the goats, which can eat up to 8lbs of food a day,
0:08:46 > 0:08:49are clearing the jungle of brambles and bracken,
0:08:49 > 0:08:52ready for some new gardeners.
0:08:52 > 0:08:55People want to grow a few vegetables on Sunday mornings.
0:08:55 > 0:08:59It's going to take years before something like that gets under control.
0:08:59 > 0:09:00So...goats?
0:09:00 > 0:09:04- Goats.- Are they capable of doing all of that, then?
0:09:04 > 0:09:07I know they can graze like sheep but will they tackle all of this as well?
0:09:07 > 0:09:09They don't really graze like sheep.
0:09:09 > 0:09:13Sheep like to graze down to the ground but goats really like to browse.
0:09:13 > 0:09:16They like to reach up and forage from higher up.
0:09:16 > 0:09:18So, brambles are perfect for them.
0:09:18 > 0:09:20This plot here, we've only just put them onto.
0:09:20 > 0:09:25But give it a few weeks and it will be pulled right back down to the ground.
0:09:25 > 0:09:27- That's incredible.- Yeah.
0:09:27 > 0:09:29So they do do the hard work.
0:09:29 > 0:09:32They do the hard work. Why are we doing this work when we could have
0:09:32 > 0:09:35- amazing animals doing it for us? - Yeah.
0:09:36 > 0:09:39Although unusual in this country,
0:09:39 > 0:09:43almost a billion goats are farmed and herded around the world.
0:09:43 > 0:09:47Part of their attraction is they'll survive almost anywhere
0:09:47 > 0:09:49and eat anything.
0:09:49 > 0:09:51Now, they've got tough mouths,
0:09:51 > 0:09:55so the thorns don't seem to bother them because their lips are so
0:09:55 > 0:10:00dextrous. They can wrap around everything, avoiding those sharp thorns.
0:10:00 > 0:10:02That's very clever.
0:10:02 > 0:10:03GOATS BLEAT
0:10:03 > 0:10:06Yeah. I second that.
0:10:06 > 0:10:09The goats now have nine households from the local community taking it
0:10:09 > 0:10:11in turns to look after them.
0:10:11 > 0:10:15And for hardworking city folk, what's not to like?
0:10:15 > 0:10:18I'm originally from the countryside and I moved to the city to have more
0:10:18 > 0:10:25going on. But I also want that kind of connection with animals and land.
0:10:25 > 0:10:28We would have really struggled to have goats and keep them on our own.
0:10:28 > 0:10:31But to work together in community, and to share the costs and the joys,
0:10:31 > 0:10:34is absolutely brilliant.
0:10:34 > 0:10:38To do it by yourself is a commitment that I think
0:10:38 > 0:10:42most people don't really want to commit to these days.
0:10:42 > 0:10:47- People in the city have busy lives. - Exactly.
0:10:47 > 0:10:50But this project isn't just about reclaiming neglected land.
0:10:50 > 0:10:52Two of the seven goats are nannies,
0:10:52 > 0:10:55and provide this community with fresh milk.
0:10:55 > 0:11:00It's a twice-a-day job and today Matt has the honour.
0:11:00 > 0:11:03- Hi, Matt.- Hiya.- Hello. So, this is the milking parlour.
0:11:03 > 0:11:07- Yeah.- I love it. Absolutely love it. Quite rough-and-ready and she's at the right height.
0:11:07 > 0:11:10- What's her name?- This is Blossom. - Blossom.
0:11:10 > 0:11:14Around the world, more people drink milk from goats than cows.
0:11:14 > 0:11:20It has more calcium, double the potassium, and higher vitamin content.
0:11:20 > 0:11:23Now, that's a glass and a half.
0:11:23 > 0:11:25So, what's the technique?
0:11:25 > 0:11:27Because I've never milked anything in my life.
0:11:27 > 0:11:31Squeezing with the fingers into the palm of my hand.
0:11:31 > 0:11:34That's a good technique. It's a rhythm - one, then the other...
0:11:34 > 0:11:37- Yeah.- Can I have a go? Do you mind?
0:11:37 > 0:11:40- Definitely.- I don't want to sort of, you know, annoy her.
0:11:40 > 0:11:42I'll keep an eye on the bucket, just in case she does kick out.
0:11:42 > 0:11:44Thank you.
0:11:44 > 0:11:48She's quite content there, eating away.
0:11:48 > 0:11:50So, grip around the tops.
0:11:50 > 0:11:53- It's going.- She doesn't mind yet.
0:11:53 > 0:11:55- That's it.- I got it, I got it.
0:11:55 > 0:11:59Most of the milk sold in the UK is pasteurised,
0:11:59 > 0:12:03so it's heated and quickly cooled to kill harmful bacteria,
0:12:03 > 0:12:05keeping it fresher for longer.
0:12:05 > 0:12:07But this is straight from the source.
0:12:08 > 0:12:10That's good, actually.
0:12:10 > 0:12:12- Just tastes like normal milk, doesn't it?- Yeah.
0:12:12 > 0:12:14It really does. That's really good.
0:12:14 > 0:12:17That is really, really good.
0:12:17 > 0:12:20Most healthy adults can drink fresh,
0:12:20 > 0:12:24unpasteurised milk safely but small children, pregnant women,
0:12:24 > 0:12:27the elderly and the unwell should avoid it.
0:12:27 > 0:12:30The goats don't just produce the white stuff.
0:12:30 > 0:12:36The ever-resourceful St George community are turning the milk into cheese.
0:12:36 > 0:12:39Here you are. Look! The milkman's here.
0:12:39 > 0:12:42- Great. We've got our goat's milk. - It's all fresh.
0:12:42 > 0:12:44To make soft goat's cheese,
0:12:44 > 0:12:48the milk has to be heated back up to body temperature.
0:12:48 > 0:12:51- What's that in there? - So, this is our culture.
0:12:51 > 0:12:53It sours the milk.
0:12:53 > 0:12:55It actually turns into something delicious.
0:12:55 > 0:12:58As well as adding the culture, Lynne adds rennet,
0:12:58 > 0:13:03an enzyme which turns the milk into solid curds and liquid whey.
0:13:03 > 0:13:07So, now, we're just going to let this sit for a day,
0:13:07 > 0:13:10could leave it for two days, to have a stronger flavour.
0:13:10 > 0:13:14And the curds and the whey will separate and we'll get some cheese.
0:13:14 > 0:13:18Thankfully, I won't have to wait that long as Lynn has a crowd to feed
0:13:18 > 0:13:20back at the allotments.
0:13:20 > 0:13:22Hi, everyone. 'And she has a batch of home-made,
0:13:22 > 0:13:26'unpasteurised goat's cheese she made earlier in the week.'
0:13:26 > 0:13:29I feel guilty to take the first bite.
0:13:29 > 0:13:32Well, we can all eat some together. It's fine.
0:13:32 > 0:13:35Oh, that's delicious. It's quite sharp as well, isn't it?
0:13:35 > 0:13:37Mm.
0:13:37 > 0:13:39It's beautiful. I love it.
0:13:39 > 0:13:42This gang of goats have certainly proved their worth.
0:13:42 > 0:13:45But if you want to keep a goat, remember to buy more than one,
0:13:45 > 0:13:47as they are a herd animal and they like company.
0:13:47 > 0:13:50As well as good fencing and easy access to water and food,
0:13:50 > 0:13:55they'll need year-round shelter as goats hate the rain and you'll need
0:13:55 > 0:13:59to register them - and the land they're on - just as a farmer would.
0:13:59 > 0:14:02Well, it just goes to show, with the right bit of urban space,
0:14:02 > 0:14:06you too can have a bit of countryside on your doorstep and
0:14:06 > 0:14:09provide fresh food, grown locally, for your plate.
0:14:10 > 0:14:13And that's something to bleat about.
0:14:19 > 0:14:22There are nine million dogs in Britain.
0:14:22 > 0:14:25And taking your pet for a long walk in the autumn leaves can be one of
0:14:25 > 0:14:27the joys of the season.
0:14:27 > 0:14:31But are we in danger of allowing our four-legged friends to become
0:14:31 > 0:14:36countryside killers without even realising it?
0:14:36 > 0:14:37Jules reports.
0:14:38 > 0:14:41Teddy...
0:14:41 > 0:14:45Come on! Good boy.
0:14:45 > 0:14:50Good boy. Good boy.
0:14:50 > 0:14:56Now, it's estimated that one in four homes in the UK has a canine companion.
0:14:56 > 0:14:58And I am very lucky to have two of them.
0:14:58 > 0:15:02This is Teddy, he's the youngest of the pair.
0:15:02 > 0:15:06And together, we love exploring the countryside.
0:15:06 > 0:15:10And with thousands of miles of footpaths and bridleways to enjoy
0:15:10 > 0:15:16across the countryside, there's a lot of exploring for Teddy and I to do.
0:15:16 > 0:15:20But when you're out in the countryside, and nature calls, well,
0:15:20 > 0:15:23what do you do?
0:15:23 > 0:15:26In our towns, cities, and public places, it goes without saying.
0:15:26 > 0:15:29Bag it and bin it.
0:15:29 > 0:15:31But out here in the countryside,
0:15:31 > 0:15:34isn't it OK to let nature take its course?
0:15:34 > 0:15:39Absolutely not, say farmers like Charles Sercombe.
0:15:39 > 0:15:45He farms more than 4,000 head of sheep on 1,000 acres of rural Leicestershire.
0:15:45 > 0:15:48He says dog poo creates a microscopic menace that's
0:15:48 > 0:15:50quietly infecting livestock.
0:15:53 > 0:15:55Most of us, as dog walkers, would be horrified to think
0:15:55 > 0:15:58that in walking our dogs out in the countryside,
0:15:58 > 0:16:01we might be putting animals like this at risk.
0:16:01 > 0:16:05It's one of these widely held misconceptions that actually the best thing
0:16:05 > 0:16:09to do is to take your dog for the toilet and let it do its business in
0:16:09 > 0:16:12the countryside. Unfortunately, there's a serious worm carried by dogs,
0:16:12 > 0:16:14and can be left behind in their poo,
0:16:14 > 0:16:18which gets into the grazing and the animals ingest it into their system.
0:16:18 > 0:16:23This parasite, called sarcocystosis, can cause neurological disease,
0:16:23 > 0:16:25and even death in sheep.
0:16:25 > 0:16:30And that's not all. Dogs can also carry a nasty little parasite called
0:16:30 > 0:16:33Neospora, which can cause cattle to miscarry.
0:16:33 > 0:16:37It's estimated to cost an average-sized dairy herd
0:16:37 > 0:16:39about £3,000 a year.
0:16:39 > 0:16:42Now, how do you know if one of your animals is infected?
0:16:42 > 0:16:44Unfortunately, we can't tell by looking at it.
0:16:44 > 0:16:47It's only on postmortem.
0:16:47 > 0:16:50The report is sent back to us by the Meat Hygiene Service.
0:16:50 > 0:16:53In sheep, it can lead to carcasses being condemned in the abattoir.
0:16:53 > 0:16:56It is a sobering thought to think our four-legged friends could,
0:16:56 > 0:17:00in effect, be harbouring ticking time bombs for farmers like you.
0:17:00 > 0:17:03Personally, we have had some years where we've had 4% or
0:17:03 > 0:17:055% of our lambs infected.
0:17:05 > 0:17:07Across the country, that's a huge number.
0:17:07 > 0:17:09But as a keen dog walker myself, I have to confess,
0:17:09 > 0:17:13I don't think I've ever seen a sign on a footpath, or anywhere else,
0:17:13 > 0:17:18making me aware of just how dangerous these parasites are.
0:17:18 > 0:17:22I suppose that's the duty we've got now - to educate the wider public -
0:17:22 > 0:17:25to make them realise the implications of their actions.
0:17:27 > 0:17:30Now, where public rights of way exist,
0:17:30 > 0:17:34farmers lack any power to prevent people from exercising their pooches.
0:17:34 > 0:17:38In fact, landowners and tenants have a duty to maintain access to all
0:17:38 > 0:17:42their rights of way. Trying to obstruct them in any way,
0:17:42 > 0:17:45shape or shape or form to anyone is a criminal offence.
0:17:45 > 0:17:48Come on, Teddy!
0:17:48 > 0:17:50Farmers like Charles aren't trying to stop dog walkers using
0:17:50 > 0:17:54public footpaths. They just want them to be more aware.
0:17:54 > 0:17:57Steve Jenkinson, from The Kennel Club,
0:17:57 > 0:18:01is one of those trying to get the message out there.
0:18:01 > 0:18:05He's having a great time. This is a classic footpath, Steve.
0:18:05 > 0:18:07Most of us would wander along here.
0:18:07 > 0:18:09The dog has done what he's supposed to do, just like Teddy has,
0:18:09 > 0:18:13- just there.- Absolutely.- I would think, surely, I can leave it here.
0:18:13 > 0:18:15Let nature take its course and let it biodegrade.
0:18:15 > 0:18:18And in many ways, that can seem like a sensible thing to do.
0:18:18 > 0:18:21But actually, we know from science, and increasing knowledge,
0:18:21 > 0:18:24the parasite eggs in there can last for many weeks.
0:18:24 > 0:18:27So even if there's not sheep or cattle here at the moment,
0:18:27 > 0:18:29it could be a problem.
0:18:29 > 0:18:32The best approach really is to remember to pick it up wherever you are.
0:18:32 > 0:18:36If only Teddy could be trained to tie knots, we might get somewhere.
0:18:36 > 0:18:37THEY LAUGH
0:18:37 > 0:18:39Come on, Teddy.
0:18:39 > 0:18:41- Good boy.- This is so nice when you see the trees.
0:18:41 > 0:18:46- Just starting to go as well, aren't they?- Absolutely.
0:18:46 > 0:18:49So, in this most beautiful of seasons,
0:18:49 > 0:18:53is there any way to encourage people to scoop up their pet's poop?
0:18:53 > 0:18:55Much as I'm enjoying my walk,
0:18:55 > 0:18:58carrying that around for the next hour or so isn't that appealing.
0:18:58 > 0:19:02I suppose it also raises one of my big bugbears.
0:19:02 > 0:19:05People who bag it and then leave it hanging around in hedgerows,
0:19:05 > 0:19:08and on gates, surely making the problem doubly worse.
0:19:08 > 0:19:10Absolutely. It's the worst of both worlds.
0:19:10 > 0:19:13In essence, you've got the dog poo there,
0:19:13 > 0:19:15providing a nice greenhouse for those parasite eggs to grow and then
0:19:15 > 0:19:19either the bag will eventually break open or somebody might come along
0:19:19 > 0:19:22and be strimming the path. And that's a pretty yucky job to be doing.
0:19:22 > 0:19:26It's like, no wonder dog owners get a bad rap in some places.
0:19:26 > 0:19:30- What's the solution?- There's all sorts of designer products...
0:19:30 > 0:19:31I like that! Look at this, Teddy!
0:19:31 > 0:19:34You can get these in Labrador size, or Great Dane size,
0:19:34 > 0:19:37or whatever you might want. So, in here,
0:19:37 > 0:19:40you've got some storage space for your bags, and then there's deodoriser.
0:19:40 > 0:19:42You can pop your dog poo in there, seal it up.
0:19:42 > 0:19:44And nobody would know your secret.
0:19:44 > 0:19:46If that black wasn't really your colour,
0:19:46 > 0:19:48do you want to just take that one? For the design-conscious,
0:19:48 > 0:19:50here's one in Harris Tweed.
0:19:50 > 0:19:54There's all sorts there that can deal with your intimate problem.
0:19:54 > 0:19:56- That seems perfectly practical. Can I try it?- Absolutely.
0:19:56 > 0:19:59When you make it easier for people to do the right thing, it works.
0:19:59 > 0:20:02That's what we're here for. Come on, Teddy.
0:20:02 > 0:20:04- Let's go.- Good boy.
0:20:04 > 0:20:08And with a whopping annual clean-up bill of around £22 million,
0:20:08 > 0:20:12getting people to do the right thing is high on the agenda.
0:20:15 > 0:20:19But serial offenders beware because some local councils...
0:20:19 > 0:20:24Good boy! ..are now beginning to harness the full force of forensic science
0:20:24 > 0:20:27to track down offending owners and their dogs.
0:20:29 > 0:20:33Gary Downie is at the forefront of tracking down mucky mutts and their owners.
0:20:33 > 0:20:36You could say he's a kind of dog poo detective.
0:20:38 > 0:20:42- Hello, Gary.- Good afternoon, Jules. - Nice to see you, mate. How are you?
0:20:42 > 0:20:45- I'm very well. Who's this? - This is Teddy.- Hello, Teddy.
0:20:45 > 0:20:47Good boy, Teddy. This all looks very scientific, Gary.
0:20:47 > 0:20:50- What are you doing?- This is all about dog DNA registration.
0:20:50 > 0:20:53We're encouraging dog owners to be more responsible dog owners by
0:20:53 > 0:20:55registering their dog's DNA.
0:20:55 > 0:20:58So, does this mean you can link dogs to their poo?
0:20:58 > 0:21:01- Yes, absolutely.- It's a fascinating initiative.
0:21:01 > 0:21:03Has it been trialled anywhere?
0:21:03 > 0:21:07We're just coming out the trail end of a pilot with, can't make it up,
0:21:07 > 0:21:09Barking and Dagenham Council.
0:21:09 > 0:21:10LAUGHTER
0:21:10 > 0:21:14We didn't miss the irony. And it has shown to be an effective solution to
0:21:14 > 0:21:17reducing the amount of uncollected dog waste.
0:21:17 > 0:21:21In fact, despite DNA registration here being voluntary,
0:21:21 > 0:21:23in its first few months,
0:21:23 > 0:21:26the number of people failing to bag it and bin halved.
0:21:26 > 0:21:29I'm in. I think you've just been volunteered, Teddy bear,
0:21:29 > 0:21:31to have your DNA done.
0:21:31 > 0:21:33Like farmers,
0:21:33 > 0:21:37local councils are working hard to keep access open to dog walkers,
0:21:37 > 0:21:40without being left to clear up after those that don't.
0:21:40 > 0:21:42That's it. Well done!
0:21:42 > 0:21:45Well, I'm delighted that we've got our badge of honour.
0:21:45 > 0:21:47This is for you. Our day is done.
0:21:47 > 0:21:49With one exception, Gary.
0:21:49 > 0:21:50You did promise him a treat.
0:21:50 > 0:21:53- OK if I get that? - Didn't let you down.
0:21:53 > 0:21:56A nice treat. Good job.
0:21:56 > 0:21:58And who knows? In the future,
0:21:58 > 0:22:02it could be just registered pets who are allowed the right to roam our
0:22:02 > 0:22:05towns, cities and countryside.
0:22:06 > 0:22:10Well, it's been a really sobering lesson to see just how vulnerable much of our
0:22:10 > 0:22:13livestock is to the perils of these parasites.
0:22:13 > 0:22:17But also heart-warming to think that actually we can all do something
0:22:17 > 0:22:20about it. Enjoy the countryside, yes.
0:22:20 > 0:22:22Just remember to pick up your poo.
0:22:22 > 0:22:24Hey, Teddy. Come on, then.
0:22:29 > 0:22:33Well, autumn is the key time for gathering in our apples.
0:22:33 > 0:22:37In fact, we harvest 200,000 tonnes of them in the UK every year.
0:22:37 > 0:22:41And I joined a rather senior group of seasonal workers,
0:22:41 > 0:22:45who've swapped their bus passes for picking aprons.
0:22:45 > 0:22:46Just look what I've borrowed.
0:22:46 > 0:22:50A motorhome is just the job for an apple picker if you're going to
0:22:50 > 0:22:52spend the night in an orchard, which I'm going to do.
0:22:52 > 0:22:56And as you can see, I won't be on my own.
0:22:56 > 0:22:58You could call them picking pensioners.
0:22:58 > 0:23:00Most of them are well into retirement.
0:23:00 > 0:23:03But here, they're working five days a week,
0:23:03 > 0:23:06earning up to £50 for an eight-hour day.
0:23:06 > 0:23:09Money that comes in very useful when many of them turn their motorhomes
0:23:09 > 0:23:14southwards and head for Spain and Portugal for the winter.
0:23:14 > 0:23:17How's it gone today, then?
0:23:17 > 0:23:18LAUGHTER
0:23:18 > 0:23:19How hard is it, this job?
0:23:19 > 0:23:21- Very hard.- It's hard work, John.
0:23:21 > 0:23:23Yeah.
0:23:23 > 0:23:26It depends how many apples you put in your bucket.
0:23:26 > 0:23:29Roughly, how many apples do you reckon you pick in a day?
0:23:29 > 0:23:33- A tonne.- I would probably say the average is about seven boxes.
0:23:33 > 0:23:35You know, the boxes.
0:23:35 > 0:23:38You're probably thinking about 3,000 apples.
0:23:38 > 0:23:40Wow! That's a lot, isn't it?
0:23:40 > 0:23:43That sounds like hard work tomorrow. I'd better turn in.
0:23:46 > 0:23:53And there's no chance of a lie-in, as the pickers' day starts at 6:30am.
0:23:53 > 0:23:56- John...- Hello, Barry. - Good morning!
0:23:56 > 0:24:00- Thanks for the knock earlier. - Yes, it's time, it's time.
0:24:00 > 0:24:02Did you hear that rain during the night?
0:24:02 > 0:24:05- Absolutely threw it down. - Didn't it?
0:24:05 > 0:24:09Before I join the others, I'm going to be shown the ropes by John Hillier.
0:24:09 > 0:24:14He's the farm manager and he'll be keeping a strict eye on my performance.
0:24:16 > 0:24:18Always treat apples like eggs, actually.
0:24:18 > 0:24:21What you do, you just lift them up. Pretend they're on hooks.
0:24:21 > 0:24:25A quick check over and then place them gently in the picking bag.
0:24:30 > 0:24:34If it's smaller than that, it goes on the ground.
0:24:34 > 0:24:37Bigger than that, it goes in the bag.
0:24:42 > 0:24:44I've got a bagful now, John.
0:24:44 > 0:24:46- What happens?- Right, you go to the bin,
0:24:46 > 0:24:49always fill the lowest part of the bin first.
0:24:49 > 0:24:52As it's on a slope, fill this part of the bin.
0:24:52 > 0:24:54Just gently release the catch. Bend down.
0:24:54 > 0:24:56Yeah, oh, I see. That's clever.
0:24:56 > 0:25:00And just gently roll them gently out.
0:25:00 > 0:25:04- Gently out.- My target is to fill three of these bins,
0:25:04 > 0:25:08that's a tonne of apples, 6,000 of them, in just eight hours.
0:25:14 > 0:25:18Only a few hundred more to go before 4:30pm.
0:25:26 > 0:25:29Well, I've been going for about three hours now.
0:25:29 > 0:25:31And it really is hard work.
0:25:32 > 0:25:35I'm starting to feel the weight.
0:25:37 > 0:25:39Gently does it.
0:25:42 > 0:25:44Barry and Sheila Eales are dab hands.
0:25:44 > 0:25:48Barry's 63 and spent more than 20 years in the Army.
0:25:48 > 0:25:52Sheila took early retirement from her office job and spent the
0:25:52 > 0:25:56redundancy on their motorhome.
0:25:56 > 0:25:59There's some speed picking going on there, Barry.
0:25:59 > 0:26:01- Yes, John.- You're putting me to shame.
0:26:01 > 0:26:04Why do you do this, you and Sheila?
0:26:04 > 0:26:06You've been coming here for years, haven't you?
0:26:06 > 0:26:08We've been coming here for about five years now.
0:26:08 > 0:26:11And we absolutely love it.
0:26:11 > 0:26:13We're working outside.
0:26:13 > 0:26:16- We're getting fit.- It is quite backbreaking work, isn't it?
0:26:16 > 0:26:18It is.
0:26:18 > 0:26:20Sheila, you must be very fit.
0:26:20 > 0:26:22Well, I'm getting fitter.
0:26:22 > 0:26:26I must say. I didn't feel too good at the start.
0:26:26 > 0:26:29Every morning, I don't want to get up but I'm glad when I have.
0:26:29 > 0:26:33You think of it as being a young person's job, really.
0:26:33 > 0:26:37You would do. But we don't get very many young people coming.
0:26:37 > 0:26:40I think they might lack a bit of concentration.
0:26:40 > 0:26:42Do you get sick of the sight of apples?
0:26:42 > 0:26:45No, not really. We have apples for lunch every day.
0:26:45 > 0:26:48LAUGHTER
0:26:48 > 0:26:51And lunchtime can't come too soon.
0:26:51 > 0:26:54I'm joining Ernie and Rose Sellars from Lincolnshire.
0:26:54 > 0:26:57This is their sixth year of picking.
0:26:57 > 0:26:59What were you doing before you retired?
0:26:59 > 0:27:02We had a fish and chip shop
0:27:02 > 0:27:04in Lincolnshire.
0:27:04 > 0:27:08Down near Cleethorpes, actually.
0:27:08 > 0:27:14We had that for seven years and then we thought, let's retire.
0:27:14 > 0:27:18You seem to be busier than ever, actually.
0:27:18 > 0:27:21Only for a short, condensed period.
0:27:21 > 0:27:23The rest of the time you take it easy, do you?
0:27:23 > 0:27:25Right. Yep.
0:27:25 > 0:27:29All told, there are 26 pensioner pickers here.
0:27:29 > 0:27:33John, the boss, says they're all good timekeepers and steady workers,
0:27:33 > 0:27:36and can be relied on to show up each August when picking begins.
0:27:39 > 0:27:44Time to get back to work but I'm getting tired and could this be good news?
0:27:44 > 0:27:46Here comes the rain.
0:27:46 > 0:27:48Getting a bit heavier, this rain, isn't it?
0:27:48 > 0:27:51Here's John. John, does it mean we're going to call things off now
0:27:51 > 0:27:53- with this rain?- Not yet, John.
0:27:53 > 0:27:56It's just a shower, actually. It should pass over and we'll carry on.
0:27:56 > 0:27:59OK. right, we'll keep on going.
0:27:59 > 0:28:02Did you hear that, Willie? We've got to keep going.
0:28:07 > 0:28:09I think it's stopped raining now.
0:28:09 > 0:28:15The sun's out. So, no interruption of the picking process but, somehow,
0:28:15 > 0:28:19I don't think I'm going to make my target.
0:28:19 > 0:28:23Nearly, but not quite, I think.
0:28:29 > 0:28:33At last, 4:30pm comes round and John sounds the horn that signals the end of the shift.
0:28:33 > 0:28:35HORN TOOTS
0:28:35 > 0:28:37I thought I'd never hear that.
0:28:37 > 0:28:39- I'm aching all over.- You've done well today.- You think so?
0:28:39 > 0:28:43- Absolutely!- I didn't quite get to my target but I've had a wonderful day.
0:28:43 > 0:28:44Thank you all very much.
0:28:44 > 0:28:47And when I eat an apple like this, some time in the winter,
0:28:47 > 0:28:49I'll think of all you people who've picked it.
0:28:49 > 0:28:51But you'll be in Portugal, won't you?
0:28:51 > 0:28:53Sunning it up with your motorhome.
0:28:53 > 0:28:55Hopefully, with brown knees.
0:28:55 > 0:28:57LAUGHTER
0:28:57 > 0:28:58Thank you.
0:28:58 > 0:29:00It's been a great day. Thank you all.
0:29:05 > 0:29:08Earlier, Margherita was discovering about edible dormice,
0:29:08 > 0:29:10also called Glis glis,
0:29:10 > 0:29:14which are decimating native British species and damaging property in
0:29:14 > 0:29:18the Chilterns. And even more worrying is the news that they're now starting to
0:29:18 > 0:29:21escape to other parts of the country.
0:29:21 > 0:29:24And they could even be eyeing up YOUR house.
0:29:27 > 0:29:30The edible dormouse might look harmless enough but,
0:29:30 > 0:29:34as I'm learning from dormouse specialist Roger Trout and his team,
0:29:34 > 0:29:38they're incredibly destructive and growing in number.
0:29:38 > 0:29:40Are you going to go back in your box now?
0:29:40 > 0:29:44For 100 years, they've been contained in the Chilterns.
0:29:44 > 0:29:49But is there really a danger of this dormouse pest spreading?
0:29:49 > 0:29:52Yes. That is certainly now starting to happen because of the pressure
0:29:52 > 0:29:56from the inside. Most records of glis outside the Chilterns have been
0:29:56 > 0:30:01where people have rather unwisely taken them,
0:30:01 > 0:30:04having caught them in their houses and let them go somewhere.
0:30:04 > 0:30:08And if that's outside the Chilterns, and in a big woodland with
0:30:08 > 0:30:11big trees, that is a distinct, future problem.
0:30:11 > 0:30:15So, we could be part of the problem in the population moving beyond
0:30:15 > 0:30:18- these boundaries.- We're definitely part of the problem,
0:30:18 > 0:30:21either wittingly or unwittingly.
0:30:21 > 0:30:24Edible dormice have been spotted as far afield as Dorset,
0:30:24 > 0:30:27Hampshire and Essex.
0:30:27 > 0:30:30And in looking for a new home, they might choose yours.
0:30:32 > 0:30:36Home owners like Richard and Beryl Milne have been blighted by dormice
0:30:36 > 0:30:38for years.
0:30:38 > 0:30:41We've lived here for nearly 11 years.
0:30:41 > 0:30:45I don't think we were aware of them for the first couple of years but we
0:30:45 > 0:30:48have had them consistently every summer since then.
0:30:48 > 0:30:53Edible dormice seek out shelter to build their nests, rear their young,
0:30:53 > 0:30:57and, from October, hibernate through the winter.
0:30:57 > 0:31:02And these squatters have a way of letting you know they're there.
0:31:02 > 0:31:05They are a nightmare. They've defecated everywhere.
0:31:05 > 0:31:07They chew through cables.
0:31:07 > 0:31:09They got into our water tanks.
0:31:09 > 0:31:13To replace both tanks was about £3,500.
0:31:13 > 0:31:16We didn't know until we turned the taps on and got this awful,
0:31:16 > 0:31:18smelly water coming out.
0:31:18 > 0:31:22It's not cheap to have them up there but you can't get rid of them.
0:31:22 > 0:31:25We heard of someone who had to have lots of cupboards ripped out of their
0:31:25 > 0:31:29kitchen because glis got in there destroying things in their kitchen,
0:31:29 > 0:31:33and we have another neighbour down the lane who told me this week she
0:31:33 > 0:31:35has them in her workshop at the bottom of her garden.
0:31:35 > 0:31:37You can't get rid of them.
0:31:37 > 0:31:40They will always come back no matter what you do.
0:31:40 > 0:31:44On the front line doing battle with the invading dormice are
0:31:44 > 0:31:46pest controllers like Kev.
0:31:46 > 0:31:50As edible dormice are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act,
0:31:50 > 0:31:55strict guidelines mean it's only registered pest controllers like him
0:31:55 > 0:31:57who can catch and dispatch them.
0:31:57 > 0:32:00- There we go.- Hi, well, a successful visit to this property, then.
0:32:00 > 0:32:02Yeah, we got it eventually.
0:32:02 > 0:32:05Took some catching but we got that one.
0:32:05 > 0:32:07How big a problem are these edible dormice?
0:32:07 > 0:32:10Big at the moment. Their numbers seem to be getting bigger and to be fair,
0:32:10 > 0:32:13- we just can't keep up with them. - You've been in the business a long time...
0:32:13 > 0:32:16- About 20 years.- And how many were you catching when you started out?
0:32:16 > 0:32:19We was catching, when I worked in environmental health,
0:32:19 > 0:32:22probably 30 or 40 across the borough,
0:32:22 > 0:32:26and now I work for myself and we're catching anywhere between 250 and
0:32:26 > 0:32:30- 400 in a season.- So in the last few years there's just been an explosion?
0:32:30 > 0:32:34Massive amount, and we seem to be catching more and more.
0:32:34 > 0:32:38And you're finding these dormice in places that you wouldn't expect now.
0:32:38 > 0:32:41Yeah, I mean, when we first started doing this, 20 years ago,
0:32:41 > 0:32:45it was prominently the rural areas, rural villages,
0:32:45 > 0:32:47but now I catch them in built-up areas,
0:32:47 > 0:32:50places you wouldn't even expect to find these things, and it's a
0:32:50 > 0:32:53- surprise, you think, "Cor, there we go."- And autumn is the busiest time?
0:32:53 > 0:32:56I think sort of September is the busiest month for them,
0:32:56 > 0:33:00I know, as they're getting ready to fatten to go into hibernation.
0:33:00 > 0:33:04- So, nonstop at the minute? - Nonstop. Nonstop.
0:33:05 > 0:33:09At Rob Murray's home, four edible dormice are having an afternoon nap
0:33:09 > 0:33:12in a cardboard box.
0:33:12 > 0:33:15So although they look very sweet and angelic in this box here,
0:33:15 > 0:33:18they're keeping you up at night, these little fellas?
0:33:18 > 0:33:20Yes, four o'clock in the morning, five o'clock in the morning,
0:33:20 > 0:33:24you hear scratch, scratch, scratch, and you can't do anything with them.
0:33:24 > 0:33:26They're in the floor cavities,
0:33:26 > 0:33:29either below you or above you,
0:33:29 > 0:33:33and they'll just go on scratching until they finish making their nest,
0:33:33 > 0:33:36and they'll do it night after night
0:33:36 > 0:33:40- without stopping.- And once they're in, almost impossible to get rid of?
0:33:40 > 0:33:42Yeah.
0:33:42 > 0:33:48There's definitely a battle brewing with this determined dormice army.
0:33:48 > 0:33:53Roger's study suggests the outcome will be neither quick nor easy.
0:33:53 > 0:33:56So this isn't an issue we're going to fix in six months.
0:33:56 > 0:33:59This is a long-term plan that we need to come up with.
0:33:59 > 0:34:03Well, we need strategic plans that allow us to find chinks in the armour,
0:34:03 > 0:34:08so when people in houses and other buildings need to control glis,
0:34:08 > 0:34:10and they need serious control in some locations,
0:34:10 > 0:34:15that we actually can use as much evidence as we get here to assist the way
0:34:15 > 0:34:19in which we manage them in those areas where they actually need to be culled.
0:34:19 > 0:34:22And if we don't keep an eye on what's happening,
0:34:22 > 0:34:24this could become a problem for all of us.
0:34:24 > 0:34:27Well, it's the classic issue for government often that sometimes an issue
0:34:27 > 0:34:30is very small or very localised,
0:34:30 > 0:34:34so it doesn't really come above the radar, and then all of a sudden,
0:34:34 > 0:34:37a number of years, it's too big a problem to solve,
0:34:37 > 0:34:40so it's a difficult one for decision makers.
0:34:40 > 0:34:45As yet, there seems no answer to the dominance of this dormice,
0:34:45 > 0:34:50but the householders playing host to them want solutions fast.
0:34:50 > 0:34:54The fear is we're already too late to protect some of our native species
0:34:54 > 0:34:56from the impact of the edible dormice,
0:34:56 > 0:34:59and although these little fellas aren't causing national headlines just yet,
0:34:59 > 0:35:04it won't be long before they are adding to the estimated 1.7 billion
0:35:04 > 0:35:09that we spend tackling the problem of invasive non-native species.
0:35:13 > 0:35:15For centuries in the autumn,
0:35:15 > 0:35:18our rivers have come alive with the king of fish,
0:35:18 > 0:35:23the wild Atlantic salmon, on their way to their spawning grounds.
0:35:23 > 0:35:27But in the last 40 years, their numbers have decreased by 60%.
0:35:27 > 0:35:30They are now on the list of protected species,
0:35:30 > 0:35:35so could salmon ever disappear altogether from our rivers?
0:35:35 > 0:35:36Keeley reports.
0:35:40 > 0:35:42The autumn salmon run is in full swing.
0:35:42 > 0:35:45For the majestic king of the fish,
0:35:45 > 0:35:47this is the final hurdle in a journey
0:35:47 > 0:35:51that's taken over 1,000 miles.
0:35:51 > 0:35:55Each year, vast schools of wild Atlantic salmon return from the
0:35:55 > 0:35:58deep ocean to the relative safety of their birthplace,
0:35:58 > 0:36:03the UK rivers which house their breeding grounds.
0:36:03 > 0:36:07And the Tyne is one of the country's best rivers to see this magnificent
0:36:07 > 0:36:10migration in action.
0:36:10 > 0:36:13For local fishermen like James Stokoe,
0:36:13 > 0:36:16the continued fishing of salmon is vital to the fish's existence in
0:36:16 > 0:36:20Northumberland rivers.
0:36:20 > 0:36:23I'm casting my line at the start of the salmon season.
0:36:23 > 0:36:26How long would you be doing this for before you caught one?
0:36:26 > 0:36:30You've got a good chance this time of the year. I think if you have a day's fishing on the river,
0:36:30 > 0:36:32you've got a good chance of getting one.
0:36:32 > 0:36:36And an incredible journey for the fish, isn't it? An incredible fish.
0:36:36 > 0:36:38These fish, what they go through in a lifetime,
0:36:38 > 0:36:40you've got to respect them.
0:36:40 > 0:36:44They start at the top of the river, fish, what we call fry, about that big,
0:36:44 > 0:36:47they spend a few years feeding, head back to sea,
0:36:47 > 0:36:52thousands of miles past predators, seals, whales, sharks,
0:36:52 > 0:36:54swim all the way back to their place of birth.
0:36:54 > 0:36:58They come up the same river, they can smell it, all the way to the top,
0:36:58 > 0:37:02to the stream they were born in, and then the cycle starts again.
0:37:02 > 0:37:06This is a beautiful spot here, and as you say, teeming with salmon.
0:37:06 > 0:37:09This river has had its problems, though, hasn't it?
0:37:09 > 0:37:11Yeah, the river previously in the past, I mean,
0:37:11 > 0:37:16long before I started fishing, even born, the river was highly polluted.
0:37:16 > 0:37:20There was people putting sewage into the river but it's been cleaned up so much,
0:37:20 > 0:37:24it's nice having this river on your doorstep and it's even nicer
0:37:24 > 0:37:26being in the condition it is now.
0:37:26 > 0:37:28I didn't catch a fish,
0:37:28 > 0:37:32and that's an experience shared by a lot of anglers.
0:37:32 > 0:37:37Wild Atlantic salmon at sea have declined by more than 60% and are
0:37:37 > 0:37:40now extinct in more than 300 North Atlantic rivers.
0:37:42 > 0:37:46Thankfully, people like Paul Atkinson from the
0:37:46 > 0:37:50Tyne Rivers Trust are battling to stop this happening here.
0:37:50 > 0:37:52What a fantastic backdrop.
0:37:52 > 0:37:55What exactly do the salmon do when they get to this point in the river?
0:37:55 > 0:37:57Well, the salmon which come along the River Tyne,
0:37:57 > 0:37:59they meet this man-made obstruction,
0:37:59 > 0:38:02which is the bridge footings of Hexham Bridge.
0:38:02 > 0:38:04As you can see today,
0:38:04 > 0:38:07there is quite a large leap there and they will then try and leap over
0:38:07 > 0:38:09that to try and get access to the spawning grounds above.
0:38:09 > 0:38:11But they find it difficult, don't they?
0:38:11 > 0:38:14They do find it quite difficult, yeah.
0:38:14 > 0:38:17As you can see, there is quite a leap there,
0:38:17 > 0:38:20and when they land on the stone they can become damaged.
0:38:20 > 0:38:24Around 95% of salmon don't make it back to their breeding grounds.
0:38:24 > 0:38:29Having travelled thousands of miles and not eaten for most of the journey,
0:38:29 > 0:38:33man-made barriers like this weir are a jump too far.
0:38:33 > 0:38:35So what have you done to try and improve things,
0:38:35 > 0:38:37try to help them along a little bit?
0:38:37 > 0:38:39Last year, this new fish pass was installed,
0:38:39 > 0:38:42which has already proved to be successful.
0:38:42 > 0:38:45Built at a cost of £400,000,
0:38:45 > 0:38:48the pass is a concrete channel at the side of the weir which the fish
0:38:48 > 0:38:52can swim up. So it gives them a helping hand.
0:38:52 > 0:38:54It does give them a helping hand.
0:38:54 > 0:38:57How are you going to persuade them to get right over to the left-hand side?
0:38:57 > 0:39:00The best available technique is to provide a strong,
0:39:00 > 0:39:03attractive flow for the fish, so that's what they'll naturally follow,
0:39:03 > 0:39:07the salmon, and also to make it extend as far downstream as possible,
0:39:07 > 0:39:10so it's one of the first things that they find.
0:39:10 > 0:39:13To keep track of how well the salmon use the new fish pass,
0:39:13 > 0:39:18Paul's colleague Phil Rippon is using the very latest sonar technology.
0:39:21 > 0:39:23So, is this looking at the fish pass now?
0:39:23 > 0:39:25It is, yeah, exactly as it is at the moment.
0:39:25 > 0:39:28Because there doesn't look to be very many fish in there.
0:39:28 > 0:39:31We wouldn't expect to be seeing many fish at the moment because it's
0:39:31 > 0:39:35under low flows and salmon in particular like a little bit of extra water to
0:39:35 > 0:39:37move upstream, but also, when there isn't much water,
0:39:37 > 0:39:39they tend to move during night-time,
0:39:39 > 0:39:42so we'll see a lot of fish during the night,
0:39:42 > 0:39:45and a few days ago we did do some recording at night and we saw quite
0:39:45 > 0:39:48a few fish. I can maybe show you those.
0:39:48 > 0:39:52When salmon actually run can depend on the strength of the flowing river,
0:39:52 > 0:39:55how clear the water is and its temperature.
0:39:55 > 0:39:59So, on a good night, how many would you expect to use the fish pass?
0:39:59 > 0:40:03From our fish counting, which is further downstream,
0:40:03 > 0:40:07you could get potentially 800 to 1,000 fish in a night.
0:40:07 > 0:40:10The pass has only been in place for six months,
0:40:10 > 0:40:13so we have yet to see how much it may help returning salmon numbers.
0:40:17 > 0:40:20But it's not the only help the Tyne salmon receive,
0:40:20 > 0:40:24as Richard Bond from the Environment Agency can explain.
0:40:24 > 0:40:26Tell me what you do here at the centre.
0:40:26 > 0:40:30We grow salmon for stocking back into the River Tyne as part of
0:40:30 > 0:40:33- mitigation for Kielder Reservoir. - Why do you even need to do that?
0:40:33 > 0:40:35Well, when they built Kielder Reservoir,
0:40:35 > 0:40:39they cut off about 7% of all of the River Tyne's catchment,
0:40:39 > 0:40:42and that's really important, a really important area for salmon,
0:40:42 > 0:40:44not only for spawning but for juveniles too,
0:40:44 > 0:40:47so we're sort of compensating for that loss.
0:40:47 > 0:40:51These large freshwater tanks hold juvenile salmon reared from
0:40:51 > 0:40:53spawning fish Richard caught last year.
0:40:53 > 0:40:56OK, so how do I do this?
0:40:56 > 0:41:01You just push your net down the side of the tank, just a bit like this,
0:41:01 > 0:41:04and then gently sweep across the bottom.
0:41:04 > 0:41:07That's it.
0:41:07 > 0:41:11Richard rears more than 300,000 juvenile salmon each year.
0:41:11 > 0:41:14And it's time for this generation to be released into the river.
0:41:20 > 0:41:22Probably just about here, I think, Keeley.
0:41:22 > 0:41:25And why have you chosen this stretch of the river?
0:41:25 > 0:41:28This particular part of the river is sort of a usual habitat that salmon
0:41:28 > 0:41:33would be found in. They like really high water quality, nice,
0:41:33 > 0:41:36fast-flowing streams, so it's really perfect for them,
0:41:36 > 0:41:41so we'll just go to the edge here, just lower our bucket in.
0:41:41 > 0:41:42And then
0:41:42 > 0:41:45just release them.
0:41:45 > 0:41:48And how long will they remain in this part of the water, then?
0:41:48 > 0:41:52These salmon, these should stay here for about another year and a half,
0:41:52 > 0:41:57so they'll be migrating down towards the sea in April or May,
0:41:57 > 0:42:00in 18 months' time.
0:42:00 > 0:42:04The young salmon will stay in the river, feeding on small aquatic insects.
0:42:04 > 0:42:09In nature, only 8% of juvenile salmon will reach this stage of maturity,
0:42:09 > 0:42:12so these harvested youngsters are upping those odds.
0:42:15 > 0:42:19They'll come back not only to the river they were born in but actually to the area they grew up in.
0:42:19 > 0:42:22That is amazing. I wouldn't be able to find my way back here on the roads!
0:42:22 > 0:42:24I can't believe they can.
0:42:26 > 0:42:29It's heartening to see that at long last we're helping rather than
0:42:29 > 0:42:32hindering the Atlantic salmon to make one of nature's
0:42:32 > 0:42:37most extraordinary journeys. There you go.
0:42:37 > 0:42:40Good luck, guys!
0:42:40 > 0:42:43And that, I'm afraid, is all we've got time for today,
0:42:43 > 0:42:47but please do join us again tomorrow for more entries in
0:42:47 > 0:42:49our Autumn Diaries...
0:42:49 > 0:42:54when Margherita helps protect the UK's favourite wild animal...
0:42:54 > 0:42:56It's feeding time for Mr Prickles.
0:42:56 > 0:43:00Jules is on the front line with the police unit trying to stamp out
0:43:00 > 0:43:02- rural crime. - So, what's happening now?
0:43:02 > 0:43:06They've spotted a baiter he believes is involved with hare coursing.
0:43:06 > 0:43:10And Paralympic reporter Diana Man investigates the latest fad for
0:43:10 > 0:43:14- horse decoration. - I've never seen anything like it.
0:43:14 > 0:43:17No, not very many people have.
0:43:17 > 0:43:19Until the same time tomorrow, bye-bye.