0:00:29 > 0:00:32Buckinghamshire, a green and pleasant land.
0:00:32 > 0:00:34The sweeping slopes of the Chilterns and ancient,
0:00:34 > 0:00:37mystical woodlands as old as the hills.
0:00:39 > 0:00:42Treasured by many for its luscious landscape, but there was one
0:00:42 > 0:00:46remarkable family who adored and shaped this county like no other.
0:00:46 > 0:00:50And I'll be learning more about their lasting legacy.
0:00:50 > 0:00:53Ellie's taking a stroll in a deep, dark wood.
0:00:55 > 0:00:56I'm on the trail of a magical,
0:00:56 > 0:01:01monstrous creature that's rarely seen in the wild.
0:01:01 > 0:01:02He's behind you, Ellie!
0:01:04 > 0:01:06But something else is heading for these woodlands,
0:01:06 > 0:01:09as Tom's been finding out.
0:01:09 > 0:01:13Britain's new high-speed train, HS2, is on its final approach,
0:01:13 > 0:01:16and, for those here in Buckinghamshire and beyond
0:01:16 > 0:01:21who believe it will harm our countryside, time is running out.
0:01:21 > 0:01:25So, how will it affect our landscape and our wildlife?
0:01:25 > 0:01:27I'll be investigating.
0:01:27 > 0:01:31And Adam's on a mission back at the beautiful Balmoral Estate.
0:01:32 > 0:01:35Now that Eric, my Highland bull, is out of action,
0:01:35 > 0:01:37I'm looking for a replacement,
0:01:37 > 0:01:40and it's a great honour to be invited back to the Queen's
0:01:40 > 0:01:44summer residence, here in Scotland, to help me find a replacement.
0:01:44 > 0:01:47I like the look of that little calf but...bit young yet.
0:02:01 > 0:02:05Wide chalk valleys meet golden beech woodlands.
0:02:07 > 0:02:10A patchwork of pure Englishness.
0:02:13 > 0:02:18The rolling Chilterns slope gently to the Vale of Aylesbury below.
0:02:18 > 0:02:21Of all of the landowners in Buckinghamshire, there was
0:02:21 > 0:02:24one family, in particular, that had more impact on the landscape
0:02:24 > 0:02:26than any other, the Rothschilds.
0:02:26 > 0:02:29In fact, they owned so much of this county,
0:02:29 > 0:02:32it was often referred to as Rothschildshire.
0:02:34 > 0:02:36They owned a whopping seven manors in the county,
0:02:36 > 0:02:40all thanks to the profits from their huge banking dynasty.
0:02:40 > 0:02:43In the 19th century, this lot were one of the richest
0:02:43 > 0:02:46and most powerful families in Europe.
0:02:47 > 0:02:49How the other half live, eh?!
0:02:50 > 0:02:53Today, I'm exploring Waddesdon Manor,
0:02:53 > 0:02:56the country home of Ferdinand de Rothschild,
0:02:56 > 0:03:00an avid art collector and one-time high sheriff of Buckinghamshire.
0:03:00 > 0:03:04Senior Curator Pippa Shirley is telling me all about him.
0:03:04 > 0:03:08So, Pippa, Ferdinand, he didn't inherit this house at all, did he?
0:03:08 > 0:03:11It was simply him loving the landscape
0:03:11 > 0:03:13- and wanting a large piece of it. - Absolutely!
0:03:13 > 0:03:16Absolutely...and when he started here, there was nothing,
0:03:16 > 0:03:17he had a completely bare hill.
0:03:17 > 0:03:20- Right.- But he wanted to live in Buckinghamshire
0:03:20 > 0:03:23because he needed a country house and various members of the family
0:03:23 > 0:03:26had already built in Buckinghamshire, so it was familiar.
0:03:26 > 0:03:30Ferdinand spied the site whilst out hunting and started from scratch.
0:03:30 > 0:03:33Literally, chopping the top off the hill.
0:03:33 > 0:03:37Sculpting elaborate driveways, terraced gardens
0:03:37 > 0:03:41and the extravagant turreted chateau all in record time.
0:03:42 > 0:03:45He buys the land in 1874 from the Duke of Marlborough,
0:03:45 > 0:03:47so it's part of the Blenheim Estates.
0:03:47 > 0:03:49And then the foundation stone is laid in 1877
0:03:49 > 0:03:52and it's slept in for the first time in 1880.
0:03:52 > 0:03:55Disraeli, the Prime Minister who visited
0:03:55 > 0:03:58while the house was under construction, famously went
0:03:58 > 0:04:00back to London and said that in his view the Almighty would have
0:04:00 > 0:04:03achieved the creation of the world in less than seven days
0:04:03 > 0:04:05if he'd had the assistance of the Rothschilds.
0:04:05 > 0:04:07Was this his permanent home?
0:04:07 > 0:04:11No, no, this is a weekend cottage, essentially.
0:04:11 > 0:04:13This is used at weekends and the summer.
0:04:13 > 0:04:16- Wow!- And he brings...he uses it for house parties.
0:04:16 > 0:04:18So, he brings friends, family,
0:04:18 > 0:04:22it's kind of a gathering spot for his political, his social circle.
0:04:22 > 0:04:26So, the Prince of Wales, the future Edward VII, comes here a lot.
0:04:26 > 0:04:29We've got wonderful photographs of him sitting on that very terrace.
0:04:29 > 0:04:32Erm, and Queen Victoria famously came,
0:04:32 > 0:04:35we think because she was curious about what her son got up to...
0:04:35 > 0:04:36Right.
0:04:36 > 0:04:38..during these famous house parties,
0:04:38 > 0:04:41when the wine flowed and the food was fantastic.
0:04:41 > 0:04:44Waddesdon Manor was a perfect playground for Ferdinand
0:04:44 > 0:04:47but it also gave him opportunities to improve the lives of others.
0:04:47 > 0:04:51He transformed the village of Waddesdon, with new houses for
0:04:51 > 0:04:52employees and tenants.
0:04:52 > 0:04:56He built the reading room, a school, a village hall and a hotel.
0:04:56 > 0:05:01He even piped in pure, clean drinking water from the Chilterns.
0:05:01 > 0:05:04What a character in the area, then.
0:05:04 > 0:05:06Yes, and very much respected
0:05:06 > 0:05:08and, I think, loved, even, in the area,
0:05:08 > 0:05:12but he's quite kind of a complex personality, Ferdinand,
0:05:12 > 0:05:14in lots of ways,
0:05:14 > 0:05:17and I think there's quite a strong sense of melancholy that runs
0:05:17 > 0:05:20through his character, which partly goes back to the fact that,
0:05:20 > 0:05:23you know, he lost his wife, Evelina, after only a year of marriage.
0:05:23 > 0:05:26The building of Waddesdon and the ploughing of his energies
0:05:26 > 0:05:30into this place is partly because he never gets over her loss.
0:05:30 > 0:05:34He grieves for her for the whole of his life, really.
0:05:34 > 0:05:38So, Ferdinand's tragic loss became Buckinghamshire's gain.
0:05:38 > 0:05:41His was a labour of love that left behind not just
0:05:41 > 0:05:44the magnificent manor but a vision for the whole area
0:05:44 > 0:05:46that remains to this day.
0:05:46 > 0:05:48Now, few of the locals would have a problem with
0:05:48 > 0:05:52the impact the Rothschilds had on this landscape but the same
0:05:52 > 0:05:57can not be said for the plans for Britain's latest high-speed train.
0:06:00 > 0:06:03Since the Industrial Revolution railways have been
0:06:03 > 0:06:08part of our rural landscape and now there could be one more.
0:06:08 > 0:06:11The plan is for a high-speed rail line, HS2,
0:06:11 > 0:06:14to run from London to Birmingham and beyond,
0:06:14 > 0:06:16potentially bringing economic
0:06:16 > 0:06:20and transport benefits to the whole country.
0:06:20 > 0:06:24The bill to enable phase one of HS2 has just passed its latest
0:06:24 > 0:06:28vote in Parliament with overwhelming cross-party support,
0:06:28 > 0:06:32so it's on the home straight towards becoming reality.
0:06:32 > 0:06:33It's a controversial plan,
0:06:33 > 0:06:38some say the economic case for the new train simply doesn't add up.
0:06:38 > 0:06:42But tonight we're looking at how to manage the environmental impact of a
0:06:42 > 0:06:46line which would run through some of England's most idyllic countryside.
0:06:46 > 0:06:50Matt Jackson is from the Berks, Bucks and Oxon Wildlife Trust.
0:06:50 > 0:06:54- Hi, Matt, I've found you in your hide, good to see you.- Well done, hi!
0:06:54 > 0:06:57- So what can you spy out there today? - I'm afraid there's not a lot.
0:06:57 > 0:07:00It's more butterfly action than bird action this morning.
0:07:00 > 0:07:03The high-speed line will follow the route of a little-used
0:07:03 > 0:07:06railway on the eastern edge of Calvert Jubilee,
0:07:06 > 0:07:10a former clay pit and municipal waste tip that's been reclaimed
0:07:10 > 0:07:15by nature and is now an important reserve for birds and butterflies.
0:07:15 > 0:07:19So what are the species you're most proud of here?
0:07:19 > 0:07:21We've got things like turtledoves,
0:07:21 > 0:07:23we've had a lesser spotted woodpecker recorded in recent weeks.
0:07:23 > 0:07:25Don't just gloss over the turtledoves,
0:07:25 > 0:07:28they're pretty rare in our countryside now, aren't they?
0:07:28 > 0:07:29Turtledoves are very rare!
0:07:29 > 0:07:32And what impact do you think High Speed Two would have on them?
0:07:32 > 0:07:35The turtledoves, unfortunately, are almost certain to go.
0:07:35 > 0:07:38The train line's going to come straight through the scrub
0:07:38 > 0:07:40that they've been nesting in.
0:07:40 > 0:07:42What do you think are the big wildlife impacts,
0:07:42 > 0:07:44sort of, along the length of High Speed 2?
0:07:44 > 0:07:47Well, across that area, from London to Birmingham,
0:07:47 > 0:07:49you'd be surprised just how varied our countryside is.
0:07:49 > 0:07:52So, through the Chilterns, for instance,
0:07:52 > 0:07:54it's going to carve through ancient woodlands.
0:07:54 > 0:07:55Here in the Aylesbury Vale,
0:07:55 > 0:07:58it's carving through an area called the Bernwood Forrest.
0:07:58 > 0:08:01And if I were to look out of here in, let's say, ten or 15 years' time,
0:08:01 > 0:08:04when it's all up and running, how different would it be?
0:08:04 > 0:08:07Erm, the lake itself will not be affected,
0:08:07 > 0:08:08so that will stay the same.
0:08:08 > 0:08:10What will be different is that you'll be looking out
0:08:10 > 0:08:13on a very changed landscape at the far end of the reserve.
0:08:13 > 0:08:15It's going to have security fencing
0:08:15 > 0:08:17and of course the big difference is going to be the noise.
0:08:17 > 0:08:20Not only of the trains but there's going to be a maintenance depot
0:08:20 > 0:08:22just off the side of the nature reserve here,
0:08:22 > 0:08:25that's operating 24/7 once the trains are up and running.
0:08:25 > 0:08:27So, the tranquillity that makes it
0:08:27 > 0:08:30so popular for the bird watchers will have evaporated?
0:08:30 > 0:08:31Yes, it'll have gone.
0:08:31 > 0:08:35Its use as a quiet spot in the countryside for people to come
0:08:35 > 0:08:37and enjoy, that's going to be gone forever.
0:08:40 > 0:08:42HS2 Limited, the company owned
0:08:42 > 0:08:46and set up by the government to build the line, knows that its
0:08:46 > 0:08:48management of the project is under the microscope.
0:08:50 > 0:08:53Peter Miller is in charge of the plans to minimise
0:08:53 > 0:08:58and compensate for the line's impact on the environment.
0:08:58 > 0:09:00Overall, do you think the environment will be
0:09:00 > 0:09:03harmed by the building of High Speed 2?
0:09:03 > 0:09:07We've spent a great deal of time thinking about the impact
0:09:07 > 0:09:11of the railway and, of course, a long linear
0:09:11 > 0:09:14piece of infrastructure will, inevitably, have an effect
0:09:14 > 0:09:16on the natural environment.
0:09:16 > 0:09:18I gather, overall, you've got this phrase
0:09:18 > 0:09:21"no net loss" of bio-diversity.
0:09:21 > 0:09:23So, overall...that nature won't lose.
0:09:23 > 0:09:26I wonder if you can explain that a bit, how it works in practice?
0:09:26 > 0:09:30Our approach is to think along the lines of "no net loss",
0:09:30 > 0:09:36so that we're able to maintain the habitat for species
0:09:36 > 0:09:40but those habitats will occur elsewhere, alongside the railway.
0:09:40 > 0:09:43What, you're trying to recreate that similar habitat somewhere
0:09:43 > 0:09:46away from where you're going to destroy it?
0:09:46 > 0:09:47Yes, that's right.
0:09:47 > 0:09:50That means that those species can migrate into the new habitats.
0:09:50 > 0:09:52We think that's going to be a
0:09:52 > 0:09:55really effective plan for helping bio-diversity.
0:09:55 > 0:09:57HS2 has already taken on board
0:09:57 > 0:10:02some of the criticisms about its plan by modifying the line's route.
0:10:02 > 0:10:06In the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, for example,
0:10:06 > 0:10:08they've extended a tunnel.
0:10:08 > 0:10:12But just down the road, the proposed route brings the trains out
0:10:12 > 0:10:16of another tunnel, right in the heart of a centuries-old, ancient woodland,
0:10:16 > 0:10:18called Mantle's Wood.
0:10:18 > 0:10:21Perhaps we can start by showing the minimum track width along any
0:10:21 > 0:10:24part of the route, and what that takes up, we can measure that out.
0:10:24 > 0:10:29- And that width is?- We believe it's 22 metres, that's the standard bit.- OK.
0:10:29 > 0:10:32- Tell me when to stop.- Will do.
0:10:32 > 0:10:36Richard Barnes from the Woodland Trust is showing me
0:10:36 > 0:10:39how wide the actual track will be.
0:10:39 > 0:10:42- Am I getting close?- A bit more.
0:10:42 > 0:10:44That's it.
0:10:44 > 0:10:45So, this is the bare minimum
0:10:45 > 0:10:49but the scar could actually be far wider, in reality.
0:10:49 > 0:10:51Yes, and in this particular woodland, an ancient woodland,
0:10:51 > 0:10:54it's actually going to take out a total of six hectares,
0:10:54 > 0:10:56which is the biggest individual loss at anywhere along the line.
0:10:56 > 0:10:58Wow!
0:10:58 > 0:10:59With the route, as it stands,
0:10:59 > 0:11:04phase one will run through at least 27 areas of ancient woodland.
0:11:04 > 0:11:07What is so great about ancient woodland for you?
0:11:07 > 0:11:10One of the ways of imagining it is that they're like our natural
0:11:10 > 0:11:11cathedrals and castles.
0:11:11 > 0:11:14They're our, sort of, cultural heritage,
0:11:14 > 0:11:16they've been around for so long and they're irreplaceable.
0:11:16 > 0:11:19One of the ideas I've heard is that you can actually move
0:11:19 > 0:11:22some of the soil of an ancient woodland and even the root balls
0:11:22 > 0:11:26of trees and take them to a new place
0:11:26 > 0:11:29and you've taken a lot of the benefit with you, is that true?
0:11:29 > 0:11:30That's not really true.
0:11:30 > 0:11:34I think, at best, it's a salvage operation of last resort
0:11:34 > 0:11:36when you know you're going to lose the woodland.
0:11:36 > 0:11:39Ancient woodland is irreplaceable, you can not translocate it.
0:11:39 > 0:11:42You're at best moving the soils and some of the components in the soil.
0:11:42 > 0:11:46From the soil to the treetops, a woodland like this is a unique
0:11:46 > 0:11:51eco-system supporting a huge variety of plants and wildlife.
0:11:51 > 0:11:56It's not just animals that are out and about now that could suffer.
0:11:56 > 0:12:00These woods are also home to some very rare creatures of the night,
0:12:00 > 0:12:03as Ellie's been finding out.
0:12:06 > 0:12:10I'm in another ancient woodland just a few miles from Tom
0:12:10 > 0:12:13and there is something rather enchanting
0:12:13 > 0:12:15and mysterious about this place.
0:12:17 > 0:12:20Finemere Woods has this thrilling atmosphere as a very old
0:12:20 > 0:12:25and very wild place, which supports its rich mosaic of insects,
0:12:25 > 0:12:27birds and mammals.
0:12:30 > 0:12:33I'm meeting Matt Dodds, Bio-diversity Officer
0:12:33 > 0:12:36from Aylesbury Vale Council to tell me more about one very
0:12:36 > 0:12:39special mammal that has made this woodland its home.
0:12:39 > 0:12:42So, Matt, what are we hoping to see here today?
0:12:42 > 0:12:44Well, we're here to look at the bats.
0:12:44 > 0:12:47Erm, we've been developing a bat monitoring project in the woodland.
0:12:47 > 0:12:49We've found out that it's one of the most important
0:12:49 > 0:12:51woods in the country for bats.
0:12:51 > 0:12:53Particularly, some very rare bats.
0:12:54 > 0:12:57Matt and his colleague, Hannah Bilston,
0:12:57 > 0:12:59set up the North Bucks Bat Trust
0:12:59 > 0:13:0212 years ago to examine the way specialist woodland bats
0:13:02 > 0:13:05use bat boxes in an ancient woodland setting.
0:13:07 > 0:13:10So, we've used these five different types of bat boxes
0:13:10 > 0:13:13and found that these two, the biggest boxes,
0:13:13 > 0:13:17these seem to be the boxes that the bats really prefer.
0:13:17 > 0:13:20Possibly because they do like congregating in these really
0:13:20 > 0:13:22big maternity roost groups.
0:13:22 > 0:13:25What have you discovered about their roosting routine?
0:13:25 > 0:13:29So, from doing the experiments and doing box checks, radio tracking,
0:13:29 > 0:13:33we've also had temperature sensors installed within the boxes,
0:13:33 > 0:13:36we've found on average they're sort of in the boxes
0:13:36 > 0:13:40maybe for between three and five days and then they switch
0:13:40 > 0:13:45and maybe go into a tree in the wood or maybe into another bat box.
0:13:45 > 0:13:47But they're more reliant on the tree roost than
0:13:47 > 0:13:50they actually are the other bat boxes.
0:13:50 > 0:13:52And how about their numbers, how are they doing?
0:13:52 > 0:13:53The numbers are relatively stable.
0:13:53 > 0:13:56There's good numbers of Natterer's and brown long-eareds,
0:13:56 > 0:13:59different colonies of the two species using the wood.
0:13:59 > 0:14:02They're a very charismatic animal, very alluring.
0:14:02 > 0:14:04They are, they're such an interesting species to study,
0:14:04 > 0:14:06yeah, they're fascinating.
0:14:06 > 0:14:09- Is there any way that I can have a look for some?- Absolutely, yeah!
0:14:11 > 0:14:15Bat expert Matt is going to show me how to get to grips with this.
0:14:15 > 0:14:17Talk me through this kit then, Matt.
0:14:17 > 0:14:20- So, this is a receiver. - OK, how does it work?
0:14:20 > 0:14:23Er, well, there's a transmitter attached to the bat,
0:14:23 > 0:14:25just between its shoulder blades,
0:14:25 > 0:14:28and that emits a little pulse of sound, about once a second, and then
0:14:28 > 0:14:31we can follow that pulse of noise back to where the bat is roosting.
0:14:31 > 0:14:33It must be hard to get something onto a bat,
0:14:33 > 0:14:35- they're tiny, aren't they? - Yeah, it's a tiny little transmitter
0:14:35 > 0:14:37and it fits just between their shoulder blades,
0:14:37 > 0:14:40so it doesn't interfere with them too much and it's not too disturbing.
0:14:40 > 0:14:42That sticks on with special glue,
0:14:42 > 0:14:44which then falls off after about 14 days.
0:14:44 > 0:14:46Oh, so it's not on them for very long, then?
0:14:46 > 0:14:47No, no, it's designed to do that,
0:14:47 > 0:14:50- so that it minimises the disturbance to the bat.- Great!
0:14:50 > 0:14:51Shall we try and find one?
0:14:51 > 0:14:53- Yup, OK.- Switch it on!
0:14:55 > 0:14:57- There you go. - They must be within range.
0:14:57 > 0:14:59Yeah, we're pretty close.
0:14:59 > 0:15:01There we go, let's get the kit going on.
0:15:01 > 0:15:03So, wherever it's quiet.
0:15:03 > 0:15:05- It's quiet that way so it's sort of louder this way.- Yeah.
0:15:05 > 0:15:08Straight down there, I think.
0:15:09 > 0:15:14It's quite difficult in woodland cos the noise changes
0:15:14 > 0:15:17depending on what's in the way.
0:15:17 > 0:15:20- Bouncing off trees.- Exactly. - So it can get quite confusing.
0:15:21 > 0:15:23- This is addictive, this, isn't it?- It is.
0:15:28 > 0:15:30This is good.
0:15:30 > 0:15:32I found it.
0:15:32 > 0:15:33Well done.
0:15:33 > 0:15:36It's just stuffed in that woodpecker hole up there, the entrance.
0:15:36 > 0:15:39Oh, perfect. You're going to stick a tiny camera in there?
0:15:39 > 0:15:42- Yeah, a tiny little camera, yeah.- How amazing.
0:15:42 > 0:15:44It's quite a long way up.
0:15:47 > 0:15:50I can see them, I can see them. Bechstein's bat.
0:15:51 > 0:15:54- Can you see them?- Oh, yes!
0:15:54 > 0:15:56- That's not easy to see.- No. - How many are we seeing there?
0:15:56 > 0:15:59It's probably about four in shot there,
0:15:59 > 0:16:02all hanging upside down looking directly down at the endoscope.
0:16:02 > 0:16:04So we're looking up the tree.
0:16:04 > 0:16:05Yeah, exactly,
0:16:05 > 0:16:08up to where they're roosting at the very top of the feature.
0:16:08 > 0:16:10It's one of the first times we've filmed them in their roost.
0:16:10 > 0:16:13That's fantastic. What a great piece of kit.
0:16:15 > 0:16:19- That was amazing.- Yeah, fantastic. - I've never seen Bechsteins before.
0:16:19 > 0:16:21Not many people have. They're extremely rare bats.
0:16:21 > 0:16:24Do you see any threats to these bats in the future?
0:16:24 > 0:16:26Well, they should be relatively secure.
0:16:26 > 0:16:29The only problem is HS2, which is
0:16:29 > 0:16:33a massive project which is going to bisect the three or four woodlands
0:16:33 > 0:16:35that they occur in at the moment,
0:16:35 > 0:16:37so we're really worried about the impact of that.
0:16:37 > 0:16:40'With that in mind, the bat group are recording the behaviour
0:16:40 > 0:16:45'of the bats, so that disturbances in the future can be monitored.'
0:16:45 > 0:16:48So, as the dusk falls on Finemere Woods, the birds, bees and
0:16:48 > 0:16:51butterflies are settling down for the night
0:16:51 > 0:16:54and hopefully the bats are coming out to play.
0:16:54 > 0:16:59Unfortunately, so too are the midges, so I'm going to need this.
0:17:02 > 0:17:04'This is the first summer survey for this team,
0:17:04 > 0:17:07'who are all licensed to handle these delicate creatures.
0:17:07 > 0:17:09'The first thing they need to do
0:17:09 > 0:17:12'is set up the eight-metre high mist net.
0:17:13 > 0:17:17'And, as the sun sets, it's not long before we find our first bat.'
0:17:19 > 0:17:20Got a Bechstein's.
0:17:20 > 0:17:22It's amazing to be this close to it.
0:17:22 > 0:17:25This is one of the rarest mammals in Europe.
0:17:25 > 0:17:29- So this is one that we've ringed before.- This is one of yours already.
0:17:29 > 0:17:32- It's rung on the left wing, which means it's a female.- OK.
0:17:32 > 0:17:35'Although the bat has already been ringed,
0:17:35 > 0:17:38'Matt and the team are hoping to radio tag it as well.
0:17:38 > 0:17:41'For this to happen, the bat needs to be a certain weight,
0:17:41 > 0:17:45'with the tag weighing no more than 5% of its body weight.'
0:17:46 > 0:17:49- So that's eight grams. That's fine. - So we get to see the tag going on?
0:17:49 > 0:17:51- Yeah, we can get a tag on. - Oh, marvellous.
0:17:51 > 0:17:53So you're covering up the head here.
0:17:53 > 0:17:55Yes, I'm just covering up the head, just to stop them struggling.
0:17:55 > 0:17:57Yeah, keep them nice and calm.
0:17:57 > 0:18:00Now, I'm just finding the gap between the shoulder blades there.
0:18:00 > 0:18:02Why are they so rare?
0:18:02 > 0:18:04They are completely dependent on ancient woodland,
0:18:04 > 0:18:07but, as ancient woodland has got smaller and smaller and smaller,
0:18:07 > 0:18:11so the numbers of Bechsteins have got smaller and smaller.
0:18:11 > 0:18:13Tags are really tiny,
0:18:13 > 0:18:16so we just snip off enough to just slightly expose the skin.
0:18:18 > 0:18:20I'm holding my breath.
0:18:20 > 0:18:22So nerve-racking!
0:18:24 > 0:18:28'And with the tag firmly in place, it's time for its release,
0:18:28 > 0:18:30'and, as we don't want to disturb the bat any further,
0:18:30 > 0:18:33'it's lights off.
0:18:33 > 0:18:36'Let's hope Matt, Hannah and the group get all the information
0:18:36 > 0:18:39'they need from this exceptionally rare creature.'
0:18:42 > 0:18:45Wow!
0:18:45 > 0:18:47What an honour to hold that Bechstein
0:18:47 > 0:18:49and release it back into freedom.
0:18:49 > 0:18:52One of the rarest mammals in Europe.
0:18:52 > 0:18:53That was great.
0:18:53 > 0:18:57I just hope that they can cope with whatever upheaval comes their way
0:18:57 > 0:18:59and go on to flourish.
0:18:59 > 0:19:01Amazing.
0:19:04 > 0:19:07As we've heard, the biggest upheaval those Bechstein bats
0:19:07 > 0:19:12are liable to face in the foreseeable future is the coming of HS2.
0:19:12 > 0:19:15The wood where they live is just a couple of hundreds yards
0:19:15 > 0:19:20across a wildlife meadow from a little-used, single-track railway
0:19:20 > 0:19:23that's the proposed route of the new high-speed line.
0:19:23 > 0:19:25The line doesn't run through the woods,
0:19:25 > 0:19:30but the bats depend on foraging across a much wider area to survive,
0:19:30 > 0:19:32frequently flying along these hedge lines.
0:19:32 > 0:19:35Local naturalists believe the new HS2 running through will
0:19:35 > 0:19:39act like a barrier and could threaten local extinction.
0:19:39 > 0:19:43Habitat fragmentation is a problem for bats,
0:19:43 > 0:19:46birds and butterflies all along the line.
0:19:47 > 0:19:49HS2 has spent a lot of time
0:19:49 > 0:19:54and effort making plans to minimise the impact on the environment.
0:19:54 > 0:19:58Plans which are documented in its environmental statement.
0:19:59 > 0:20:03This is it. More than 50,000 pages of it.
0:20:03 > 0:20:07Thankfully, we didn't have to print it off for ourselves, but some people
0:20:07 > 0:20:12have read it all and quite a few of them think it's not detailed enough.
0:20:12 > 0:20:16Although the high-speed line has cross-party support in Parliament,
0:20:16 > 0:20:19because of its potential economic and transport benefits,
0:20:19 > 0:20:24the Commons Environmental Audit Committee is among those who believe
0:20:24 > 0:20:28that HS2's environmental statement leaves a little to be desired.
0:20:28 > 0:20:32The Committee is chaired by Labour MP Joan Walley.
0:20:32 > 0:20:35What do you think about High Speed 2's environmental statement?
0:20:35 > 0:20:38We don't think that the environmental statement done
0:20:38 > 0:20:41so far by HS2 is really fit for purpose.
0:20:41 > 0:20:4640% of the land affected has still not been properly surveyed,
0:20:46 > 0:20:49so how can you reach conclusions out of that,
0:20:49 > 0:20:53when you don't have a full audit of the environmental biodiversity
0:20:53 > 0:20:55that we're talking about?
0:20:55 > 0:20:58Are the funds put aside for the environment protected?
0:20:58 > 0:21:00If at a later stage, for example,
0:21:00 > 0:21:02there's going to be huge cutbacks to HS2
0:21:02 > 0:21:04because it's not affordable,
0:21:04 > 0:21:07our report really wants to make sure that those cuts will not
0:21:07 > 0:21:10really be felt in terms of the work that should be
0:21:10 > 0:21:12spent on environmental protection.
0:21:12 > 0:21:15There needs to be clear forms of accountability, I believe,
0:21:15 > 0:21:17for that to actually happen,
0:21:17 > 0:21:21and it's not there in the detail that it needs to be at the moment.
0:21:21 > 0:21:26'So what does HS2 Limited make of the Audit Committee's report?'
0:21:26 > 0:21:28Do you think the Environmental Audit Committee's criticisms
0:21:28 > 0:21:30were unjustified?
0:21:30 > 0:21:35I think the Environmental Audit Committee's comments
0:21:35 > 0:21:37were very welcomed.
0:21:37 > 0:21:40Really? You like being told off?
0:21:40 > 0:21:41I don't think we were told off.
0:21:41 > 0:21:45I think what's interesting about that is that being
0:21:45 > 0:21:47scrutinised in that way is really important.
0:21:47 > 0:21:48The emphasis that has been
0:21:48 > 0:21:51provided from the Environmental Audit Committee actually is
0:21:51 > 0:21:54providing some guidance for us going forward and I think that's useful.
0:21:54 > 0:21:58The Environmental Audit Committee has said you need more stringent
0:21:58 > 0:22:03enforceable standards on the impact on the natural world.
0:22:03 > 0:22:04Do you agree?
0:22:04 > 0:22:05The commitments,
0:22:05 > 0:22:09the undertakings that we will make before Parliament will be binding.
0:22:09 > 0:22:13I think that's a really important thing for people to understand.
0:22:13 > 0:22:16Because it is binding, we will have to deliver on our plans.
0:22:16 > 0:22:20I gather you can avoid some environmental safeguards
0:22:20 > 0:22:23if you deem them impractical or unreasonable.
0:22:23 > 0:22:24Who's deciding that?
0:22:24 > 0:22:28These plans will be scrutinised by a special Parliamentary Select
0:22:28 > 0:22:33Committee and through that process, those plans will be confirmed.
0:22:34 > 0:22:39'One of the big green selling points of HS2 is the potential to
0:22:39 > 0:22:42'reduce carbon emissions by getting people out of their cars
0:22:42 > 0:22:45'but the Environmental Audit Committee was also
0:22:45 > 0:22:48'concerned that those benefits would be limited
0:22:48 > 0:22:52'until the electricity it uses will become carbon neutral.'
0:22:54 > 0:22:57But whatever HS2 does to help the environment,
0:22:57 > 0:23:00for some people there will still be a downside.
0:23:01 > 0:23:04Looking after rural Britain is about much more than
0:23:04 > 0:23:07caring for biodiversity.
0:23:07 > 0:23:09Along most of the route of the line,
0:23:09 > 0:23:14it isn't ancient forest or even havens for wildlife.
0:23:14 > 0:23:17It's this. Farmland.
0:23:17 > 0:23:22The plans for habitat creation mean valuable agricultural land
0:23:22 > 0:23:25won't just be lost on the line itself.
0:23:25 > 0:23:28A major concern for the National Farmers Union.
0:23:30 > 0:23:33Quite often it can be raining, it can be frosty,
0:23:33 > 0:23:35foggy up on these hills.
0:23:35 > 0:23:39'Robert Brown's family has been farming this land for a century.
0:23:39 > 0:23:43'The proposed route of HS2 runs right through it.'
0:23:43 > 0:23:48- This line is about to run, I guess, where we're standing now.- Right.
0:23:48 > 0:23:55Um, and it runs through the block of 88 acres of winter wheat.
0:23:55 > 0:23:57- Through that wood there? - It goes through this wood here.
0:23:57 > 0:23:59So that's a pretty big impact on your farm.
0:23:59 > 0:24:02Is that the only impact, the actual line itself?
0:24:02 > 0:24:03No, it's not the only impact.
0:24:03 > 0:24:07HS2 came out two weeks before Christmas
0:24:07 > 0:24:09and sat us round our kitchen table with maps,
0:24:09 > 0:24:13saying they were going to tip
0:24:13 > 0:24:171.93 million tonnes of spoil on our farm.
0:24:17 > 0:24:21And it's going where? Describe what it will look like.
0:24:21 > 0:24:24It's actually going from where the farm yard starts,
0:24:24 > 0:24:26on level hay-making fields,
0:24:26 > 0:24:30up to a plateau where the line of trees are, as ski slopes.
0:24:30 > 0:24:33They're going to go up to about nine metres high apparently
0:24:33 > 0:24:35and then down to this railway line here.
0:24:35 > 0:24:38What do you feel about that in here?
0:24:38 > 0:24:41It's just a complete nightmare to me. It's a complete nightmare.
0:24:41 > 0:24:44I try not to think about it because, you know,
0:24:44 > 0:24:48all what we've worked for all these years and got what we got here
0:24:48 > 0:24:51and they just want to wipe it out with a train line.
0:24:51 > 0:24:54I'm just totally devastated. I really am.
0:24:55 > 0:24:59Farmers and landowners along the route will be compensated for
0:24:59 > 0:25:03the loss of their land, but, as we've heard, it's not just about economics.
0:25:03 > 0:25:07Whether we're talking about farmers or biodiversity, for many,
0:25:07 > 0:25:10the big concern is surviving the upheaval.
0:25:10 > 0:25:15The final decision on HS2 will be taken by our MPs next year,
0:25:15 > 0:25:17but it looks likely,
0:25:17 > 0:25:21and most environmental groups have shifted to damage limitation mode,
0:25:21 > 0:25:26ensuring there's enough money, expertise and political will
0:25:26 > 0:25:30to make this massive infrastructure project as benign as possible.
0:25:32 > 0:25:36Elsewhere in Buckinghamshire, I'm looking at the effect of one family
0:25:36 > 0:25:40on an entire landscape - the Rothschilds.
0:25:40 > 0:25:43Waddesdon Manor was the vision of Ferdinand de Rothschild,
0:25:43 > 0:25:46who loved this bit of the county so much, he bought it.
0:25:46 > 0:25:51But the family legacy runs much deeper than the wonder of Waddesdon.
0:25:51 > 0:25:53For a start, there was cousin Walter
0:25:53 > 0:25:56and he was quite a guy!
0:25:56 > 0:25:59Yep, that's him riding the giant tortoise,
0:25:59 > 0:26:02as he set up the zoological museum round the corner in Tring.
0:26:02 > 0:26:06His zebra-drawn carriage was probably down the vet's for its MOT.
0:26:06 > 0:26:10Now, it's cousin Charles whose work in the early 1900s protects
0:26:10 > 0:26:12the British landscape as we know it today.
0:26:12 > 0:26:16I'm finding out more from Stephanie Hilborne of the Wildlife Trust.
0:26:16 > 0:26:18Charles founded the nature conservation.
0:26:18 > 0:26:20He founded what became the Wildlife Trust
0:26:20 > 0:26:23and he was the first person, a real pioneer, at looking
0:26:23 > 0:26:27scientifically at our whole country to find the best places for wildlife.
0:26:27 > 0:26:29So how did they find these special places?
0:26:29 > 0:26:32Interestingly, he did it rather like we do it now, which is
0:26:32 > 0:26:34you combine science
0:26:34 > 0:26:38and look at it from an overview national perspective, with going out.
0:26:38 > 0:26:39He put an article in the Times
0:26:39 > 0:26:42and got all the local natural history societies to go out
0:26:42 > 0:26:45and find these places and then he brought in his mates,
0:26:45 > 0:26:48like Neville Chamberlain, who became the Prime Minister
0:26:48 > 0:26:50and the Speaker of the House of Commons,
0:26:50 > 0:26:53and everybody was engaged in looking for these sites.
0:26:53 > 0:26:56You know, in the end they came up with 284 of the best.
0:26:56 > 0:26:58'The places they found became
0:26:58 > 0:27:01'the UK's Sites of Special Scientific Interest.
0:27:01 > 0:27:04'In uncovering these, they found one species at risk
0:27:04 > 0:27:07'which was particular to the Chilterns.'
0:27:07 > 0:27:10People filled in these forms. I've got one of them here.
0:27:10 > 0:27:12Questionnaires, are they?
0:27:12 > 0:27:15Yeah, a little questionnaire, which seems a bit simplistic now,
0:27:15 > 0:27:19but was asking why this place was special, and they discovered
0:27:19 > 0:27:23this amazing boxwood, the best boxwood probably in the country.
0:27:23 > 0:27:27And boxes depend incredibly on the Chilterns as an area.
0:27:27 > 0:27:30It needs chalk and limestone.
0:27:30 > 0:27:32This is a stronghold for the box.
0:27:32 > 0:27:35And so, having decided they would save it, it says,
0:27:35 > 0:27:36for instance, that,
0:27:36 > 0:27:39"We would charge the trustees with this pious duty of its preservation."
0:27:39 > 0:27:42Well, the question is, was Charles recognised for his efforts?
0:27:42 > 0:27:45John has been to find out.
0:27:49 > 0:27:53The gentle ups and sweeping downs of the Chilterns.
0:27:53 > 0:27:55It's an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
0:27:55 > 0:27:58and one of the most heavily-wooded places in Britain.
0:28:04 > 0:28:07And hidden within these woods there's a rare treasure of nature.
0:28:07 > 0:28:12The remnants of a species of tree which is rooted in our history,
0:28:12 > 0:28:15but which most of us know nothing about.
0:28:15 > 0:28:17It's been largely forgotten
0:28:17 > 0:28:20and now it's in very real danger.
0:28:20 > 0:28:23The box tree.
0:28:23 > 0:28:26There are only three officially recognised native box
0:28:26 > 0:28:28woodlands in the UK.
0:28:28 > 0:28:33They thrive on the chalky conditions found at Box Hill in Surrey,
0:28:33 > 0:28:35the Ashridge Estate in Hertfordshire
0:28:35 > 0:28:40and the largest stronghold of the three, here in the Chilterns.
0:28:40 > 0:28:44A pretty rare place in this country. A box tree wood.
0:28:44 > 0:28:47Yes, it's quite unusual to see box growing like this.
0:28:47 > 0:28:51'Sarah Wright is from the Box Woodland Regeneration Project,
0:28:51 > 0:28:55'which aims to preserve and champion this often overlooked tree.'
0:28:55 > 0:28:58It's very slow growing.
0:28:58 > 0:29:01It's got a very dense hard wood as a result.
0:29:01 > 0:29:03The bark, you can see, is quite distinctive.
0:29:03 > 0:29:08Yes, almost like a scale, isn't it? Like crocodile skin.
0:29:08 > 0:29:10How old do you think it is?
0:29:10 > 0:29:12Well, what we can do to estimate the age of a tree is
0:29:12 > 0:29:14we can use a forester's tape.
0:29:14 > 0:29:20- A forester's tape you put round the tree at breast height...- Right.
0:29:20 > 0:29:23..and it converts the circumference to the diameter for us.
0:29:23 > 0:29:27Five centimetre diameters is equivalent to 100 years of growth.
0:29:27 > 0:29:31- That's telling us that it's 13 centimetres' diameter.- Yeah.
0:29:31 > 0:29:37- That's approximately 200 to 250 years old.- Goodness me.- Yeah.
0:29:37 > 0:29:39So it's been here all this time in a bit of woodland
0:29:39 > 0:29:41that's been largely forgotten.
0:29:41 > 0:29:42Very much so.
0:29:44 > 0:29:47The timber of this rather unassuming tree is
0:29:47 > 0:29:51regarded as one of the best for carving because it's so hard.
0:29:54 > 0:29:57Many woodwind instruments used to be made from box.
0:30:00 > 0:30:05Local lacemakers use boxwood bobbins to produce intricate
0:30:05 > 0:30:07Bucks Point lace.
0:30:07 > 0:30:09And, if you're a chess player,
0:30:09 > 0:30:13you may have unwittingly found yourself in a Chilterns checkmate.
0:30:14 > 0:30:19There's one industry that boxwood revolutionised - printing.
0:30:19 > 0:30:23Thomas Bewick was an English engraver famous for carving
0:30:23 > 0:30:25illustrations on to boxwood blocks,
0:30:25 > 0:30:30used alongside metal type to produce pictures and words on the same page.
0:30:31 > 0:30:35It's a technique used to this day by illustrator Chris Warmoll.
0:30:35 > 0:30:38I became a fan of Thomas Bewick when I was a very young boy
0:30:38 > 0:30:43because my father had this book filled with pictures of animals
0:30:43 > 0:30:46and birds which I thought were fantastic.
0:30:46 > 0:30:49Although they look incredibly detailed and complicated,
0:30:49 > 0:30:53the process, once you get going, is actually fairly fast.
0:30:58 > 0:31:03Boxwood is the ideal medium for making wood engravings because
0:31:03 > 0:31:07it's very hard, but also very smooth
0:31:07 > 0:31:09and has a very consistent grain
0:31:09 > 0:31:13so that you can cut away nice, clean cut marks.
0:31:13 > 0:31:16Almost like drawing, the way I'm doing here.
0:31:19 > 0:31:23I actually enjoy engraving country scenes, animals and birds,
0:31:23 > 0:31:24and countryside.
0:31:24 > 0:31:27All the things that Bewick did.
0:31:37 > 0:31:41Boxwood is an unsung hero of our craft heritage,
0:31:41 > 0:31:44but for how much longer will it be around?
0:31:44 > 0:31:49A disease called box blight is damaging what limited stocks we have.
0:31:49 > 0:31:52It's a major concern for Liz Beale from the RHS.
0:31:52 > 0:31:54What are the tell-tale signs?
0:31:54 > 0:31:58What you can look for are the black streaking, which are the
0:31:58 > 0:32:03lesions of the fungus on the stems and the leaf markings here as well.
0:32:03 > 0:32:05So you get a leaf spot.
0:32:05 > 0:32:08You also see defoliation coming up from the base
0:32:08 > 0:32:12- and it can actually kill a mature tree.- So all the leaves disappear.
0:32:12 > 0:32:14- It really is dieback, isn't it?- Yeah.
0:32:14 > 0:32:17At the moment, there's not anything that can be done to eradicate it.
0:32:17 > 0:32:20It's more managing the disease
0:32:20 > 0:32:23and trying to limit its spread in this kind of environment.
0:32:24 > 0:32:27For this young specimen, that means destroying the blighted
0:32:27 > 0:32:30branches to avoid the disease spreading.
0:32:30 > 0:32:34It tends to hit saplings the worst, so it's hard for trees to recover.
0:32:37 > 0:32:41In a bid to restore this important part of the landscape, Sarah from the
0:32:41 > 0:32:46Box Woodland Project is making the most of what the Chilterns HAVE got.
0:32:46 > 0:32:50- What's happening here, Sarah? - I'm layering.
0:32:50 > 0:32:53Layering is a way of creating new box plants.
0:32:53 > 0:32:54I've dug a trench.
0:32:54 > 0:32:58I've clipped the leaves off
0:32:58 > 0:33:02and what I'm going to do now is just peg this down.
0:33:02 > 0:33:05- You're pegging the branch down into the ground.- I am.
0:33:05 > 0:33:08- This will keep the branch in the ground.- Right.
0:33:10 > 0:33:13What we're doing here is we're mimicking what a tree
0:33:13 > 0:33:15- naturally likes to do.- Right.
0:33:15 > 0:33:19It creates a substantial plant very quickly.
0:33:19 > 0:33:22When it comes to the autumn,
0:33:22 > 0:33:25hopefully this will have rooted into the ground.
0:33:25 > 0:33:28We'll be able to sever it from the parent plant and we will have...
0:33:28 > 0:33:30- Created a brand-new little tree here? - Yeah.
0:33:30 > 0:33:33The idea is that we're going to create Chiltern-sourced
0:33:33 > 0:33:36native box plants that can be used for the restoration
0:33:36 > 0:33:39and creation of new box woodlands in the Chilterns.
0:33:39 > 0:33:42So the future might be OK for box trees round here?
0:33:42 > 0:33:44Yes, we hope so, yeah.
0:33:44 > 0:33:48- Let's hope that this little one survives the blight.- Definitely.
0:33:58 > 0:34:03From boxwood in Buckinghamshire to bulls at Balmoral.
0:34:03 > 0:34:06Adam's back in Aberdeenshire to find a new Highland.
0:34:08 > 0:34:11'Last week, I was lucky enough to meet some of the Queen's beautiful
0:34:11 > 0:34:15'Highland ponies, including a very sweet new arrival.'
0:34:16 > 0:34:19First time up on his feet. He's a bit wobbly.
0:34:23 > 0:34:25But this time I'm back for business.
0:34:26 > 0:34:28A few months ago,
0:34:28 > 0:34:31my lovely Highland bull Eric was no longer capable of doing his job.
0:34:31 > 0:34:34I didn't have the heart to send him to slaughter,
0:34:34 > 0:34:38so he's now retired at my sister's farm and I've got to find
0:34:38 > 0:34:41a replacement for my lovely Highland girls back home.
0:34:41 > 0:34:44But to follow in Eric's rather large footsteps,
0:34:44 > 0:34:46he's got to be a good one.
0:34:49 > 0:34:54Rugged good looks, great sense of humour and a loveable nature.
0:34:54 > 0:34:57Lustrous red hair, broad shoulders,
0:34:57 > 0:35:00firm body, sturdy legs.
0:35:00 > 0:35:04But that's enough about me. Eric really is a bull with the X factor
0:35:04 > 0:35:07and those are big hooves to fill.
0:35:07 > 0:35:10So I wonder whether Her Majesty's Highlands will cut the mustard?
0:35:10 > 0:35:12I know it's a long way to come for a stock bull
0:35:12 > 0:35:16but last time I visited I was very impressed by the herd,
0:35:16 > 0:35:19so I'm really keen to find out what they've got for sale.
0:35:27 > 0:35:32Dochy Ormiston is stockman for the Queen's herd of Highland cattle.
0:35:32 > 0:35:35I met him last time I was here during the winter months
0:35:35 > 0:35:38and there's not much he doesn't know about this tough breed.
0:35:41 > 0:35:44- Dochy, good to see you.- Hello, Adam, pleased to meet you again.
0:35:44 > 0:35:47I was told you'd be out feeding your cows. They're looking lovely.
0:35:47 > 0:35:50- Aye, and I see you've brought the good weather with you again.- I know.
0:35:50 > 0:35:52It's always like that here, isn't it?
0:35:52 > 0:35:54You seem to bring it with you, aye.
0:35:54 > 0:35:56So, you've got some lovely calves on the ground now.
0:35:56 > 0:35:59We've done very well this year off a new black bull we bought.
0:35:59 > 0:36:01And there are some bull calves in here you'll be
0:36:01 > 0:36:03- selling in the future? - We'll wait and see.
0:36:03 > 0:36:05They're looking like it at the moment anyway,
0:36:05 > 0:36:08- so they're looking quite good. - And does Her Majesty love them?
0:36:08 > 0:36:11Yes, aye. She comes out and we talk about them.
0:36:11 > 0:36:14And the calves are just the most delectable calves in the world,
0:36:14 > 0:36:17- aren't they? They're like big teddy bears.- Teddy bears, yep.
0:36:17 > 0:36:20But if you try and cuddle them, will the cows have you?
0:36:20 > 0:36:23- No, they're not bad.- That's the thing I do want in a bull.
0:36:23 > 0:36:26I want something handle-able and reasonably quiet.
0:36:26 > 0:36:29Our old Eric is quite an act to live up to.
0:36:29 > 0:36:33- We want something that's a good bull.- We'll find one.
0:36:33 > 0:36:36- There's no pressure, Dochy! - No, not at all.
0:36:37 > 0:36:39And how many bulls are you selling?
0:36:39 > 0:36:43When I gave you a call, you said you'd virtually sold out.
0:36:43 > 0:36:48This is probably the best year we've had. We've sold six and maybe seven.
0:36:48 > 0:36:52- We'll see how today goes.- And is his mother in here or any relatives?
0:36:52 > 0:36:55- This is his mother here.- Oh, yes. - She's a nice cow.
0:36:55 > 0:36:58- She is a nice colour, isn't she?- Nice red cow.
0:36:58 > 0:36:59And what about the horns?
0:36:59 > 0:37:04The females have got to look like a good-looking woman.
0:37:04 > 0:37:07They've got to look round the field and stand out to you.
0:37:07 > 0:37:09The other thing too, you've got to look at them every day,
0:37:09 > 0:37:12so they have to look nice, aye.
0:37:12 > 0:37:15- And nice feminine upward horns. - Nice up horns.
0:37:15 > 0:37:19The full sister, Sophie, she's done very well at the shows with her.
0:37:19 > 0:37:21- That's her over there. - She's fantastic.
0:37:21 > 0:37:23How many shows has she won?
0:37:23 > 0:37:25I think she's won about four or five shows and an inter-breed.
0:37:25 > 0:37:29- Goodness me.- Beaten all the other breeds.- You're spoiling me now.
0:37:29 > 0:37:32I'm getting excited about this young bull.
0:37:32 > 0:37:35'So we've met the girls. Time to meet the boys.'
0:37:36 > 0:37:39This is when things get serious. Business.
0:37:39 > 0:37:41'But apparently
0:37:41 > 0:37:44'this big boy isn't quite what Dochy had in mind for me.'
0:37:46 > 0:37:48So is this big fella for sale, then, Dochy?
0:37:48 > 0:37:52- No, that's one of our stock bulls. - He's really lovely, isn't he?
0:37:52 > 0:37:54Is this something to aspire to, then?
0:37:54 > 0:37:57This, I would say, is probably what you're looking to breed like.
0:37:57 > 0:38:00He's good along the top. He's got a straight back on him.
0:38:00 > 0:38:04There's no hollows in through his shoulder here.
0:38:04 > 0:38:06He's got some width about him, hasn't he?
0:38:06 > 0:38:08- This is the bit that counts in here. - All the meat around the back end?
0:38:08 > 0:38:13- Yep.- Good depth here. God, there's some width down there. Look at that.
0:38:13 > 0:38:17- It's like a billiard table. - There's a bit of power to him, yeah.
0:38:17 > 0:38:20Just getting to his prime now, five, six year old.
0:38:20 > 0:38:22I really like him.
0:38:22 > 0:38:24You don't want to find him a good home, then?
0:38:24 > 0:38:27He might be too expensive for you, this one, Alex.
0:38:29 > 0:38:31'Sounds like this tremendous bull isn't for sale
0:38:31 > 0:38:35'so let's meet one Dochy is willing to part with.'
0:38:35 > 0:38:39- He's only 14, 15 months old. - He's only a baby.
0:38:39 > 0:38:41But it's all there if you put your hand on him.
0:38:41 > 0:38:45He's got some meat about him, hasn't he? He's got some width.
0:38:45 > 0:38:48- That's good. - He's full through the shoulder.
0:38:48 > 0:38:50There's no hollows or nothing on him.
0:38:50 > 0:38:52There's a bit of power through his brisket.
0:38:52 > 0:38:54He handles very well through his hips.
0:38:54 > 0:38:56- Yeah, he's got a bit of depth there, hasn't he?- Yeah.
0:38:56 > 0:39:00- You been feeding him well, Dochy? - Not really, no. Just heather really.
0:39:02 > 0:39:06He's losing all this down, this fluff, isn't he, at the moment?
0:39:06 > 0:39:08You can see here how he's got the two different kinds.
0:39:08 > 0:39:12The long stable hair and the down coming through it too.
0:39:12 > 0:39:14Like you say, that will all come out.
0:39:14 > 0:39:17So this downiness is the insulation. That's what keeps him warm.
0:39:17 > 0:39:21And then the rain and sleet and snow runs off the long hair.
0:39:21 > 0:39:24- I like the look of him. Can I see him walking up?- No bother.
0:39:24 > 0:39:26We'll just take him for a walk the now.
0:39:26 > 0:39:29You haven't done a lot of this with him, though?
0:39:29 > 0:39:31No, this is only the fourth time he's been in a halter.
0:39:31 > 0:39:33- But he seems to be very quiet. - He does, doesn't he?
0:39:33 > 0:39:36I'll walk up behind him and get him going. Go on then, fella.
0:39:38 > 0:39:41Let's see if this little chap has got the right moves.
0:39:41 > 0:39:45A good bull starts from the ground up.
0:39:45 > 0:39:48Strong, well-balanced feet are essential if he's going to
0:39:48 > 0:39:52get around all my cows, and his weight should be evenly distributed.
0:39:52 > 0:39:54Looking good so far.
0:39:55 > 0:39:57Just check his assets.
0:39:57 > 0:40:01His testicles need to be even-sized and firm.
0:40:01 > 0:40:04No lumps and bumps. They're fine.
0:40:06 > 0:40:08And then good teats.
0:40:08 > 0:40:11Although the bull obviously doesn't need to suckle calves,
0:40:11 > 0:40:14he will be throwing that into his daughters that will
0:40:14 > 0:40:19then go on and suckle calves, and four good evenly spaced teats.
0:40:19 > 0:40:22He's so quiet. A lot of bulls would be kicking me now.
0:40:22 > 0:40:24He's just stood there. I like that.
0:40:24 > 0:40:26BULL GRUNTS
0:40:26 > 0:40:29Lovely. 14 months old. Is he going to reach my cows, though?
0:40:29 > 0:40:33- I would think so.- You reckon? - Unless your cows are awful big.
0:40:33 > 0:40:36They're a fair size. Do you have to sell me a couple of bales of hay
0:40:36 > 0:40:39so he can get his front legs up onto them?
0:40:39 > 0:40:41Someone will have to put him up to it!
0:40:41 > 0:40:44That's my one concern, that he might not get to them,
0:40:44 > 0:40:49because Eric, a very lovely temperament, good size,
0:40:49 > 0:40:50he's got me some good calves,
0:40:50 > 0:40:53so this fella has got some... living up to.
0:40:53 > 0:40:56He'll be fine. It's all there. It's in his bloodlines.
0:40:56 > 0:41:00When you're buying stock, you're not supposed to be too gushing,
0:41:00 > 0:41:03because otherwise people think they've got you over a barrel,
0:41:03 > 0:41:07and I paid about £2,500 for Eric, which I thought was a fair price.
0:41:07 > 0:41:09What sort of value are you putting on this fella?
0:41:09 > 0:41:11Round about that sort of money too.
0:41:11 > 0:41:14I think he's something special, very nice, very quiet.
0:41:14 > 0:41:16And you've got to pay for quality.
0:41:16 > 0:41:19I suppose, as my dad always said,
0:41:19 > 0:41:22a bull is an investment for the future, isn't he?
0:41:22 > 0:41:24The bull's in your park now!
0:41:24 > 0:41:25THEY LAUGH
0:41:25 > 0:41:28He's...OK.
0:41:30 > 0:41:34- So do you want him or not? - I like him. I want him.- Good!
0:41:35 > 0:41:36Thank you very much!
0:41:38 > 0:41:41Me and you are going to be mates. I love him already.
0:41:41 > 0:41:44And now he's just got to win the hearts of the nation.
0:41:44 > 0:41:47We'll turn you into a superstar like old Eric.
0:41:50 > 0:41:54There's one thing we still haven't found out, and that's his name.
0:41:54 > 0:41:57So how about one approved by the Queen herself?
0:41:59 > 0:42:02Meet Archie I of Balmoral.
0:42:02 > 0:42:04Heading for a new life in the Cotswolds.
0:42:04 > 0:42:06I just hope he grows a bit!
0:42:07 > 0:42:11The Cotswolds isn't just where I farm, it's where I was born
0:42:11 > 0:42:14and brought up and lived pretty much all of my life.
0:42:14 > 0:42:16It's very close to my heart,
0:42:16 > 0:42:18and there are great places tucked away on the farm,
0:42:18 > 0:42:21like this lovely old shed with a shepherd's hut at the end
0:42:21 > 0:42:23and this wonderful valley with a stream running through it
0:42:23 > 0:42:26where we used to play as kids. I just love it down here.
0:42:26 > 0:42:28But now we want to hear about those places
0:42:28 > 0:42:30that are very close to your heart.
0:42:31 > 0:42:33Secret Britain is back,
0:42:33 > 0:42:36and we want you to e-mail us with your suggestions of those
0:42:36 > 0:42:40untold stories that are special to you, for a completely new series.
0:42:44 > 0:42:48We know that you know Britain's countryside better than anyone else.
0:42:51 > 0:42:53We want to hear about those secret places
0:42:53 > 0:42:57and wonderful wildlife spectacles few people get to witness.
0:43:00 > 0:43:03Over the summer, Ellie and I will be exploring some of the secret
0:43:03 > 0:43:06places and people of Britain that you tell us about.
0:43:06 > 0:43:09So this is your chance to share those locations
0:43:09 > 0:43:11that are special to you with us all.
0:43:11 > 0:43:16We're looking for a lost treasure revealed only at low tide,
0:43:16 > 0:43:19a wildlife spectacle,
0:43:19 > 0:43:21a neglected country craft,
0:43:21 > 0:43:26or simply one of our best-known landmarks with an unknown story.
0:43:29 > 0:43:31It's the personal connection of you
0:43:31 > 0:43:34and your family to the secret places and people of Britain
0:43:34 > 0:43:37that we're seeking, so share your ideas with us.
0:43:39 > 0:43:43Please e-mail your thoughts with photos too, if you can, to...
0:43:47 > 0:43:51You'll find all the information you need on the Countryfile website.
0:43:56 > 0:43:59For over a century, the Rothschild family have been heavily
0:43:59 > 0:44:03involved in conservation, nurturing and preserving the landscape.
0:44:03 > 0:44:07Today the work being carried out on their farmland is more
0:44:07 > 0:44:08important than ever before.
0:44:10 > 0:44:13This farm on the estate is one of only a few in the country
0:44:13 > 0:44:16carrying out cutting-edge environmental experiments.
0:44:16 > 0:44:18Depending on the outcomes,
0:44:18 > 0:44:22what you see here could be the model farm of the future.
0:44:26 > 0:44:29James Bullock is a scientist who basically measures the weather,
0:44:29 > 0:44:33the water and the soil, to see how we can best improve our farmland.
0:44:33 > 0:44:38We're aiming to see how we can use certain activities
0:44:38 > 0:44:41such as putting in field margins of wildflowers,
0:44:41 > 0:44:45adding flowers to grasslands, digging ponds to enhance
0:44:45 > 0:44:49things like carbon storage in the soil against climate change, to help
0:44:49 > 0:44:53increase crop yields, to improve the quality of water coming off
0:44:53 > 0:44:57the land, so not just biodiversity, but also the wider environment.
0:44:57 > 0:45:00And water as well. I mean, this is a big part.
0:45:00 > 0:45:03There's been lots of concern about water coming off farms being
0:45:03 > 0:45:05polluted with high nutrient levels,
0:45:05 > 0:45:08so we looked at how these margins filter the water, not so good,
0:45:08 > 0:45:13but digging ponds, we dug a number of fairly small ponds in the corners of
0:45:13 > 0:45:16fields that act like sedimentation tanks, so the sediment falls out,
0:45:16 > 0:45:20takes the nutrients out, and the water coming out is much cleaner.
0:45:23 > 0:45:26Funded by the Government, these experiments could shape
0:45:26 > 0:45:28future policy for the way farmers use their land.
0:45:31 > 0:45:34To the untrained eye, this might look like a normal field,
0:45:34 > 0:45:37but its margins are a playground for biodiversity.
0:45:37 > 0:45:40Marek Nowakowski is the man who takes
0:45:40 > 0:45:44the science from the boffins and makes it workable for farmers.
0:45:44 > 0:45:47The tussocky structure, good for over-wintering insects,
0:45:47 > 0:45:50good for small mammals, so this is very much a living part.
0:45:50 > 0:45:55Then we get into, if you like, on the dartboard, the double tops,
0:45:55 > 0:45:59or the double 20s, this is, again, tussocky,
0:45:59 > 0:46:02but we've put in this things like oxeye daisy,
0:46:02 > 0:46:07meadow buttercup just behind you, vetches.
0:46:07 > 0:46:10So what we've put into this is a pollen and nectar source,
0:46:10 > 0:46:13so we're getting two for the price of one.
0:46:13 > 0:46:15Soon, these wild flower margins will be in full bloom,
0:46:15 > 0:46:19providing food for insects that will spread into the crops to pollinate
0:46:19 > 0:46:21and eat the pests.
0:46:21 > 0:46:26And as far as increasing wildlife, Marek has seen instant results.
0:46:26 > 0:46:29Look, look, there's a run here,
0:46:29 > 0:46:32it might be quite difficult to see,
0:46:32 > 0:46:35but what will happen is the field vole
0:46:35 > 0:46:39will actually start munching through these stems of cocksfoot
0:46:39 > 0:46:43and he sat there and munched and spat bits out and left bits.
0:46:43 > 0:46:46So that is small mammal, therefore barn owl.
0:46:46 > 0:46:50Small mammal provides a nesting home for the bumblebee,
0:46:50 > 0:46:54so if the bumblebee wakes up in the spring after hibernation,
0:46:54 > 0:46:57which they do, and we have flowers for pollen and nectar,
0:46:57 > 0:46:59it literally walks out of its front door
0:46:59 > 0:47:02into a massive spread of pollen and nectar.
0:47:02 > 0:47:06The chances of its breeding success go up quite dramatically.
0:47:06 > 0:47:0990% percent of the wildlife has gone from farmland
0:47:09 > 0:47:12because the habitats have gone.
0:47:12 > 0:47:16The simplist in me says, sow the habitats back.
0:47:16 > 0:47:19But is it feasible to give up margins for wildlife
0:47:19 > 0:47:21that we could be growing food on?
0:47:21 > 0:47:23If we starve and wildlife benefits,
0:47:23 > 0:47:26we're out of balance as much as we are now.
0:47:26 > 0:47:29It's finding this balance between feeding people,
0:47:29 > 0:47:31but not at the expense of wildlife -
0:47:31 > 0:47:34that's the bit that I get up in the morning for.
0:47:36 > 0:47:38Al Brooks farms the Waddesdon Estate
0:47:38 > 0:47:41and is the man who actually puts all this theory into practice.
0:47:41 > 0:47:43He's got nearly 8% of his land
0:47:43 > 0:47:46tied up in these environmental experiments.
0:47:46 > 0:47:48- You all right? - All right, how you doing?
0:47:48 > 0:47:51- Nice, straight furrows there, beautiful.- We try, we try.
0:47:51 > 0:47:54- How's it going? - I think it's going all right.
0:47:54 > 0:47:56- The scientists are telling me it's doing OK.- Yeah.
0:47:56 > 0:47:59It's been a very interesting journey for me,
0:47:59 > 0:48:01it's been a real learning curve, if I'm honest.
0:48:01 > 0:48:05I've always had a sort of environmental angle to the way
0:48:05 > 0:48:09I like to farm, but the last three years have been a serious education.
0:48:09 > 0:48:12Obviously, to start with, you'd have had some major reservations.
0:48:12 > 0:48:14When you're asked to put such a proportion of your land
0:48:14 > 0:48:17into environmental measures, what am I going to be doing?
0:48:17 > 0:48:20Am I going to be losing out financially?
0:48:20 > 0:48:23The reality is that, you know, we have some biggish kit,
0:48:23 > 0:48:24we have some small corners
0:48:24 > 0:48:27and running around in these corners, we're not gaining anything,
0:48:27 > 0:48:30they're actually becoming money-losing rather than profitable.
0:48:30 > 0:48:32- OK.- So by doing what we're doing here,
0:48:32 > 0:48:37we're giving environmental delivery, we're not losing financially,
0:48:37 > 0:48:41we're improving the aesthetic of the farming that we're doing
0:48:41 > 0:48:44- and of the land that we manage. - So knowing what you know now
0:48:44 > 0:48:46and having experienced what you've experienced,
0:48:46 > 0:48:49would you ever go back to the way you were farming five years ago?
0:48:49 > 0:48:52I'd be really hard pushed to do that.
0:48:52 > 0:48:56For Al, sewing his unproductive field edges with wildlife in mind
0:48:56 > 0:48:58seems to be working.
0:48:58 > 0:49:00He's still managing to grow affordable crops
0:49:00 > 0:49:03and at the same time benefiting the environment.
0:49:21 > 0:49:25Aylesbury Vale, the green and rolling vale in Buckinghamshire,
0:49:25 > 0:49:30sheltered by the Chiltern Hills and its ancient Ridgeway walk.
0:49:31 > 0:49:36And at its southern tip you find the magical Wendover Woods.
0:49:36 > 0:49:39But not all is quite as it seems.
0:49:41 > 0:49:44This mysterious and beautiful woodland
0:49:44 > 0:49:47is not only a place for wildlife and plant life to thrive,
0:49:47 > 0:49:49but for the imagination to run wild.
0:49:51 > 0:49:53And if you go down to the woods today,
0:49:53 > 0:49:56you'll be sure of a big surprise.
0:50:04 > 0:50:06And in more ways than one!
0:50:10 > 0:50:12On Countryfile, we see many unusual creatures,
0:50:12 > 0:50:16but none quite as intriguing as what I'm searching for today
0:50:16 > 0:50:17here in the forest.
0:50:17 > 0:50:20One very famous children's author is only too aware
0:50:20 > 0:50:26of what can happen when you take a stroll through the deep, dark wood.
0:50:28 > 0:50:33The Gruffalo wasn't initially going to be about a Gruffalo at all,
0:50:33 > 0:50:36it was going to be about a tiger.
0:50:36 > 0:50:40I just couldn't get anything good to rhyme with tiger, really,
0:50:40 > 0:50:43so I thought, "If I create a monster,
0:50:43 > 0:50:45"he can rhyme with whatever I want,"
0:50:45 > 0:50:48and in this case he rhymes with,
0:50:48 > 0:50:50"Silly old fox, doesn't he know?
0:50:50 > 0:50:53"There's no such thing as a Gruffalo!"
0:50:56 > 0:50:59"He has knobbly knees and turned-out toes
0:50:59 > 0:51:03"and a poisonous wart at the end of his nose.
0:51:03 > 0:51:07"Oh, help! Oh, no! It's a Gruffalo!"
0:51:07 > 0:51:10Well, as scary as he is, it is his birthday
0:51:10 > 0:51:14and everybody deserves to celebrate.
0:51:14 > 0:51:18He's 15 years old, so these special Gruffalo trails
0:51:18 > 0:51:22have been set up around the country in his honour.
0:51:22 > 0:51:24I'm finding out how these trails
0:51:24 > 0:51:29are inspiring young families all over the UK to venture out into the woods.
0:51:29 > 0:51:33Learning Ranger Charlotte McGowan is going to tell me more.
0:51:33 > 0:51:37Here we are, the Forestry Commission owning the nation's woodland
0:51:37 > 0:51:38and we've got The Gruffalo,
0:51:38 > 0:51:41one of the best forest stories you can get. It's so exciting.
0:51:41 > 0:51:44It captures every child's imagination,
0:51:44 > 0:51:46every adult's, too, I think.
0:51:46 > 0:51:48So what can they see and learn about on the trail?
0:51:48 > 0:51:51It's to get children engaged with the forest.
0:51:51 > 0:51:54It's using their senses and actually doing things,
0:51:54 > 0:51:58so they can find mini beasts, they can look at forest homes,
0:51:58 > 0:52:00think about where the animals live.
0:52:00 > 0:52:02Forests are so much more, it's not just trees,
0:52:02 > 0:52:04it's about the wildlife, as well.
0:52:04 > 0:52:06Well, we can see families in the woods ahead,
0:52:06 > 0:52:08- shall we go and join them? - Oh, yes, let's.
0:52:12 > 0:52:15Is that a logpile house you're making?
0:52:15 > 0:52:17No, this is a mouse den.
0:52:17 > 0:52:19Oh, this is the mouse den? We've changed it up.
0:52:19 > 0:52:21What is it, do you think, about The Gruffalo
0:52:21 > 0:52:23that seems to be universally loved by children?
0:52:23 > 0:52:27I just think it's just a big adventure and he adores it.
0:52:27 > 0:52:32Anything that can get children learning about trees, plants,
0:52:32 > 0:52:36beetles, I just think that's so important.
0:52:36 > 0:52:39- I found a leaf. - You found a leaf? Lovely!
0:52:39 > 0:52:43- Keep looking. - My favourite is The Gruffalo.
0:52:45 > 0:52:48"A Gruffalo? What's a Gruffalo?
0:52:48 > 0:52:51"A Gruffalo? Why didn't you know?
0:52:51 > 0:52:57"He has terrible tusks and terrible claws
0:52:57 > 0:53:01"and terrible teeth in his terrible jaws!
0:53:01 > 0:53:03"Where are you meeting him?
0:53:03 > 0:53:11"Here by these rocks, and his favourite food is roasted fox."
0:53:15 > 0:53:18What's great about these trails is that they are hands-on,
0:53:18 > 0:53:20so they teach children about nature.
0:53:20 > 0:53:23Today, they are making Gruffalos out of pine cones
0:53:23 > 0:53:27and mini beast hotels to replicate the snake's logpile house.
0:53:27 > 0:53:28Are you not making one, Steve?
0:53:28 > 0:53:31- I'm not, I've got a good band of experts here.- You have.
0:53:31 > 0:53:33I'm going to dig in, I couldn't not.
0:53:33 > 0:53:35So talk to me about what the idea is behind
0:53:35 > 0:53:37what the children are making today.
0:53:37 > 0:53:40It's recreating an actual habitat, a deadwood habitat.
0:53:40 > 0:53:43It's to attract insects, ground beetles,
0:53:43 > 0:53:45slow worms are attracted by ants and things like this.
0:53:45 > 0:53:49Also carnivorous animals such as centipedes.
0:53:49 > 0:53:51But it's not just about having breeding habitats
0:53:51 > 0:53:54or even feeding habitats, it's over winter habitats.
0:53:54 > 0:53:58- How would this help out creepy crawlies?- It's excellent for earwigs.
0:53:58 > 0:54:03Things like ladybirds will easily go into the scales on the pine cone.
0:54:03 > 0:54:05I've got my very own mini beast.
0:54:05 > 0:54:09But I've heard that there's a monstrous delivery on its way.
0:54:11 > 0:54:14"All was quiet in the deep, dark wood,
0:54:14 > 0:54:20"The mouse found a nut and the nut was good."
0:54:24 > 0:54:28It was quiet until he showed up.
0:54:28 > 0:54:30Blimey, look at that, he's a beast!
0:54:33 > 0:54:36You can find these stupendous sculptures in woodlands
0:54:36 > 0:54:40up and down the country to celebrate the Gruffalo's 15th birthday.
0:54:42 > 0:54:46That is it from Buckinghamshire and our magical woodland adventure.
0:54:46 > 0:54:49It's been brilliant spending time
0:54:49 > 0:54:53with the next generation of outdoor enthusiasts.
0:54:53 > 0:54:55How's that looking? Lovely.
0:54:55 > 0:55:00Next week, John will be in Snowdonia to see how the hand of man
0:55:00 > 0:55:01has influenced the landscape,
0:55:01 > 0:55:04and to get the best view of that landscape
0:55:04 > 0:55:07he's going to need a head for heights. We'll see you then, bye-bye.