0:00:28 > 0:00:30Winter in Gloucestershire.
0:00:30 > 0:00:35Trees stand bare and sentinel, but spring is just around the corner,
0:00:35 > 0:00:37bringing with it new life.
0:00:37 > 0:00:41It's January, the time for out with the old and in with the new.
0:00:41 > 0:00:44And here at Batsford Arboretum it's no exception.
0:00:44 > 0:00:46With the help of this sonic hammer,
0:00:46 > 0:00:50they can give their trees a health check and detect any sign of decay.
0:00:52 > 0:00:54Ellie's flying high.
0:00:56 > 0:00:59Here in the middle of the Gloucestershire countryside,
0:00:59 > 0:01:01you wouldn't expect to see vultures,
0:01:01 > 0:01:03but this place is the world authority
0:01:03 > 0:01:06when it comes to birds of prey.
0:01:06 > 0:01:09Tom's looking at a new law which has been introduced to tackle
0:01:09 > 0:01:12the crisis of neglected and abandoned horses,
0:01:12 > 0:01:15but not everybody's happy about the situation.
0:01:15 > 0:01:19What were you going to say, sir? The council...
0:01:19 > 0:01:23OK, for grazing, you mean?
0:01:24 > 0:01:26And Adam's making a return visit
0:01:26 > 0:01:30to one of the most inspirational young farmers he's ever met.
0:01:30 > 0:01:33This year's Food & Farming Awards are upon us again.
0:01:33 > 0:01:35I've travelled to Scotland
0:01:35 > 0:01:37to catch up with one of last year's finalists,
0:01:37 > 0:01:40Cameron Hendry, and to get the search
0:01:40 > 0:01:43for Countryfile's 2016 Farming Hero underway.
0:01:57 > 0:02:00The green, green grass of Gloucestershire.
0:02:00 > 0:02:02Be it crops or flocks,
0:02:02 > 0:02:07the rich earth here makes it the perfect county for growing things.
0:02:07 > 0:02:10And with Adam's farm and Ellie's apple orchard
0:02:10 > 0:02:11both in Gloucestershire,
0:02:11 > 0:02:14it looks like my fellow Countryfile presenters agree.
0:02:16 > 0:02:19But they're not the only ones to have put down roots here.
0:02:19 > 0:02:22Trees seem to triumph in this Gloucestershire soil
0:02:22 > 0:02:26and I've come to a place that is full of them.
0:02:27 > 0:02:29Big and small.
0:02:30 > 0:02:34Batsford Arboretum, near Moreton-in-Marsh, has been collecting
0:02:34 > 0:02:38and caring for exotic tree species since the mid-19th century.
0:02:38 > 0:02:42Head gardener Matthew Hall has been meeting the needs of the trees here
0:02:42 > 0:02:43for more than 12 years.
0:02:43 > 0:02:46- Hiya, Matthew, how are you doing? - Good, how are you doing?
0:02:46 > 0:02:49Yeah, really good after a fantastic walk. What a place.
0:02:49 > 0:02:52- Fantastic place, isn't it? - Yeah. What's this, for example?
0:02:52 > 0:02:53Shishigashira, wonderful tree.
0:02:53 > 0:02:56- Almost like big walking sticks, aren't they?- Beautiful.
0:02:56 > 0:02:58So how many different trees...?
0:02:58 > 0:03:02- Do you know how many trees you've got here?- We've got 3,000 trees.- Right.
0:03:02 > 0:03:06In that lot, we would have about 1,600 individual, different trees,
0:03:06 > 0:03:08different species of tree.
0:03:08 > 0:03:10Some of them are obviously incredibly old,
0:03:10 > 0:03:13so when did all this start and whose idea was it?
0:03:13 > 0:03:17It goes back to about the 1870s, 1880s.
0:03:21 > 0:03:26The arboretum was the brainchild of Victorian eccentric Lord Redesdale
0:03:26 > 0:03:31after returning from diplomatic posts in Russia, China and Japan.
0:03:31 > 0:03:34His love of the Orient inspired him to transform Batsford,
0:03:34 > 0:03:38tearing out formal beds in favour of wild planting
0:03:38 > 0:03:40and exotic trees.
0:03:40 > 0:03:41Later owners expanded the collection,
0:03:41 > 0:03:45but Redesdale's trees formed the backbone of the arboretum.
0:03:47 > 0:03:51Are you now constantly evolving this place? Is it going to get bigger?
0:03:51 > 0:03:54It's always evolving. We've added about another 15 acres.
0:03:54 > 0:03:57We're planting about 70 or 80 plants a year.
0:03:57 > 0:04:00We can't be a museum, we've got to move forward.
0:04:00 > 0:04:02Trees come out, new ones go in,
0:04:02 > 0:04:05so it's always evolving.
0:04:05 > 0:04:07Among the dazzling array of species at Batsford
0:04:07 > 0:04:09is an old tree which is now in a bad way.
0:04:09 > 0:04:12Right, then, Matt, we've got this purple beech here
0:04:12 > 0:04:14we've got a few problems with.
0:04:14 > 0:04:16You've obviously been working on it already.
0:04:16 > 0:04:18What's the situation with it?
0:04:18 > 0:04:20Well, we've got bracket fungi on the graft line.
0:04:20 > 0:04:23- You just see around there, a ganoderma.- Right.
0:04:23 > 0:04:26Unfortunately, we've got an area of decay around the front.
0:04:26 > 0:04:28Quite a lot of science going on in here as well.
0:04:28 > 0:04:30We like a bit of science.
0:04:30 > 0:04:34Got all these sensors on. Let's go have a look, see what's happening.
0:04:35 > 0:04:39A team from Oxford University is using new technology that allows them
0:04:39 > 0:04:43to look inside the trunk to see how bad the damage is,
0:04:43 > 0:04:45like an X-ray for trees.
0:04:45 > 0:04:47Ian Sherwood is the man with the scanner.
0:04:48 > 0:04:51Right, then, Ian, this is all looking incredibly technical.
0:04:51 > 0:04:52What's happening here?
0:04:52 > 0:04:55- We're just doing a tomograph survey of the tree.- OK.
0:04:55 > 0:04:59That sends sound waves through the tree and it gives you a reading
0:04:59 > 0:05:03of what's going on inside the tree without actually drilling in.
0:05:03 > 0:05:06The sensors are placed in a ring around the trunk.
0:05:10 > 0:05:14Then each one is tapped in turn with Ian's sonic hammer.
0:05:14 > 0:05:16Very Doctor Who!
0:05:18 > 0:05:21He's got a sonic screwdriver, so between us, we can fix the TARDIS.
0:05:21 > 0:05:23LAUGHTER
0:05:23 > 0:05:25And no sci-fi set-up would be complete
0:05:25 > 0:05:28without a slightly stroppy computer.
0:05:28 > 0:05:29COMPUTER BUZZES
0:05:29 > 0:05:30'Please tap again.'
0:05:30 > 0:05:32COMPUTER BUZZES
0:05:32 > 0:05:34'Please tap again.'
0:05:34 > 0:05:36COMPUTER BUZZES
0:05:36 > 0:05:40'Measurements at this spot have been recorded.'
0:05:40 > 0:05:43Time to see just how rotten our tree is.
0:05:43 > 0:05:45- There we go. - Right, so very colourful.
0:05:45 > 0:05:47Yeah, it is very colourful.
0:05:47 > 0:05:53Blue, that could be a cavity, or certainly very decayed wood.
0:05:53 > 0:05:56The pink is still severe decay, but not quite so much,
0:05:56 > 0:05:59so you can see the progression back through the trunk
0:05:59 > 0:06:02- and it's actually quite extensive. - Yeah.
0:06:02 > 0:06:06And, Matthew, this sad reality confirms what you were thinking.
0:06:06 > 0:06:09This is quite sad, really, but, yeah, unfortunately,
0:06:09 > 0:06:10it'll have to go.
0:06:14 > 0:06:18Well, taking a tree down of this size is a specialist skill and later on,
0:06:18 > 0:06:21I'm going to be seeing how they do it, but first,
0:06:21 > 0:06:24right now across the country, there are thousands of neglected
0:06:24 > 0:06:27and abandoned horses facing a winter outdoors.
0:06:27 > 0:06:31It's a problem that's reached crisis levels over the last few years,
0:06:31 > 0:06:33but as Tom's been finding out,
0:06:33 > 0:06:35a new law could bring an end to that suffering.
0:06:41 > 0:06:43A winter's morning in Yorkshire.
0:06:43 > 0:06:46I'm on the road with Stockton-on-Tees council
0:06:46 > 0:06:49animal welfare inspector Steve Gale.
0:06:49 > 0:06:53His wide-ranging experience means other councils come to him
0:06:53 > 0:06:56for advice on illegal grazing.
0:06:56 > 0:06:59- There's a few just here.- Four there.
0:06:59 > 0:07:03And sure enough, among the parked cars and playgrounds, horses,
0:07:03 > 0:07:05more than a dozen of them.
0:07:05 > 0:07:07And they're not tethered, are they?
0:07:07 > 0:07:08Don't think so.
0:07:08 > 0:07:12Those three, I don't think any of those could be tethered.
0:07:13 > 0:07:17When owners turn their horses onto someone else's land for a free meal,
0:07:17 > 0:07:20it's called fly-grazing.
0:07:20 > 0:07:22But that's only half the problem.
0:07:22 > 0:07:26It's also common for unwanted horses to be simply abandoned
0:07:26 > 0:07:29and left on roadsides, fields or housing estates.
0:07:31 > 0:07:33We're taking a closer look.
0:07:33 > 0:07:37One of the horses is tethered by a rope pegged into the ground.
0:07:37 > 0:07:41It's worn a clear circle, bare of any grass.
0:07:41 > 0:07:43Is this a typical fly-grazing scene?
0:07:43 > 0:07:46When we talk about fly-grazing, is this what we mean?
0:07:46 > 0:07:47This is what we mean.
0:07:47 > 0:07:50Probably illegally grazed on, I suspect, council land,
0:07:50 > 0:07:53so it hasn't got the landowner's approval to be here.
0:07:53 > 0:07:56We've got two loose horses which obviously in themselves
0:07:56 > 0:08:00can cause problems, cos they are running around round the estate.
0:08:00 > 0:08:02And as you can see from the ground,
0:08:02 > 0:08:06the fact that it's tethered in one place, it's got no grazing.
0:08:06 > 0:08:08It's not really got any water.
0:08:08 > 0:08:11- MAN SHOUTS - Steve's visits are not always welcome
0:08:11 > 0:08:14and as locals appear to check on their horses
0:08:14 > 0:08:16and us, our police escort steps in.
0:08:16 > 0:08:20What were you going to say, sir? The council should...?
0:08:21 > 0:08:24OK, for grazing, you mean?
0:08:25 > 0:08:28Hopefully, the mallet's just for the horse's tether.
0:08:28 > 0:08:29What do you make of that?
0:08:30 > 0:08:33Typical response, to be honest.
0:08:33 > 0:08:35When a farmer wants some livestock, he buys the farm
0:08:35 > 0:08:36and then he buys the animals,
0:08:36 > 0:08:39but these guys tend to seem to do it differently.
0:08:39 > 0:08:42They get the animals, then they're not sure where to graze them,
0:08:42 > 0:08:45then they think it's our duty to provide them with some grazing.
0:08:45 > 0:08:48So why are these horses here?
0:08:48 > 0:08:52As other owners arrive, one local resident, Ian Gregory,
0:08:52 > 0:08:54is keen to explain.
0:08:54 > 0:08:55Why do you keep a horse as a pet?
0:08:55 > 0:08:58Cos I might think I'll keep a cat or a dog, but a horse?
0:08:58 > 0:09:00That's a big undertaking.
0:09:00 > 0:09:04Well, for me, it's a hobby.
0:09:04 > 0:09:07Do you know what I mean? I like it.
0:09:07 > 0:09:09- It keeps me out all the time.- Mm-hm.
0:09:09 > 0:09:12It gets me to do stuff where, like,
0:09:12 > 0:09:15- a cat, it's different, innit, you know what I mean?- Yeah.
0:09:15 > 0:09:17- But, like...- And you think you can do the job responsibly
0:09:17 > 0:09:20- of keeping a horse, do you? - Oh, yeah, I know I can.
0:09:20 > 0:09:21I've brought that one up.
0:09:21 > 0:09:25- But do you actually own any pasture of your own?- Oh, no, no, no, no.
0:09:25 > 0:09:28Do you think it's right to be just borrowing
0:09:28 > 0:09:31or just going on to a bit of land and finding a bit of grazing?
0:09:31 > 0:09:32Do you think that's right?
0:09:32 > 0:09:34Truthful, I don't see the harm in it.
0:09:36 > 0:09:39While Ian's pony Billy Boy seems in good health,
0:09:39 > 0:09:44the RSPCA say fly-grazing is often linked to poor welfare.
0:09:44 > 0:09:47They say it's a crisis involving thousands of horses.
0:09:50 > 0:09:53But that's starting to change - first in Wales,
0:09:53 > 0:09:54then last summer in England,
0:09:54 > 0:09:57control of horses laws were introduced
0:09:57 > 0:10:01which should mean happier outcomes for neglected animals.
0:10:01 > 0:10:04The new legislation allows any landowner in England
0:10:04 > 0:10:08and councils in Wales who find a horse on their property to seize it.
0:10:08 > 0:10:12If it's not claimed, they can sell the animal or give it to charity.
0:10:13 > 0:10:16Some of this work is being done by the RSPCA.
0:10:16 > 0:10:21Increasingly, landowners are calling in equine bailiffs to do the job.
0:10:25 > 0:10:28Spread out.
0:10:28 > 0:10:30Concentrate on the left-hand side.
0:10:30 > 0:10:35One company specialising in this area is Bristol-based GRC Bailiffs.
0:10:35 > 0:10:39They travel the entire country seizing illegally grazed horses,
0:10:39 > 0:10:41usually in the dead of night.
0:10:42 > 0:10:46These are military-style operations involving horse experts
0:10:46 > 0:10:48and security personnel.
0:10:48 > 0:10:51Under the new law, seizing horses is relatively simple.
0:10:52 > 0:10:55The legislation is a lot better now,
0:10:55 > 0:11:02because it clarifies what landowners can do and how they can go about it.
0:11:02 > 0:11:05In England, the bailiffs don't have to give notice.
0:11:05 > 0:11:08They just round up the horses and if the owner wants them back,
0:11:08 > 0:11:11they'll have to foot the bill for the whole operation.
0:11:11 > 0:11:15It's hardly surprising this causes some ill feeling.
0:11:15 > 0:11:18The team have asked us to disguise their identities
0:11:18 > 0:11:19in case of repercussions.
0:11:19 > 0:11:23The owners may turn up and try and interfere with the operation.
0:11:23 > 0:11:25If someone starts screaming and shouting,
0:11:25 > 0:11:27we'll never get the horses loaded.
0:11:27 > 0:11:30We'd just rather come out early morning, later in the evening,
0:11:30 > 0:11:34and get it done then without being interfered with.
0:11:34 > 0:11:38It's a vanishing act that's not appreciated by the owners.
0:11:40 > 0:11:43Have you ever had your horses seized by the council?
0:11:43 > 0:11:45And what did you think about that?
0:11:46 > 0:11:48Right, right.
0:11:51 > 0:11:52Uh-huh.
0:11:59 > 0:12:01He may not be happy,
0:12:01 > 0:12:03but supporters say it is an effective
0:12:03 > 0:12:05and fast way to remove horses.
0:12:09 > 0:12:13It sounds perfect - a new power to seize horses
0:12:13 > 0:12:18and deal with any welfare concerns, but there's a fly in the ointment.
0:12:18 > 0:12:21What happens to all those rescued horses?
0:12:21 > 0:12:25Well, the truth is, they don't all live a life in clover.
0:12:25 > 0:12:28Indeed, some could end up being destroyed
0:12:28 > 0:12:30and I'll be looking into that later.
0:12:39 > 0:12:41Even in the depths of winter,
0:12:41 > 0:12:45the beauty of the natural world is a sight to behold.
0:12:45 > 0:12:48Light reflects off ice,
0:12:48 > 0:12:50freezing mists enfold the land
0:12:50 > 0:12:53and the low sun glints through silent woodlands.
0:12:55 > 0:12:59These endless wonders of nature have inspired
0:12:59 > 0:13:03and captured the imagination of artists for thousands of years.
0:13:03 > 0:13:07Everything from beasts to bees, wild woods to weather.
0:13:10 > 0:13:13Nature In Art is the name of the world's first gallery
0:13:13 > 0:13:17dedicated exclusively to art that depicts nature.
0:13:17 > 0:13:20Based here at Wallsworth Hall near Gloucester,
0:13:20 > 0:13:22there's art and sculptures from all over the world.
0:13:24 > 0:13:27- Simon, hello, good to meet you. - Welcome.- Thank you very much.
0:13:27 > 0:13:28Good to see you. Come on in.
0:13:28 > 0:13:32'Simon Trapnell is the director of the museum.'
0:13:32 > 0:13:34Tell me a bit about the gallery. When did it first start?
0:13:34 > 0:13:37We opened in 1988
0:13:37 > 0:13:41and the idea was born in 1982, that's when we had the dream.
0:13:41 > 0:13:43Where did the dream come from?
0:13:43 > 0:13:46I think the dream was the result, actually, of my mum.
0:13:46 > 0:13:47I have to blame her.
0:13:47 > 0:13:50She's an artist, always been inspired by nature,
0:13:50 > 0:13:53and my father realised that most genres of art seemed
0:13:53 > 0:13:56to have a natural home where you could go and celebrate
0:13:56 > 0:14:00a particular style or school of work, but rather unbelievably,
0:14:00 > 0:14:02there didn't seem to be anywhere
0:14:02 > 0:14:05that focused exclusively on art inspired by nature.
0:14:05 > 0:14:08He resolved, "Maybe we ought to try and plug that gap,"
0:14:08 > 0:14:10and Nature In Art is the plug.
0:14:10 > 0:14:14Wonderful. Is there a particular philosophy that you live by today?
0:14:14 > 0:14:16We want to celebrate what people expect -
0:14:16 > 0:14:19maybe a Peter Scott or a David Shepherd or whatever.
0:14:19 > 0:14:22I think we need to be a place too that gives people surprises
0:14:22 > 0:14:24and they see things they don't expect.
0:14:27 > 0:14:29And there's lots to see,
0:14:29 > 0:14:31surprises at every turn,
0:14:31 > 0:14:35art of all descriptions inspired by nature.
0:14:35 > 0:14:40But for one young artist, the gallery itself is an inspiration.
0:14:40 > 0:14:43- Hi, Holly.- Hi, Ellie. - What are you looking at here?
0:14:43 > 0:14:47I think this is one of my favourite pieces in the whole gallery.
0:14:47 > 0:14:48Why is it your favourite?
0:14:48 > 0:14:49Well, I...
0:14:49 > 0:14:51'Regular visits to this gallery
0:14:51 > 0:14:54'to see works like this woodcut by George Tute
0:14:54 > 0:14:58'has had a profound effect on 21-year-old artist Holly Brookes.
0:14:58 > 0:15:03'But it's the world beyond the walls where she truly finds inspiration.'
0:15:06 > 0:15:08What kind of thing do you normally look for?
0:15:08 > 0:15:12Well, anything that really fires up my imagination, really.
0:15:12 > 0:15:13I was here the other day
0:15:13 > 0:15:16- and I saw these beautiful berries down here.- Yeah!
0:15:16 > 0:15:18It's lovely to see really bright colours
0:15:18 > 0:15:19with the sludgy winter palette,
0:15:19 > 0:15:22- isn't it?- Definitely. It kind of livens up the landscape.
0:15:22 > 0:15:23Yeah, absolutely.
0:15:23 > 0:15:26But I think today I'm looking for something a bit wilder.
0:15:38 > 0:15:39Oh, wow.
0:15:39 > 0:15:42- These are beautiful in their natural forms here.- These?
0:15:42 > 0:15:43These burs?
0:15:43 > 0:15:45I wouldn't have even seen beauty here,
0:15:45 > 0:15:47but now with looking at them in this light...
0:15:47 > 0:15:51I think it's this lovely contrast we're getting of the very pale tones
0:15:51 > 0:15:54and then this strong shadow coming in on the side here.
0:15:54 > 0:15:56But would you create your art out here,
0:15:56 > 0:15:59or try and take some of this back with you inside?
0:15:59 > 0:16:02Well, I think what I would do first off is take a few quick shots.
0:16:02 > 0:16:04CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKS
0:16:04 > 0:16:07- Will you take a sketch as well while you're here?- Yes.
0:16:07 > 0:16:10As long as I put down some marks on the page,
0:16:10 > 0:16:14that will really help to bring this back to life for me
0:16:14 > 0:16:18- when I look at them later on, I find that quite useful.- Yeah.
0:16:19 > 0:16:23It was time spent by the sea that gave Holly the subject matter
0:16:23 > 0:16:27for this picture, a razorbill caught in netting.
0:16:27 > 0:16:28It won her a top prize
0:16:28 > 0:16:32at an international wildlife art competition.
0:16:32 > 0:16:34For your prize-winning piece of art,
0:16:34 > 0:16:36what was the inspiration behind that?
0:16:36 > 0:16:39I was studying in Aberystwyth at the time
0:16:39 > 0:16:43and I went out walking after a series of very strong storms
0:16:43 > 0:16:46and I just couldn't help noticing all these dead bird carcasses
0:16:46 > 0:16:49washed up and there was this one in particular
0:16:49 > 0:16:52that was all tangled up in this blue netting
0:16:52 > 0:16:54and so there were these very vibrant colours
0:16:54 > 0:16:57and I really thought that I could maybe emulate
0:16:57 > 0:17:00some of the old Dutch still-life masters
0:17:00 > 0:17:02and that's really what I was going for with this,
0:17:02 > 0:17:06the contrast between life, death, beauty, brutality,
0:17:06 > 0:17:09- with a kind of conservation message underlying it all.- Yeah.
0:17:13 > 0:17:17Holly's meticulous work out in the field is just the start.
0:17:17 > 0:17:20It takes hours and hours of intense effort
0:17:20 > 0:17:23to turn her ideas into prints and drawings.
0:17:26 > 0:17:28Why do you use nature as your subject matter?
0:17:28 > 0:17:31As an environment to be working in, it's quite dynamic,
0:17:31 > 0:17:34almost like a theatre production, really.
0:17:34 > 0:17:36You've got either end of the emotional spectrum...
0:17:36 > 0:17:38- Yeah.- ..played out before you in nature.
0:17:38 > 0:17:42For me, with my love of detail and texture,
0:17:42 > 0:17:46there's just endless variety in the natural world to work with,
0:17:46 > 0:17:47so I don't know, really.
0:17:47 > 0:17:51Ultimately, I guess, it just captures my imagination.
0:17:59 > 0:18:04These are absolutely extraordinary and so intricate.
0:18:04 > 0:18:07Because I love the natural world,
0:18:07 > 0:18:12artists who manage to capture a moment of nature frozen in time
0:18:12 > 0:18:15makes me appreciate it all the more.
0:18:20 > 0:18:25Now, here's our weekly winter warmer to beat the season's chill.
0:18:25 > 0:18:26Last summer,
0:18:26 > 0:18:30we asked some well-known faces, from athletes to comedians...
0:18:30 > 0:18:33Oh, it's quite refreshing after a while.
0:18:33 > 0:18:37..actresses to chefs...
0:18:37 > 0:18:38Bon appetit.
0:18:38 > 0:18:42..what part of our magnificent countryside was special to them.
0:18:48 > 0:18:52This week we're in Pembrokeshire with comedian Josh Widdicombe,
0:18:52 > 0:18:56taking a trip down memory lane to his treasured family holidays.
0:19:06 > 0:19:09I came on family holidays
0:19:09 > 0:19:12for almost a decade, from the age of six to 16.
0:19:12 > 0:19:16I spent two weeks of summer round the beaches around Pembroke town.
0:19:23 > 0:19:25I can kind of make anything nostalgic,
0:19:25 > 0:19:28so this is quite a confronting thing, coming back here,
0:19:28 > 0:19:29cos I might find out it was rubbish
0:19:29 > 0:19:32and it's just me pretending in my mind it was good.
0:19:39 > 0:19:43This is the campsite I used to camp on with my parents.
0:19:43 > 0:19:46St Petrox Camp Site.
0:19:46 > 0:19:49I have no idea how we found it in the time before internet,
0:19:49 > 0:19:52but once we decided we liked it, we'd do it every year,
0:19:52 > 0:19:54which was kind of our attitude to everything.
0:19:59 > 0:20:03When we'd be putting up our tent, we'd listen to music.
0:20:03 > 0:20:05Obviously, 1995,
0:20:05 > 0:20:09I vividly remember buying Country House to help Blur beat Oasis.
0:20:11 > 0:20:13But it wasn't always that cool.
0:20:13 > 0:20:16I remember the year when we had Donald, Where's Your Troosers?
0:20:20 > 0:20:24The great thing about a tent is however wrong you get it,
0:20:24 > 0:20:26really, you know, it's never going to be a pleasure
0:20:26 > 0:20:28even if you get it right,
0:20:28 > 0:20:31so it doesn't really matter if you get it wrong.
0:20:31 > 0:20:34It's going to be an uncomfortable night.
0:20:37 > 0:20:39I think we can all agree that move
0:20:39 > 0:20:41was absolutely astonishing use of the wind.
0:20:41 > 0:20:43PUMP SQUEAKS
0:20:45 > 0:20:47This is suspicious, isn't it?
0:20:49 > 0:20:51I wonder whether I'll get to sleep in that.
0:20:54 > 0:20:56OWL HOOTS
0:20:56 > 0:20:59I'm very tired, so that's a bonus.
0:21:01 > 0:21:03KETTLE WHISTLES
0:21:07 > 0:21:09I think I'm going to quit camping while I'm ahead now.
0:21:09 > 0:21:11I've done it, I slept all right,
0:21:11 > 0:21:13I only woke up every two hours,
0:21:13 > 0:21:17then I had a nice shower and now I've got some Honey Nut Loops.
0:21:18 > 0:21:20Life is seven out of ten.
0:21:20 > 0:21:21I'm enjoying it.
0:21:30 > 0:21:33When we'd come to Broad Haven Beach, which was our beach of choice,
0:21:33 > 0:21:36there was this amazing walk along these lily ponds.
0:21:38 > 0:21:40It's unbelievably nice, isn't it?
0:21:41 > 0:21:43I... I...
0:21:43 > 0:21:46The weird thing is the bit I remember most about this
0:21:46 > 0:21:49is this bridge with the handle on one side.
0:21:49 > 0:21:50Perilous.
0:21:50 > 0:21:52Surely they can afford two handles.
0:21:55 > 0:21:58It's the best way to get to any beach.
0:22:00 > 0:22:03Obviously, it means once you're on the beach, you're on the beach.
0:22:03 > 0:22:06If you need to go to the toilet, it's a dune or the sea.
0:22:10 > 0:22:12It's much bigger than I remember.
0:22:18 > 0:22:21I mainly remember the wind.
0:22:21 > 0:22:24My parents having to buy a windbreak and you'd put it,
0:22:24 > 0:22:27hammer it into the beach and you'd basically be sheltering
0:22:27 > 0:22:32as the wind hit you and it's not particularly relaxing.
0:22:32 > 0:22:34Roll up your trousers, Brits on holiday.
0:22:38 > 0:22:39Definitely played cricket on the beach,
0:22:39 > 0:22:41that's my main memory of that.
0:22:43 > 0:22:45Oh, he's gone!
0:22:45 > 0:22:46Ooh!
0:22:46 > 0:22:49Very low bounce.
0:22:49 > 0:22:52'All the things you imagine you'd do on a British holiday on the beach.'
0:22:52 > 0:22:55Oh, that is so cold!
0:22:55 > 0:22:57It can't always have been this cold. That is un...
0:22:57 > 0:22:59I mean, that's...
0:22:59 > 0:23:01That's colder than a cold shower.
0:23:01 > 0:23:02HE YELPS
0:23:02 > 0:23:04Bracing.
0:23:04 > 0:23:06Oh, it's quite refreshing after a while.
0:23:10 > 0:23:14Kind of about four or five when the sun's coming down,
0:23:14 > 0:23:20we'd go from the beach. At the other end of the lily ponds is a tearoom,
0:23:20 > 0:23:23actually called, I think, Ye Olde Cafe.
0:23:33 > 0:23:36I remember a big controversy when one year,
0:23:36 > 0:23:40they replaced clotted cream with squirty cream on their cream teas
0:23:40 > 0:23:43and I now feel genuinely worried thinking about that
0:23:43 > 0:23:47as to whether it'll be clotted or squirty if we go back now.
0:23:47 > 0:23:49I'm going to be gutted if it's squirty.
0:23:49 > 0:23:50It's just not the same, is it?
0:23:51 > 0:23:53Thank you.
0:23:56 > 0:23:57Cheers.
0:23:57 > 0:23:59- Cheers, thank you.- You're welcome.
0:24:02 > 0:24:05I mean, it's classic Cornish clotted cream.
0:24:06 > 0:24:09That's exactly what you're looking for, isn't it?
0:24:09 > 0:24:11There's a lot of debate over
0:24:11 > 0:24:14whether you put the jam or the cream on first.
0:24:14 > 0:24:17Quite high-level debate as well
0:24:17 > 0:24:21and you've got to go jam first. The cream is the best bit.
0:24:21 > 0:24:23It's not just a replacement for butter.
0:24:35 > 0:24:38When you look back nostalgically on something,
0:24:38 > 0:24:43you probably imagined it differently or time has changed it in your head,
0:24:43 > 0:24:45but it was exactly the same, really.
0:24:49 > 0:24:51It's a really, really nice place.
0:24:51 > 0:24:53I'm glad it is, cos I don't think it would have needed to be
0:24:53 > 0:24:56that nice a place, cos I think it was the circumstance
0:24:56 > 0:24:58that made it nice and the family holiday.
0:24:58 > 0:25:00But it just happens that... I mean, that beach
0:25:00 > 0:25:04is way better than so many beaches.
0:25:07 > 0:25:09It's such a nice beach.
0:25:09 > 0:25:13I'm very lucky, really, to have got to go there.
0:25:13 > 0:25:17Maybe too many years in a row. Could have mixed it up a bit,
0:25:17 > 0:25:19but it's very nice.
0:25:26 > 0:25:29Earlier, we heard how new laws have been brought in
0:25:29 > 0:25:34to tackle the problem of thousands of abandoned and neglected horses.
0:25:34 > 0:25:36But as Tom's been finding out,
0:25:36 > 0:25:39these new powers aren't without their problems.
0:25:43 > 0:25:46HORSE WHINNIES
0:25:46 > 0:25:50Illegally grazing on someone else's land or simply abandoned -
0:25:50 > 0:25:53it's a crisis affecting thousands of horses.
0:25:53 > 0:25:56Some are a nuisance, many have welfare issues.
0:25:58 > 0:26:01But new laws have made it easier for councils
0:26:01 > 0:26:05and welfare organisations to do something about it.
0:26:05 > 0:26:09They can seize illegally grazed horses and the RSPCA say
0:26:09 > 0:26:15they are re-homing more than ever, so where are they all ending up?
0:26:20 > 0:26:22The lucky ones come to places like this,
0:26:22 > 0:26:24World Horse Welfare in Norwich,
0:26:24 > 0:26:27which re-homes neglected and abandoned horses.
0:26:27 > 0:26:30The little one having fun in here.
0:26:30 > 0:26:33This lively chap is Huckleberry,
0:26:33 > 0:26:37one of the first horses seized under the new legislation in England.
0:26:37 > 0:26:39Jacko Jackson helped to rescue him.
0:26:39 > 0:26:42Some viewers may find his photos distressing.
0:26:42 > 0:26:45So tell me the story of Huckleberry before he came here.
0:26:45 > 0:26:48He was found initially in Suffolk.
0:26:48 > 0:26:52Lots of reports about him and a friend, another horse,
0:26:52 > 0:26:57being dumped on land. By the time we got to them, the friend was dead.
0:26:57 > 0:27:01And what was that scene like when you arrived?
0:27:01 > 0:27:04It was just bones and lots of maggots.
0:27:04 > 0:27:07What did you feel when you walked in to the field and saw him
0:27:07 > 0:27:09and what was his friend now dead on the ground?
0:27:09 > 0:27:12Initially, I was glad that we'd found him,
0:27:12 > 0:27:15but having seen the dead one, um,
0:27:15 > 0:27:20we were going to move heaven and earth to get him out of there.
0:27:20 > 0:27:23He needed to live. And live like a proper equine.
0:27:23 > 0:27:27And now you can see him living life to the full,
0:27:27 > 0:27:31- what do you think about that? - We did the right thing.
0:27:31 > 0:27:35No two ways about that. And this Act has enabled it to happen.
0:27:38 > 0:27:42But not all horses seized under the new law have happy endings
0:27:42 > 0:27:46like Huckleberry. For others, being rescued is the end of the road
0:27:46 > 0:27:49and they are humanely destroyed.
0:27:49 > 0:27:51And that might come as a shock to some,
0:27:51 > 0:27:54to hear that if you complain about
0:27:54 > 0:27:56a fly-grazed or neglected horse,
0:27:56 > 0:27:59it could end up being rounded up, but then put down.
0:28:01 > 0:28:05As Britain's main animal welfare charity, the RSPCA lobbied
0:28:05 > 0:28:09for this tough new legislation, so how do they feel about it now?
0:28:10 > 0:28:13The new law was necessary because we had 3,000-3,500 horses
0:28:13 > 0:28:17being illegally kept on other people's land and the RSPCA and
0:28:17 > 0:28:19other horse welfare organisations
0:28:19 > 0:28:21were having to pick up the pieces.
0:28:21 > 0:28:24So now you've got the law, you think there are roughly 3,500
0:28:24 > 0:28:27or so horses out there that could be helped by this?
0:28:27 > 0:28:31The good news is the law has been in place for six months now.
0:28:31 > 0:28:34Many local authorities are already using it.
0:28:34 > 0:28:37We reckon the number of horses that have already been removed is
0:28:37 > 0:28:41probably in the hundreds, so actually it's a really good
0:28:41 > 0:28:43example of a piece of law that's working.
0:28:43 > 0:28:47Do you have any idea roughly what proportion end up being euthanised?
0:28:47 > 0:28:50I think it would be round about half would be euthanised.
0:28:50 > 0:28:54And how happy do you think the public are with that fact?
0:28:54 > 0:28:56Many of these horses are suffering anyway,
0:28:56 > 0:28:59not just cruelly treated, but they're in problem places, they
0:28:59 > 0:29:03could be next to a road or railway line - that's a real danger.
0:29:11 > 0:29:16So, if you can accept that half of all seized horses are put down,
0:29:16 > 0:29:20then you might think that the end of the horse crisis is in sight.
0:29:20 > 0:29:23But you might have to think again.
0:29:25 > 0:29:26That's because there's a catch
0:29:26 > 0:29:28and it all comes down to money.
0:29:28 > 0:29:32He looks well. He's obviously got grazing.
0:29:32 > 0:29:35Back on the road, council animal welfare officer Steve Gale
0:29:35 > 0:29:38is with horse owner Ian, who we met earlier.
0:29:38 > 0:29:41- Have you got some swivels on your chain?- Yeah.- Yeah?
0:29:41 > 0:29:44- What are the swivels...? - To stop the chain knotting up.
0:29:44 > 0:29:47What can happen, with the horse going round and round,
0:29:47 > 0:29:49it can get a knot in the chain.
0:29:49 > 0:29:50Is that the only one you've got?
0:29:50 > 0:29:54- You should have two. - There's one at the top.
0:29:54 > 0:29:57Steve's handing out advice, not sanctions,
0:29:57 > 0:29:59and there's a good reason for that.
0:29:59 > 0:30:02So you've got the new law and the power to take them away,
0:30:02 > 0:30:05but does that mean the problem is solved?
0:30:05 > 0:30:07I wish it was as simple as that, Tom.
0:30:07 > 0:30:10The problem is, it's the cost of actually upholding the law
0:30:10 > 0:30:12and trying to enforce it.
0:30:12 > 0:30:15The average ballpark figure with an equine bill
0:30:15 > 0:30:17is 1,000 or £1,500
0:30:17 > 0:30:21per horse to take it away and look after it for four days.
0:30:21 > 0:30:24Which obviously, if you've got a huge problem within your local
0:30:24 > 0:30:27authority area, it can be quite burdensome on that local authority.
0:30:27 > 0:30:29Mm-hm. And local authorities are enduring a lot of cuts
0:30:29 > 0:30:31- and more in the pipeline.- Yes.
0:30:31 > 0:30:33What are your worries there?
0:30:33 > 0:30:36That some local authorities won't see it as a priority
0:30:36 > 0:30:38and something they don't have to do.
0:30:38 > 0:30:42I would urge local authorities to try and keep on board with this,
0:30:42 > 0:30:44because if we relax a little bit,
0:30:44 > 0:30:46probably a huger cost in the future,
0:30:46 > 0:30:48when the situation is out of control.
0:30:48 > 0:30:52With bailiff fees of well over £1,000 a time,
0:30:52 > 0:30:55it's likely many fly-grazing horses
0:30:55 > 0:30:57won't be a priority for removal
0:30:57 > 0:31:01unless there is evidence of serious welfare problems.
0:31:01 > 0:31:05With threats over future funding to enforce the new law, there's
0:31:05 > 0:31:10a danger this apparently effective measure could be undermined.
0:31:10 > 0:31:15The battle against illegal grazing and neglect is far from over.
0:31:16 > 0:31:19We'd like to know whether abandoned or fly-grazed horses
0:31:19 > 0:31:21are a problem in your area.
0:31:21 > 0:31:23And if you think they should be taken away.
0:31:23 > 0:31:27Let us know via our website or join the conversation on Twitter.
0:31:34 > 0:31:37I'm in glorious Gloucestershire, at Batsford Arboretum,
0:31:37 > 0:31:42a sanctuary for tree species from all over the world.
0:31:42 > 0:31:44Earlier on, we scanned this ancient tree
0:31:44 > 0:31:47and discovered it was too rotten inside to be structurally stable.
0:31:48 > 0:31:52Well, now it is time to watch this tree come down, so, Matthew,
0:31:52 > 0:31:56- what's the plan?- Well, we'll get the cherry picker in,
0:31:56 > 0:32:00take it down in small sections to a height where we can fell it in one.
0:32:00 > 0:32:03Obviously, there's been quite a bit of work happening already.
0:32:03 > 0:32:05Yep. We had it all skimmed up,
0:32:05 > 0:32:08so we'll just step back and see how they get on.
0:32:08 > 0:32:10We'll let them get going.
0:32:38 > 0:32:41Even though it's been cut down, this beech will live on,
0:32:41 > 0:32:43by helping other trees to thrive.
0:32:44 > 0:32:47The waste wood is chipped...
0:32:47 > 0:32:50and used to protect other newly-planted saplings.
0:32:52 > 0:32:57All part of the cycle of life, death and rebirth at Batsford.
0:32:57 > 0:32:59Ah, it's a brilliant bit of kit, this!
0:33:03 > 0:33:05Just watch it disappear.
0:33:09 > 0:33:11Look at the size of this one, here we go!
0:33:16 > 0:33:20- Unbelievable.- Best piece of kit you could ever have.
0:33:21 > 0:33:24Well, this deadwood is not the end of the story.
0:33:24 > 0:33:28Later on, I'll be planting some new species that will be taking root
0:33:28 > 0:33:31in 2016, and talking of looking ahead to the rest of the year,
0:33:31 > 0:33:33if you haven't got your Countryfile calendar,
0:33:33 > 0:33:39sold in aid of Children In Need, yet, just go to the website...
0:33:39 > 0:33:41For all of the details.
0:33:41 > 0:33:44Was I shouting then? Think I might have been!
0:33:48 > 0:33:52The BBC's Food And Farming Awards for 2016 are underway.
0:33:52 > 0:33:57As part of it, Countryfile is looking for its next Farming Hero.
0:33:57 > 0:34:00Someone who you think embodies the best of British farming.
0:34:00 > 0:34:02Here's Adam with more.
0:34:03 > 0:34:07Last year's search threw up hundreds of great nominations.
0:34:07 > 0:34:10In the end, it came down to just three.
0:34:10 > 0:34:12Cameron Hendry was one of them.
0:34:12 > 0:34:16At just 17, he found himself running the family farm
0:34:16 > 0:34:18after his dad's untimely death.
0:34:20 > 0:34:24We were all incredibly impressed with the work that Cameron
0:34:24 > 0:34:27and his family are doing in what is extremely challenging farming
0:34:27 > 0:34:32countryside. We've arranged some special extra farming help, Cameron.
0:34:32 > 0:34:35They'll come and help you on the farm over this next year
0:34:35 > 0:34:39and help you get through this difficult coming year ahead.
0:34:50 > 0:34:53Cameron was certainly a worthy finalist. And he won
0:34:53 > 0:34:57the hearts of many through his determination and bravery
0:34:57 > 0:35:00and me and the other judges were moved by the way
0:35:00 > 0:35:04he took on a 2,500-acre family hill farm after
0:35:04 > 0:35:08the sudden death of his father on Christmas Day in 2014.
0:35:14 > 0:35:16A year down the line, I've travelled back up to
0:35:16 > 0:35:19Cameron's farm in Perthshire to see how he's getting on.
0:35:22 > 0:35:24Cameron might have taken on the lion's share of the work,
0:35:24 > 0:35:28but it's his mum, Marianne, that's been holding the family together.
0:35:29 > 0:35:32I'm meeting her first, to find out how they've all been coping.
0:35:33 > 0:35:35- Marianne...- Hello, how are you?
0:35:35 > 0:35:37- Good to see you again!- And you.
0:35:37 > 0:35:39- Aah, these are lovely.- Yep.
0:35:39 > 0:35:41So, how are things? It's been, what,
0:35:41 > 0:35:44- nearly a year now since your husband passed away.- Yes.
0:35:44 > 0:35:47- Was 2015 tough?- Very, absolutely.
0:35:47 > 0:35:50There's no easy way to describe it,
0:35:50 > 0:35:52it's been our worst year, I have to say.
0:35:52 > 0:35:55Apart from all the hard work,
0:35:55 > 0:35:57all the actual physical work,
0:35:57 > 0:36:01having to do it without a husband and a dad has been really difficult.
0:36:03 > 0:36:06I was very impressed with Cameron when I met him a year ago.
0:36:06 > 0:36:08- How has he been getting on?- Great.
0:36:08 > 0:36:10Yeah, he's amazing.
0:36:10 > 0:36:11He's an amazing person.
0:36:11 > 0:36:13He's extremely driven,
0:36:13 > 0:36:16he's got the temperament of his dad.
0:36:16 > 0:36:18Grumpy at times,
0:36:18 > 0:36:20moody like any normal teenager!
0:36:20 > 0:36:22But that also got him through.
0:36:23 > 0:36:27Works very hard and apart from all the hard work, obviously then
0:36:27 > 0:36:31having to do it without your dad is a different matter altogether.
0:36:31 > 0:36:34- So he just hasn't had his dad to share it with.- No.
0:36:39 > 0:36:43There's nothing like your dad to actually have a good old
0:36:43 > 0:36:47man-to-man with, and ask him for advice, and that's gone.
0:36:54 > 0:36:55And you, as a mum...
0:36:55 > 0:36:58I suppose you're having to be a bit of a rock and hold the fort.
0:36:58 > 0:37:02Yeah, I've had to turn into Mum and Dad at the same time
0:37:02 > 0:37:06and I'm an OK mum, I think, but I'm a rubbish dad, I've decided. Um,
0:37:06 > 0:37:07but we're working on it.
0:37:07 > 0:37:09It's difficult.
0:37:09 > 0:37:13He's almost taken over the role of the dad at times in the house.
0:37:13 > 0:37:16Which is upsetting for a mum to see.
0:37:16 > 0:37:19But at the same time, it's endearing as well,
0:37:19 > 0:37:22it's quite lovely to see how we've all pulled together as a family.
0:37:26 > 0:37:30Without Marianne's support, Cameron would have undoubtedly struggled.
0:37:30 > 0:37:32But the promised help has been arriving.
0:37:35 > 0:37:39- Hi, Cameron.- Hiya. - Good to see you. Thank you.
0:37:39 > 0:37:43Agricultural consultant Kevin Stewart has been helping them
0:37:43 > 0:37:45plan for the future.
0:37:45 > 0:37:48- Adam, this is Kevin. - Hi, Kevin, good to see you.
0:37:49 > 0:37:52I hear it's been a pretty busy time on the farm?
0:37:52 > 0:37:56How are you getting on with the consultancy? What are the plans?
0:37:56 > 0:38:00The great thing about Cameron is he keeps coming up with opportunities,
0:38:00 > 0:38:03so what my job effectively is is to be that sounding board.
0:38:03 > 0:38:05You've got your head down, haven't you,
0:38:05 > 0:38:08working with the sheep and the cows.
0:38:08 > 0:38:11Quite difficult sometimes to come up with a business plan
0:38:11 > 0:38:13- and look at the books carefully. - Definitely.
0:38:13 > 0:38:17It's great to have another pair of eyes there to see what other
0:38:17 > 0:38:20opportunities there are out there for us.
0:38:20 > 0:38:23Because most of the time, you're so bogged down in work, you don't
0:38:23 > 0:38:25have time to think about that sort of stuff.
0:38:41 > 0:38:45When I was here last, Cameron, it was a beautiful, almost spring day.
0:38:45 > 0:38:47It's a bit different now!
0:38:47 > 0:38:49No, it's still a good day round here,
0:38:49 > 0:38:52but it's a wee bit rougher since the last time you were here.
0:38:52 > 0:38:55And it looks like a pretty hard farm to work.
0:38:55 > 0:38:57Yes, it is a hard farm to work.
0:38:57 > 0:38:59We just have to cope with the weather conditions
0:38:59 > 0:39:01and just keep going with it.
0:39:01 > 0:39:03And how are you feeling a year on?
0:39:03 > 0:39:05It's been really tough,
0:39:05 > 0:39:08but we're just staying positive and carrying on.
0:39:08 > 0:39:10Just take every day as it comes.
0:39:10 > 0:39:13What you've gone through, Cameron, to still be so positive
0:39:13 > 0:39:17about it, you're still a real farming hero for me, so well done.
0:39:23 > 0:39:28Like a true farming hero, Cameron is not resting on his laurels.
0:39:28 > 0:39:33He's already slimmed down his beef herd from 800 to around 80 cattle.
0:39:33 > 0:39:36It's quality, not quantity that matters.
0:39:36 > 0:39:39So now he's looking to establish a herd of pedigree Luing cattle.
0:39:41 > 0:39:45Charles Symons and Ted Fox are from the Luing Cattle Association.
0:39:45 > 0:39:47Will Cameron's cows make the pedigree grade?
0:39:49 > 0:39:52- Hi, gents.- Hi, Adam, hi, Cameron. - Hi, there.
0:39:52 > 0:39:54What are you looking for to assess these, then?
0:39:54 > 0:39:56We've already gone through the provenance.
0:39:56 > 0:39:59We're now assessing them to make sure they're Luing type.
0:39:59 > 0:40:02So really, the advantage of having registered animals
0:40:02 > 0:40:05means you can sell for beef, but also in the pedigree world.
0:40:05 > 0:40:08Absolutely. You're looking to sell pedigree stock.
0:40:08 > 0:40:10It might take Cameron a wee while to get worked into that,
0:40:10 > 0:40:13but he should hopefully be able to establish himself as a pedigree
0:40:13 > 0:40:16breeder and hence sell for more money, which is
0:40:16 > 0:40:19- what we're all trying to do.- So what should a good Luing look like?
0:40:19 > 0:40:22They're working on poor forage through the winter months.
0:40:22 > 0:40:25They want a big, broad muzzle, a big head, they want to be deep
0:40:25 > 0:40:28- in the chest cavity, but temperament is everything.- Really?
0:40:28 > 0:40:31Especially with a young lad like this, working with them on his own.
0:40:31 > 0:40:34Temperament is everything and keeping them easy to handle.
0:40:34 > 0:40:37And the chances of getting the herd registered?
0:40:37 > 0:40:40I think animals like this will definitely qualify.
0:40:40 > 0:40:43We think these are excellent examples of the breed.
0:40:43 > 0:40:46Cameron, are you quite excited about going for the pedigree status?
0:40:46 > 0:40:48My dad never had that sort of chance.
0:40:48 > 0:40:51He was always fattening them, so I'm taking the farm
0:40:51 > 0:40:55in a completely new direction and changing it up.
0:40:55 > 0:40:56In a few years' time,
0:40:56 > 0:40:59you'll probably have one of the best Luing herds in the country.
0:40:59 > 0:41:01You'll be blowing these fellows out of the water!
0:41:01 > 0:41:04- I'm not sure about that! - All in good time, all in good time!
0:41:10 > 0:41:13With the help Cameron has been receiving and not least
0:41:13 > 0:41:15his own hard work and determination,
0:41:15 > 0:41:17some real progress has been made.
0:41:17 > 0:41:19It might have been a tough year,
0:41:19 > 0:41:21but there's light at the end of the tunnel.
0:41:23 > 0:41:26I've left Cameron to get on with the never-ending daily jobs on the farm.
0:41:26 > 0:41:28He's certainly an inspiration
0:41:28 > 0:41:31and deserved to be in the final three last year.
0:41:31 > 0:41:36Now, it's over to you to help find the Countryfile Farming Hero for 2016.
0:41:39 > 0:41:42This award is for a farmer or farming family who have made
0:41:42 > 0:41:44a difference through their heroic actions.
0:41:44 > 0:41:47The judges want to hear about farmers who have come to the rescue
0:41:47 > 0:41:50of others, man or beast, at a time of need.
0:41:52 > 0:41:54They could've organised emergency animal housing
0:41:54 > 0:41:55for their fellow farmer,
0:41:55 > 0:41:58have helped their neighbour when times were bleak
0:41:58 > 0:42:01or given city kids their only experience of agricultural life.
0:42:01 > 0:42:06We'll celebrate the achievements of truly remarkable people who
0:42:06 > 0:42:08make our countryside a better place.
0:42:08 > 0:42:12Our winner will be someone who has gone above and beyond to help
0:42:12 > 0:42:14their farming friends and neighbours
0:42:14 > 0:42:16and of whom we can all be proud.
0:42:19 > 0:42:22So if you know someone who fits that bill, we'd love to hear from you.
0:42:22 > 0:42:24Visit our website and tell us
0:42:24 > 0:42:27why they deserve to be our next farming hero.
0:42:27 > 0:42:30But be quick, because entries close in a week.
0:42:33 > 0:42:36..so names sent in after that won't be considered.
0:42:36 > 0:42:39Remember, if you're watching on demand,
0:42:39 > 0:42:41nominations may have already closed.
0:42:41 > 0:42:45Details, including terms and conditions, are on our website.
0:42:51 > 0:42:54I'm in picturesque Gloucestershire,
0:42:54 > 0:42:55a county of rolling hills
0:42:55 > 0:42:57and golden villages.
0:42:57 > 0:43:00With the Forest of Dean and Slimbridge Wetland Centre,
0:43:00 > 0:43:03it's a hotspot for overwintering and native birds.
0:43:03 > 0:43:06But the county is also home to some of the world's most
0:43:06 > 0:43:09magnificent raptors.
0:43:09 > 0:43:13I'm at the International Centre for Birds Of Prey, where ground-breaking
0:43:13 > 0:43:17work is being done to help protect these remarkable masters of flight.
0:43:23 > 0:43:25The centre was founded in 1967
0:43:25 > 0:43:28by world-famous falconer Phillip Glasier.
0:43:28 > 0:43:30He was passionate about birds of prey
0:43:30 > 0:43:35and wanted to teach others about them and their value in the world.
0:43:35 > 0:43:38Phillip's daughter Jemima Parry-Jones
0:43:38 > 0:43:40has continued in her father's footsteps,
0:43:40 > 0:43:44devoting her life to falconry and raptor conservation.
0:43:44 > 0:43:48Today, the centre holds one of the largest collections of birds of prey
0:43:48 > 0:43:52in the world and has recently opened a new raptor hospital.
0:43:53 > 0:43:57- How many birds do you have here? - About 240 at the moment.
0:43:57 > 0:43:58How many different species?
0:43:58 > 0:44:01I think we're at about 74 species at the moment.
0:44:01 > 0:44:06Do people tend to bring you injured birds of prey here?
0:44:06 > 0:44:07Yes, they do,
0:44:07 > 0:44:10and it's really important that a place like this will accept them.
0:44:10 > 0:44:13We get calls day and night about all sorts of things.
0:44:13 > 0:44:17My absolute favourite, a lady phoned me up and she said,
0:44:17 > 0:44:20I found a baby bird, and I said, "Fine, what do you think it is?"
0:44:20 > 0:44:23- She said, "I think it's a dodo". - The very last one! What was that?!
0:44:23 > 0:44:27- It was a pigeon! - That's disappointing!
0:44:27 > 0:44:30And the aim, is it to rehabilitate them
0:44:30 > 0:44:31and get them back into the wild,
0:44:31 > 0:44:34or do you tend to keep them once they've been injured?
0:44:34 > 0:44:36No, it's not rehabilitation if you keep hanging on to them,
0:44:36 > 0:44:39so the aim is absolutely to get them back into the wild.
0:44:40 > 0:44:45Every year, the centre takes in up to 100 injured birds of prey.
0:44:45 > 0:44:49Curator Holly Cale has been rehabilitating a peregrine falcon.
0:44:49 > 0:44:53It was hit by a plane and had to have its entire wing rebuilt.
0:44:55 > 0:44:57You can see here there's a patch of feathers there...
0:44:57 > 0:45:00- A slightly different colour. - ..that are a different colour.
0:45:00 > 0:45:03Those are his adult feathers that have grown through where
0:45:03 > 0:45:06they had to pluck the area to do the operation.
0:45:06 > 0:45:08We also fixed some of his feathers,
0:45:08 > 0:45:11so you can see he's got a full set of feathers down there
0:45:11 > 0:45:13that had ended up broken as well.
0:45:13 > 0:45:16- So, like feather implants? - Yes, it's called imping.
0:45:16 > 0:45:19We can take a feather that's been moulted by another bird
0:45:19 > 0:45:22and we insert it with a little bit of bamboo and some glue
0:45:22 > 0:45:25into his own feather stump where it had been broken.
0:45:25 > 0:45:26That's remarkable.
0:45:26 > 0:45:30So we fixed those and we fixed the wing and he's now in training,
0:45:30 > 0:45:32gaining fitness and physiotherapy,
0:45:32 > 0:45:34- if you like, to get him back to the wild.- Wow.
0:45:34 > 0:45:37Well, I'll stand back while you do this exercising
0:45:37 > 0:45:38and see what's involved.
0:45:48 > 0:45:51It's astonishing that wing even works.
0:45:57 > 0:46:01It is so wonderful to witness a native bird of prey like this being
0:46:01 > 0:46:05given a second chance, flying again and soon to be released back into
0:46:05 > 0:46:09the wild, but it's not just native birds that the centre is helping.
0:46:13 > 0:46:16Vultures are one of the world's most spectacular
0:46:16 > 0:46:19and most endangered birds of prey.
0:46:21 > 0:46:25The centre breeds several species, including the Andean condor,
0:46:25 > 0:46:29- a New World vulture. - Condor coming! Coming, Condor!
0:46:29 > 0:46:32- You want to come up here?- Hello!
0:46:32 > 0:46:35- Wow, who's this?- This is Marcus.
0:46:35 > 0:46:37Marcus is a baby Andean Condor.
0:46:37 > 0:46:42They do seem to have this quite unfortunate reputation as they're associated with death.
0:46:42 > 0:46:45Yes, it's a real shame, because they're doing incredibly badly
0:46:45 > 0:46:47and they're incredibly clean animals
0:46:47 > 0:46:51and they're incredibly important in terms of clearing up.
0:46:51 > 0:46:54They reckon that of all the wildlife on the Serengeti,
0:46:54 > 0:46:58the vultures clear up more dead animals than all the carnivores put
0:46:58 > 0:47:01together, so they are really important.
0:47:01 > 0:47:06- Like all children, she wants to put her head inside everything. - Look at that wingspan!
0:47:06 > 0:47:08I know, it's huge, isn't it?
0:47:11 > 0:47:16Vultures in south Asia were almost totally wiped out in the 1990s.
0:47:16 > 0:47:19Numbers collapsed by 97%
0:47:19 > 0:47:22and scientists struggled to work out why.
0:47:27 > 0:47:29What was the reason for the decline,
0:47:29 > 0:47:32for that really quick and dramatic decline?
0:47:32 > 0:47:34It turned out to be a drug called diclofenac, which is
0:47:34 > 0:47:36a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory,
0:47:36 > 0:47:39that was given to cattle across south Asia
0:47:39 > 0:47:41and because vultures will all congregate at one carcass,
0:47:41 > 0:47:44it only takes a few cattle to be treated,
0:47:44 > 0:47:47it was less than 2% of the cattle,
0:47:47 > 0:47:50to wipe out over 40 million birds.
0:47:52 > 0:47:56Jemima has spent the last 15 years helping bring the surviving
0:47:56 > 0:47:59populations in India and Nepal back from the brink.
0:48:01 > 0:48:03We started to design the breeding aviary,
0:48:03 > 0:48:05facilities for incubation,
0:48:05 > 0:48:08brooding and in fact, this year,
0:48:08 > 0:48:12I'm proud to say that we bred over 60 young, which is really wonderful
0:48:12 > 0:48:16for a place like India, which had never done this sort of thing before.
0:48:16 > 0:48:19Next year, hopefully, the first release will start.
0:48:19 > 0:48:20Absolutely remarkable.
0:48:20 > 0:48:23But the scale of the numbers that had dropped from 40 million or so
0:48:23 > 0:48:27right down to almost single-digit thousands,
0:48:27 > 0:48:29how long will it take to replenish that loss?
0:48:29 > 0:48:31Oh, that's going to take a long time,
0:48:31 > 0:48:33but nature is such an amazing thing, really.
0:48:33 > 0:48:36And although vultures are quite slow breeders,
0:48:36 > 0:48:38once they start getting going,
0:48:38 > 0:48:41so long as there's no drug out there that will kill them,
0:48:41 > 0:48:44certainly reasonable numbers, I hope in my lifetime, anyway.
0:48:50 > 0:48:54The future for South Asia's vultures is looking up.
0:48:56 > 0:48:59But another species, the hooded vulture from Africa, has just been
0:48:59 > 0:49:02relisted as critically endangered,
0:49:02 > 0:49:04so there's still plenty to do.
0:49:05 > 0:49:07Hello! Yeah.
0:49:07 > 0:49:10It's fantastic to think that the work being done
0:49:10 > 0:49:12here in Gloucestershire and the skills
0:49:12 > 0:49:15and expertise of Jemima are being shared with
0:49:15 > 0:49:18conservationists across the world to help protect
0:49:18 > 0:49:22the future of birds of prey and fabulous vultures like these.
0:49:42 > 0:49:46I'm in Gloucestershire, and whilst Ellie's been on a flight of fancy...
0:49:46 > 0:49:48Oh!
0:49:48 > 0:49:51..I'm rooted to the ground at Batsford Arboretum,
0:49:51 > 0:49:56home to a wide variety of unusual tree species from around the world.
0:49:57 > 0:50:00The oriental plants and water feature here were
0:50:00 > 0:50:04the brainchild of Victorian diplomat Lord Redesdale.
0:50:04 > 0:50:07But Redesdale's love of the Orient did not stop with the landscaping.
0:50:07 > 0:50:11RELAXING FLUTE MUSIC
0:50:16 > 0:50:18Lord Redesdale converted to Buddhism
0:50:18 > 0:50:23and hidden amongst the trees are Buddhist-themed bronzes, a Japanese
0:50:23 > 0:50:27bridge and a peace pavilion that reflected his love of the culture.
0:50:28 > 0:50:32Today, it's not unusual to find local t'ai chi groups
0:50:32 > 0:50:35practising their art among the trees here.
0:50:35 > 0:50:37Earlier on, I witnessed the sad demise
0:50:37 > 0:50:40of one of the Arboretum's oldest trees,
0:50:40 > 0:50:44but just like Buddha here, keeping a silent watch over the grounds,
0:50:44 > 0:50:48Batsford's tale is also one of death and rebirth.
0:50:50 > 0:50:53The Arboretum is part of a programme that hosts rare trees,
0:50:53 > 0:50:56ones endangered in their native environments.
0:50:56 > 0:51:00Here, they are safeguarded and preserved for the future.
0:51:00 > 0:51:04It's something which makes head gardener Matthew especially proud.
0:51:04 > 0:51:09Right, Matthew, these young arrivals are incredibly precious, aren't they?
0:51:09 > 0:51:13They are. That's Picea omorika, which is Serbian spruce.
0:51:13 > 0:51:17- Like a classic Christmas tree. - Yeah, a fancy Christmas tree.
0:51:17 > 0:51:21You know, in its wild state, it's becoming endangered,
0:51:21 > 0:51:25whether it's through deforestation, logging,
0:51:25 > 0:51:30other environmental factors, but the wild form is really quite unusual.
0:51:30 > 0:51:35So this is actually as it should be - tight, compact,
0:51:35 > 0:51:37so the snow can fall off it.
0:51:37 > 0:51:40As they get bred and you go down the line of seed,
0:51:40 > 0:51:42they lose that originality.
0:51:42 > 0:51:45And so the idea then with this project is to try
0:51:45 > 0:51:47and keep that gene pool?
0:51:47 > 0:51:49Keep that gene pool, and what will happen,
0:51:49 > 0:51:52these will go in safe sites in the Arboretum
0:51:52 > 0:51:56and if ever any of these go extinct in the wild, there'll be some plants
0:51:56 > 0:52:01here which can be re-propagated and maybe even put back into the wild.
0:52:01 > 0:52:05Matthew thinks he's got the perfect spot to make these foreign firs
0:52:05 > 0:52:06feel right at home.
0:52:35 > 0:52:39- No prizes for guessing where it's going!- No! Exactly there.
0:52:39 > 0:52:42Actually, which one do you want to put in, though? That's the question.
0:52:42 > 0:52:45- Let's go for the big one. - Let's unwrap that.
0:52:45 > 0:52:47Lift that out.
0:52:47 > 0:52:49There we go.
0:52:51 > 0:52:54How long would you expect a tree like this to live for?
0:52:54 > 0:52:57It could be here for the next hundred years or more.
0:52:57 > 0:53:02I tell you what, it's got a nice view to spend the next hundred years.
0:53:02 > 0:53:03What a nice place to live!
0:53:03 > 0:53:06- Just a bit of frost protection, is it?- Um, no.
0:53:06 > 0:53:09This will just keep the grass down, we'll get the guard round it,
0:53:09 > 0:53:13- stop any deer grazing on it. - Do you have a problem with deer?
0:53:13 > 0:53:14Yeah, we have a little bit.
0:53:14 > 0:53:19They'll always go for that one plant that you don't want it to go for.
0:53:19 > 0:53:23- Do they like the foreign stuff? - They're not fussy.
0:53:23 > 0:53:26If it's foreign, it's probably better.
0:53:26 > 0:53:27Nearly there.
0:53:27 > 0:53:30- Right, are you happy with that? - I'm happy.
0:53:30 > 0:53:31That's the next hundred years.
0:53:35 > 0:53:38Hopefully, Gloucestershire will become a home from home
0:53:38 > 0:53:42and these precious specimens will grow into great giants.
0:53:43 > 0:53:45Lord Redesdale would be proud.
0:53:47 > 0:53:52So, from the death of a mighty tree to the new life of a small one,
0:53:52 > 0:53:57it's all part of the great cycle of rebirth here at Batsford.
0:53:57 > 0:54:01Kind of makes you feel at peace with the universe.
0:54:02 > 0:54:04Oh... Ideal.
0:54:04 > 0:54:05RELAXING MUSIC PLAYS AGAIN
0:54:32 > 0:54:35Well, that's all we've got time for from the tranquillity
0:54:35 > 0:54:37of Batsford Arboretum.
0:54:37 > 0:54:40Next week, I'll be exploring the picturesque fishing village
0:54:40 > 0:54:43of Clovelly as winter takes hold.
0:54:43 > 0:54:45Bow.
0:54:48 > 0:54:50Hope you can join us then.