0:00:33 > 0:00:39Trees. Surely among the most magnificent of all living things.
0:00:41 > 0:00:46Some are the largest organisms on Earth, dwarfing all others,
0:00:46 > 0:00:50and these are the tallest of them all.
0:01:02 > 0:01:05The deciduous and coniferous woodlands
0:01:05 > 0:01:08that grow in the seasonal parts of our planet
0:01:08 > 0:01:12are the most extensive forests on Earth.
0:01:19 > 0:01:23Their sheer extent stuns the imagination.
0:01:35 > 0:01:39The barren snows of the Arctic.
0:01:39 > 0:01:43A thousand miles from the North Pole and heading south.
0:01:46 > 0:01:50This is the very first place that trees can grow.
0:01:52 > 0:01:55To begin with, the conifers are sparse,
0:01:55 > 0:01:58but soon, they dominate the land.
0:02:06 > 0:02:09This is the taiga forest.
0:02:11 > 0:02:17There are as many trees here as in all the world's rainforests combined.
0:02:17 > 0:02:19The taiga circles the globe
0:02:19 > 0:02:23and contains a third of all the trees on Earth.
0:02:23 > 0:02:26It produces so much oxygen
0:02:26 > 0:02:30that it refreshes the atmosphere of the entire planet.
0:02:34 > 0:02:37At the taiga's northern extent,
0:02:37 > 0:02:41the growing season can last for just one month a year.
0:02:41 > 0:02:47It can take 50 years for a tree to get bigger than a seedling.
0:03:00 > 0:03:04It's a silent world, where little stirs.
0:03:06 > 0:03:10But there are occasional signs of life -
0:03:10 > 0:03:13stories written in the snow.
0:03:13 > 0:03:16The prints of an Arctic fox,
0:03:16 > 0:03:19and the hare it might have been stalking.
0:03:24 > 0:03:28A female polar bear and her two cubs.
0:03:37 > 0:03:41Some animals are so difficult to glimpse
0:03:41 > 0:03:44that they are like spirits.
0:03:44 > 0:03:49One could live a lifetime in these woods and never see a lynx.
0:03:52 > 0:03:56The cat must roam hundreds of miles in search of prey
0:03:56 > 0:04:01and may never visit the same patch of forest twice.
0:04:01 > 0:04:04It's the very essence of wilderness.
0:04:09 > 0:04:12With so few prey animals here,
0:04:12 > 0:04:16life for a hunter is particularly hard.
0:04:18 > 0:04:24Creatures are scarce because few can eat conifer needles.
0:04:24 > 0:04:26The moose is an exception.
0:04:30 > 0:04:33Growth is so difficult
0:04:33 > 0:04:37that conifers protect their precious leaves by filling them with resin.
0:04:37 > 0:04:41That reduces water loss but it also makes them very distasteful.
0:04:52 > 0:04:55At least the conifers' seeds are edible,
0:04:55 > 0:04:59but they're protected within armour-plated cones,
0:04:59 > 0:05:02and it takes a specialist to reach them.
0:05:05 > 0:05:09The crossbill's extraordinary beak can prise apart the scales,
0:05:09 > 0:05:12so that its tongue can extract the seeds.
0:05:16 > 0:05:18Birds are fortunate.
0:05:18 > 0:05:22When the seasonal crop is gathered, they can fly south.
0:05:26 > 0:05:31But one animal is so expert at survival in this frozen forest
0:05:31 > 0:05:35that it stays here and is active all year long.
0:05:37 > 0:05:42In local folklore, the wolverine is a link to the spirit world
0:05:42 > 0:05:45and a cross between a bear and a wolf.
0:05:45 > 0:05:48In reality, it's a huge weasel.
0:05:51 > 0:05:56Its bulk helps to conserve body heat, and also broadens its menu.
0:05:56 > 0:06:01It's so big and powerful it can even bring down an adult caribou.
0:06:03 > 0:06:08For its size, it's said that the animal can eat more in one sitting than any other...
0:06:08 > 0:06:11which is why it's also known as "the glutton".
0:06:13 > 0:06:16WOLVERINE GROWLS AND GRUNTS
0:06:29 > 0:06:33Being gluttonous here is a very effective strategy.
0:06:33 > 0:06:38It's wise to eat all you can, when you can.
0:06:38 > 0:06:41And when even a glutton can't eat more,
0:06:41 > 0:06:46it stores what's left for later in the surrounding deep freeze.
0:06:53 > 0:06:56Spring in the ice forest.
0:07:07 > 0:07:11The capercaillie can also digest conifer needles,
0:07:11 > 0:07:15but feeding is not its priority at the moment.
0:07:17 > 0:07:21Like gladiators, the males square up for a battle.
0:07:21 > 0:07:24CLICKING AND SNAPPING OF BEAKS
0:07:31 > 0:07:37Each may have just a single chance to impress a female.
0:07:38 > 0:07:42Neither can afford a lapse in concentration.
0:08:05 > 0:08:09The injured loser may not survive.
0:08:14 > 0:08:17The inhabitants of this great wilderness
0:08:17 > 0:08:22may live and die without ever having contact with humanity.
0:08:22 > 0:08:24Long may it be that way.
0:08:34 > 0:08:37The northern forests may be the largest on Earth,
0:08:37 > 0:08:42but to see coniferous trees that have reached their full potential,
0:08:42 > 0:08:45you must travel 1,000 miles south of here.
0:08:50 > 0:08:53The Pacific coast of North America.
0:09:00 > 0:09:05The land of hemlock, Douglas fir and giant redwood.
0:09:12 > 0:09:15Here, water is never locked up in ice.
0:09:15 > 0:09:20And even if rains fail, the needles can extract moisture
0:09:20 > 0:09:23from the fogs that roll in from the sea.
0:09:31 > 0:09:37The sun's energy powers these forests - not for one month, as it does in the taiga -
0:09:37 > 0:09:40but for half the year.
0:09:48 > 0:09:53These conifers grow at ten times the rate of those near the Arctic,
0:09:53 > 0:09:56and they live for thousands of years.
0:10:05 > 0:10:08One grove of redwoods in California
0:10:08 > 0:10:12contains three of the tallest trees on Earth.
0:10:17 > 0:10:23This one is over 100 metres high - the size of a 30-storey building.
0:10:50 > 0:10:56These forests were growing here long before humans walked the Earth.
0:10:56 > 0:10:59They were in their prime 20 million years ago,
0:10:59 > 0:11:04and existed before the Swiss Alps or the Rocky Mountains were even raised.
0:11:17 > 0:11:21There is more living matter in a forest of giant conifers
0:11:21 > 0:11:24than in any tropical rainforest,
0:11:24 > 0:11:28but it's all contained within the trees.
0:11:28 > 0:11:32These are as inedible as those in the taiga,
0:11:32 > 0:11:36so animals are still scarce, but they are present.
0:11:40 > 0:11:42A pine marten.
0:11:42 > 0:11:47It's spring, the best time of year for a marten to find food.
0:12:01 > 0:12:05Birds' eggs are a seasonal snack,
0:12:05 > 0:12:09and for a short time there's plenty of them.
0:12:09 > 0:12:12Sometimes, perhaps, too many!
0:12:15 > 0:12:18But to live here permanently,
0:12:18 > 0:12:22the marten needs a more reliable food source.
0:12:22 > 0:12:25Squirrels fit the bill.
0:12:25 > 0:12:29They thrive here on the pine cones, and although these are also seasonal,
0:12:29 > 0:12:33they can be stored and eaten throughout the year.
0:12:37 > 0:12:40The squirrels are busy mating.
0:12:43 > 0:12:45Good news for the hunter.
0:12:45 > 0:12:50A distracted squirrel is a vulnerable squirrel.
0:12:55 > 0:12:59But this time the amorous couple are safe.
0:12:59 > 0:13:04There is a loner stocking his larder who will be the easier target.
0:13:16 > 0:13:18SHRIEKING
0:13:34 > 0:13:35SQUAWKING
0:13:37 > 0:13:43Early summer, and great grey owl chicks are fledging.
0:13:45 > 0:13:47Adults can only raise young here
0:13:47 > 0:13:53in years when the seasonal vole crop is big enough to support them.
0:13:57 > 0:14:01The moment has arrived for their first flight.
0:14:05 > 0:14:12Leaping from the world's tallest trees is not for the faint-hearted.
0:14:35 > 0:14:38If you're going to fall here,
0:14:38 > 0:14:41it's quite a good idea to do it in stages!
0:14:55 > 0:14:58OWL SQUAWKS
0:14:59 > 0:15:03The ground is no place for an owl.
0:15:05 > 0:15:09If he's to climb to the top of his class, he'll need to persevere.
0:15:12 > 0:15:15So now, let's have another go.
0:15:35 > 0:15:40The American conifer forests may not be the richest in animal life,
0:15:40 > 0:15:43but their trees are extraordinary.
0:15:43 > 0:15:47This giant sequoia, a relative of the redwood,
0:15:47 > 0:15:50is the largest living thing on Earth.
0:15:50 > 0:15:56Known as General Sherman, it's the weight of ten blue whales.
0:16:05 > 0:16:10Higher up in the nearby mountains, bristlecone pines -
0:16:10 > 0:16:14the oldest organisms on the planet.
0:16:15 > 0:16:18Some have been here for 5,000 years.
0:16:18 > 0:16:22They were alive before the Pyramids were built,
0:16:22 > 0:16:26and were already 3,000 years old when Christ was born.
0:16:31 > 0:16:35Across the Equator, in the Southern Hemisphere,
0:16:35 > 0:16:38there are forests that mirror those of the North.
0:16:38 > 0:16:44Here in South America, Araucaria trees or "monkey puzzles"
0:16:44 > 0:16:47are like the conifers of the taiga.
0:16:47 > 0:16:50They have waterproof scales instead of needles,
0:16:50 > 0:16:52and their cones look a little different,
0:16:52 > 0:16:55but the principles are the same.
0:16:59 > 0:17:04Slender-billed parakeets, rather than crossbills, extract their seeds.
0:17:11 > 0:17:15Where the growing season is longer,
0:17:15 > 0:17:19there are alerce trees - the "redwoods of the South".
0:17:33 > 0:17:36As in the frozen north,
0:17:36 > 0:17:41the Valdivian forests of Chile support very few animals.
0:17:41 > 0:17:44But that is the end of the similarity.
0:17:47 > 0:17:51This is a bizarre world of miniature creatures.
0:17:54 > 0:17:58The pudu, the world's smallest deer,
0:17:58 > 0:18:02feeds on the giant leaves of the gunnera plant.
0:18:09 > 0:18:12The female is just 30cm high at the shoulder,
0:18:12 > 0:18:15and her infants are hardly bigger than kittens.
0:18:33 > 0:18:35The male must stay alert.
0:18:35 > 0:18:38There are hunters here who would snatch his young.
0:18:40 > 0:18:44Another miniature - the kodkod cat.
0:18:47 > 0:18:51It's the smallest cat in all the Americas,
0:18:51 > 0:18:54and a young pudu would be a feast for it.
0:18:54 > 0:19:00But with the male on guard, the kodkod must lower his sights.
0:19:05 > 0:19:07Moths are hatching.
0:19:07 > 0:19:10They are the last of the summer.
0:19:10 > 0:19:13The tiny cat should be able to score with these.
0:19:15 > 0:19:18No-one knows why the creatures here are so small,
0:19:18 > 0:19:22but at least they can survive on meagre rations.
0:19:47 > 0:19:51You might call this a game of cat and moth...
0:20:14 > 0:20:17As winter approaches in Chile,
0:20:17 > 0:20:21spring is arriving in the Northern Hemisphere.
0:20:28 > 0:20:33These are the deciduous forests of home.
0:20:33 > 0:20:35Dormant throughout the winter,
0:20:35 > 0:20:41they now undergo one of the most magical transformations in the natural world.
0:20:52 > 0:20:58By late spring, the landscape is wrapped in a vibrant, fresh green.
0:20:58 > 0:21:02Here, instead of conifers, there are broad-leaved trees
0:21:02 > 0:21:06and that makes the character of this forest entirely different.
0:21:11 > 0:21:16Being broad, these leaves trap much more light than needles,
0:21:16 > 0:21:19but they are also thin, soft...and edible.
0:21:37 > 0:21:41And others can eat the leaf-eaters.
0:22:02 > 0:22:06It's spring in the great broad-leaved forests
0:22:06 > 0:22:10of Eastern Europe and Asiatic Russia.
0:22:10 > 0:22:13The mandarin ducks are courting.
0:22:26 > 0:22:30The female mandarin nests in a tree hole,
0:22:30 > 0:22:34and when it's time for everyone to leave, she leads the way.
0:22:37 > 0:22:42The ducklings are only 24 hours old.
0:22:43 > 0:22:48It's a long drop, and a few calls of encouragement are required.
0:23:00 > 0:23:04Two down, seven to go.
0:23:04 > 0:23:06DUCK CALLS
0:23:36 > 0:23:39There are still two missing.
0:23:59 > 0:24:02All present and correct.
0:24:02 > 0:24:06But they won't be safe until they reach water,
0:24:06 > 0:24:10and the forest pool is almost a mile away.
0:24:44 > 0:24:47By June, the days are at their longest,
0:24:47 > 0:24:50and all across the Northern Hemisphere
0:24:50 > 0:24:53the broad leaves are hard at work.
0:25:01 > 0:25:03On the east coast of North America,
0:25:03 > 0:25:06it seems like any other summer's evening.
0:25:08 > 0:25:11But tonight is special.
0:25:15 > 0:25:21After 17 years underground, creatures are stirring.
0:25:21 > 0:25:24OWL HOOTS
0:25:27 > 0:25:33The nymphs of the periodical cicada have been biding their time -
0:25:33 > 0:25:37now they march like zombies towards the nearest tree,
0:25:37 > 0:25:39and start to climb.
0:25:46 > 0:25:50At first, there are merely thousands,
0:25:50 > 0:25:54but soon, more than a billion swarm all over the forest -
0:25:54 > 0:25:59the biggest insect emergence on the planet is underway.
0:26:29 > 0:26:31They invade the upper branches,
0:26:31 > 0:26:35where they climb out of their external skeletons
0:26:35 > 0:26:37and assume their adult, winged form.
0:26:45 > 0:26:48At first, they are white and soft,
0:26:48 > 0:26:52but they have until dawn to complete their transformation.
0:26:57 > 0:26:59LOUD BUZZ OF INSECTS
0:27:06 > 0:27:12After an absence of 17 years, the forest is now overrun by cicadas.
0:27:20 > 0:27:24The adults are clumsy, and very edible.
0:27:33 > 0:27:36For turtles and other inhabitants of the forest,
0:27:36 > 0:27:40this is a feast they are lucky to see once in their lifetime,
0:27:40 > 0:27:43and they gorge themselves while they can.
0:27:57 > 0:28:00Times have never been so good!
0:28:00 > 0:28:02The cicadas have no defences
0:28:02 > 0:28:05and virtually offer themselves to their attackers.
0:28:15 > 0:28:18The stream of insects is so relentless
0:28:18 > 0:28:22that soon all the predators are full to the point of bursting.
0:28:32 > 0:28:36And still the cicadas come.
0:28:36 > 0:28:41With the predators overwhelmed, the survivors can achieve their purpose.
0:28:43 > 0:28:49After mating, the adults lay their eggs and then their job is done.
0:28:49 > 0:28:52In just a few days, they will all die
0:28:52 > 0:28:55and the forest will fall silent.
0:28:55 > 0:29:00The cicadas here will not be heard again for another 17 years.
0:29:11 > 0:29:15Having fed the predators, the cicadas leave one final gift -
0:29:15 > 0:29:17for the forest itself.
0:29:17 > 0:29:20The nutrients in a generation of cicadas
0:29:20 > 0:29:24are returned to the soil all at once,
0:29:24 > 0:29:27and the trees enjoy a marked spurt in growth.
0:29:27 > 0:29:33This may be the single largest dose of fertilizer in the natural world.
0:29:53 > 0:29:57In the great broad-leaved forests of Eastern Europe,
0:29:57 > 0:30:00the days are beginning to shorten
0:30:00 > 0:30:04and a primeval sound heralds the onset of autumn.
0:30:04 > 0:30:06STAG ROARS
0:30:22 > 0:30:26Male red deer are starting their rut.
0:30:31 > 0:30:35The air is heavy with the scent of females.
0:30:35 > 0:30:38STAG ROARS IN THE DISTANCE
0:30:38 > 0:30:41STAG ROARS
0:30:46 > 0:30:51The rules are simple - winner takes all.
0:31:42 > 0:31:48Across the Northern Hemisphere, the deciduous forests are changing.
0:31:48 > 0:31:53Leaves that have provided food and shelter since the spring are now shed.
0:31:58 > 0:32:01In the broad-leaved forests of Russia,
0:32:01 > 0:32:03winter is particularly severe.
0:32:09 > 0:32:12But there will always be some who benefit from hardship.
0:32:17 > 0:32:21Black vultures scavenge from the carcass of a sika deer
0:32:21 > 0:32:24that has died of cold, or starvation.
0:32:24 > 0:32:27These endangered birds are visitors.
0:32:27 > 0:32:32They have come down from the north to escape the even colder conditions in Siberia.
0:33:07 > 0:33:13An Amur leopard - the rarest cat on Earth.
0:33:13 > 0:33:16Winter is a difficult time for this hunter.
0:33:16 > 0:33:21There are no leaves for cover, and no young prey animals.
0:33:21 > 0:33:26This female has the added pressure of having to provide for her one-year-old cub.
0:33:26 > 0:33:31It will be another 12 months before he will be able to fend for himself.
0:33:43 > 0:33:47The bickering vultures have abandoned the carcass.
0:33:47 > 0:33:50It's a valuable discovery for the leopards...
0:33:56 > 0:34:01..but the cub doesn't share its mother's sense of urgency.
0:34:28 > 0:34:33The vultures have left behind plenty of good meat,
0:34:33 > 0:34:35but it's stiff with frost.
0:34:37 > 0:34:39The mother works to open the hide
0:34:39 > 0:34:42and make feeding a little easier for her cub.
0:34:53 > 0:34:58There are only 40 Amur leopards left in the wild,
0:35:00 > 0:35:04and that number is still falling.
0:35:04 > 0:35:09The harshness of the winter here hinders their increase in numbers.
0:35:09 > 0:35:13It takes one of these females longer to raise her young to independence
0:35:13 > 0:35:15than it does a leopard in Africa.
0:35:23 > 0:35:28If the mother can sustain her cub for a few more weeks,
0:35:28 > 0:35:33spring will bring an increase in prey and her task will lighten.
0:35:37 > 0:35:41For all the inhabitants of this seasonal forest,
0:35:41 > 0:35:44the long, cold wait is nearly over.
0:35:56 > 0:36:01Spring in a deciduous woodland is special.
0:36:04 > 0:36:06With no leaves overhead,
0:36:06 > 0:36:09the rays of the sun strike the forest floor directly
0:36:09 > 0:36:13and their warmth rouses plants from their winter sleep.
0:36:20 > 0:36:23The ground-living plants are in a hurry -
0:36:23 > 0:36:27before long, the trees above will come into leaf and steal their light.
0:36:37 > 0:36:40Their flowers decorate the forest floor
0:36:40 > 0:36:44as they advertise their sweet nectar to the newly emerged insects.
0:37:01 > 0:37:05The spring blooms of the deciduous woodlands have no equivalent
0:37:05 > 0:37:10in either the great conifer forests or the tropical jungles.
0:37:15 > 0:37:19Within a matter of weeks, the canopy has closed
0:37:19 > 0:37:24and only a few wheeling shafts of light penetrate the woodland.
0:37:32 > 0:37:37In the tree-tops, the broad leaves rapidly expand to their full size
0:37:37 > 0:37:40to make the most of summer while it lasts.
0:37:46 > 0:37:50Then, after a few months, the days begin to shorten again
0:37:50 > 0:37:54and the trees must shut down and shed their leaves
0:37:54 > 0:37:58in preparation for the cold, dark time ahead.
0:38:02 > 0:38:08Great tracts of North America flush red as the season progresses.
0:38:09 > 0:38:13The effect is so spectacular and so extensive
0:38:13 > 0:38:16that it can be seen from space.
0:38:30 > 0:38:33The threat of winter frost
0:38:33 > 0:38:37is not the only reason for trees to shed leaves.
0:38:41 > 0:38:45These forests stand in the tropics.
0:38:45 > 0:38:47Here, day length never changes,
0:38:47 > 0:38:49but the dry season is so severe
0:38:49 > 0:38:52that the trees can't afford to lose the amount of water
0:38:52 > 0:38:57that would evaporate from their broad leaves, so the leaves must be shed.
0:39:14 > 0:39:19The forest resembles a European woodland in mid-winter.
0:39:19 > 0:39:24But the heat is overpowering, and its inhabitants unfamiliar.
0:39:29 > 0:39:35For the creatures of India's teak forests, these are desperate times.
0:39:35 > 0:39:38But salvation is at hand.
0:39:38 > 0:39:41The mahua tree is about to bloom.
0:39:45 > 0:39:49Its flowers are full of liquid, making them irresistible.
0:39:56 > 0:40:01The mahua is an oasis in a hot, dry desert.
0:40:10 > 0:40:16Those that fly or climb are not the only ones to get a share.
0:40:19 > 0:40:22Chital deer follow the langur monkeys,
0:40:22 > 0:40:25collecting the flowers that fall.
0:40:31 > 0:40:33The monkeys welcome the deer,
0:40:33 > 0:40:38for deer are unrivalled at spotting predators.
0:40:38 > 0:40:42If they are relaxed, it must be safe to come down to the ground
0:40:42 > 0:40:45and gather the food that lies there.
0:40:55 > 0:41:00But it's not wise to travel far from the sentinels.
0:41:30 > 0:41:32SNARLING
0:41:51 > 0:41:54Tropical Madagascar.
0:41:54 > 0:41:56The wet season.
0:42:02 > 0:42:06It is now that the baobab trees re-grow their leaves,
0:42:06 > 0:42:10and collect water to store in their huge trunks,
0:42:10 > 0:42:12ready for the dry season ahead.
0:42:32 > 0:42:36The prehistoric shape of these trees is rightly famous,
0:42:36 > 0:42:40but few have ever witnessed the baobabs' real magic,
0:42:40 > 0:42:44for that happens at night, and high in the tree tops.
0:42:49 > 0:42:51Flush with water,
0:42:51 > 0:42:56the baobab prepares itself for an unforgettable display.
0:43:11 > 0:43:18Once started, the foot-long flowers can open fully in less than a minute.
0:44:01 > 0:44:05As the flowers open, the creatures of the forest wake.
0:44:17 > 0:44:21The mouse lemurs have been hibernating throughout the dry season.
0:44:21 > 0:44:25With the return of rains, it's time to get busy.
0:44:31 > 0:44:34A dozen share this tree hole, but there's plenty of room.
0:44:34 > 0:44:39The world's smallest primate is no bigger than your hand.
0:44:44 > 0:44:50High in the branches above, the baobab's nectar is starting to flow.
0:45:03 > 0:45:07A drink of this sugary, energy-packed liquid
0:45:07 > 0:45:10is an ideal way for the lemurs to start their day.
0:45:14 > 0:45:20Liquid oozes from the flower's centre and trickles down the petals.
0:45:35 > 0:45:39But the nectar is not intended for lemurs.
0:45:42 > 0:45:49These giant hawk moths are the drinkers the tree needs to attract.
0:45:57 > 0:46:01As they sip, moving from tree to tree,
0:46:01 > 0:46:05so they transfer pollen and fertilise the flowers.
0:46:19 > 0:46:23Nectar was an excellent first course for the lemurs.
0:46:23 > 0:46:26But moths are the main dish.
0:46:27 > 0:46:30The moths are very important to the lemurs,
0:46:30 > 0:46:33for they will replenish the fat reserves
0:46:33 > 0:46:37that the lemurs need to survive the barren dry season.
0:46:44 > 0:46:49The lemurs might seem to be a pest for the baobab.
0:46:49 > 0:46:51They kill its pollinators and rob it of its nectar,
0:46:51 > 0:46:56but they do give something in return, for as they wrestle with the moths
0:46:56 > 0:47:00their fur inevitably becomes dusted with pollen,
0:47:00 > 0:47:03so they too become pollinators.
0:47:24 > 0:47:27As the alternation of wet and dry seasons
0:47:27 > 0:47:31brings change to some tropical forests,
0:47:31 > 0:47:34so the progression of summer to winter
0:47:34 > 0:47:37dictates life in more temperate regions.
0:47:46 > 0:47:49Whether trees have needles or broad leaves,
0:47:49 > 0:47:53it is their ability to survive annual change
0:47:53 > 0:47:58that has enabled them to cover such vast areas of the Earth,
0:47:58 > 0:48:03and made the seasonal forests the greatest forests of all.
0:48:27 > 0:48:31One of the biggest challenges facing the Forests team
0:48:31 > 0:48:34was how to bring a static tree to life on screen.
0:48:34 > 0:48:39The solution is usually to move the camera, but how did they do it?
0:48:47 > 0:48:52The team's favourite tool was the cinebule, or film balloon,
0:48:52 > 0:48:57here being readied by pilot and inventor Dany Cleyet-Marrel.
0:48:57 > 0:49:00Yeah, the cinebule is the first
0:49:00 > 0:49:04flying machine specifically designed for filming, yes.
0:49:05 > 0:49:08Flying is my passion, sure,
0:49:08 > 0:49:15but really in this kind of, er, place in Africa,
0:49:15 > 0:49:18or in the north, or in South America,
0:49:18 > 0:49:23everywhere round the world, yes, it's uh, my passion.
0:49:23 > 0:49:27With Dany, Planet Earth took the cinebule to all corners of the globe,
0:49:27 > 0:49:31but it was the trip to film baobab trees in Madagascar,
0:49:31 > 0:49:37with cameraman Warwick Sloss, that was to prove the most memorable.
0:49:41 > 0:49:46I've never, ever, ever been in anything like this before.
0:49:46 > 0:49:49I must say I'm slightly nervous of it,
0:49:49 > 0:49:53partly because it's basically a deckchair with a balloon on top,
0:49:53 > 0:49:56and partly because I can see where my head's gonna be -
0:49:56 > 0:49:59it's gonna be incredibly close to that burner.
0:50:03 > 0:50:06I do have a fear of heights.
0:50:06 > 0:50:10I mostly have a fear of falling through them onto the ground,
0:50:10 > 0:50:12but I think I'm happier with this,
0:50:12 > 0:50:14it's got a little seatbelt and everything,
0:50:14 > 0:50:17and the BBC Health and Safety is always very good,
0:50:17 > 0:50:20all the boxes are ticked, all signed off,
0:50:20 > 0:50:26all the proper forms and everything, so I'm sure this will be fine.
0:50:26 > 0:50:30Puzzled locals take the ringside seats,
0:50:30 > 0:50:35and Warwick takes the seat no-one else wants.
0:50:35 > 0:50:37Set for take off.
0:50:48 > 0:50:50Oh, my giddy aunt!
0:51:04 > 0:51:06Oh, finally, they're off!
0:51:06 > 0:51:10At last, we've got the cinebule here and we've got fuel,
0:51:10 > 0:51:15and as long as the wind stays good and they don't land in Mozambique,
0:51:15 > 0:51:17we should be absolutely fine.
0:51:19 > 0:51:24The sort of shots we're looking for are shots that really rotate around baobab trees,
0:51:24 > 0:51:26and show their three-dimensional structure
0:51:26 > 0:51:29and Warwick and Dany will need to communicate closely
0:51:29 > 0:51:34to pull off shots like that, which will be interesting, cos you can hardly hear over the fan,
0:51:34 > 0:51:39and Dany's English isn't that amazing. I think they'll have some interesting times up there.
0:51:39 > 0:51:44How much control do we have at the moment?
0:51:44 > 0:51:46- Not very much.- Not much.
0:51:47 > 0:51:52Dany's quite a flamboyant Frenchman and Warwick's reserved, sarcastic, rather English.
0:51:52 > 0:51:57They're either gonna get on really well, or it's gonna be a disaster.
0:51:57 > 0:52:01Buoyed by assurances of Dany's exemplary safety record,
0:52:01 > 0:52:04Warwick frames up on his first baobab.
0:52:08 > 0:52:11Oh, ohhhhh!
0:52:13 > 0:52:14BLEEP!
0:52:23 > 0:52:25BLEEP!
0:52:25 > 0:52:27BLEEP!
0:52:28 > 0:52:31I go down, sorry!
0:52:31 > 0:52:35Luckily neither the tree nor the crew seem too damaged.
0:52:35 > 0:52:38Ah, stupid, I am stupid!
0:52:41 > 0:52:43- Are you OK?!- Yeah, just. - Check the gear for me.
0:52:43 > 0:52:48Yeah I think so, just minor flesh wounds.
0:52:48 > 0:52:53Miraculously, everything still works - another take-off is imminent.
0:52:53 > 0:52:57We're just deciding which tree to try and crash land into,
0:52:57 > 0:53:01preferably the hardest, spikiest one that's nearby.
0:53:01 > 0:53:05That one looks quite good, it's got some sticking out thorns on it
0:53:05 > 0:53:09and stuff to go into the shins and the hands and the face,
0:53:09 > 0:53:10and the lens.
0:53:10 > 0:53:13- Stupid me.- One of those things. - It's my fault.
0:53:13 > 0:53:15It's the excitement of ballooning.
0:53:15 > 0:53:20- Yes, no, I don't like that.- OK.
0:53:20 > 0:53:24- Very pioneering, that.- Yeah, how was the adrenaline level, Warwick?
0:53:24 > 0:53:29Oh, it's pretty high at the moment, could have been the coffee this morning.
0:53:29 > 0:53:33- Warwick, no problem, it's OK, we go? - Yeah. May as well.
0:53:37 > 0:53:41After a moment's put-down, they're off again.
0:53:41 > 0:53:44So this time if we try and go around them a bit?
0:53:44 > 0:53:48- What?- This time we'll try and go around the trees.- Yes.
0:53:49 > 0:53:53And that was one of the most heart-stopping moments I can ever remember.
0:53:53 > 0:53:57Oh, I was so scared when I saw Warwick hit that tree and Dany go, "Oh, la la!"
0:53:57 > 0:54:03I thought, "Oh, this is it," but they're OK, all that we suffered is a damaged propeller.
0:54:03 > 0:54:05As long as the wind doesn't get up,
0:54:05 > 0:54:09because now they've lost most of their steering ability, we should be fine.
0:54:09 > 0:54:11Anyway, fingers crossed.
0:54:16 > 0:54:18That doesn't sound good.
0:54:18 > 0:54:20ENGINE STRAINS
0:54:20 > 0:54:23Oh, God.
0:54:24 > 0:54:28- Well, what's happened? - I think it's the exhaust.
0:54:28 > 0:54:30Oh, that's all right, then(!)
0:54:33 > 0:54:36- Can we carry on or do we need to? - Oh, no, no.- OK.
0:54:36 > 0:54:42Worried, Dany decides to land again, quickly.
0:54:46 > 0:54:48Ah, today, God knows.
0:54:53 > 0:54:54Ah, well, never mind.
0:54:54 > 0:54:57So stupid what I have done this morning.
0:54:57 > 0:55:00Oh, don't worry, mate, everyone makes mistakes.
0:55:00 > 0:55:05- I'm just pleased to be alive. - Yes.- I thought I was gonna die.
0:55:05 > 0:55:08I'm sorry I was rude to you.
0:55:12 > 0:55:13Here they come.
0:55:13 > 0:55:16Whoa!
0:55:17 > 0:55:19Oh, Gawd!
0:55:20 > 0:55:22Oh!
0:55:22 > 0:55:24God!
0:55:24 > 0:55:28- Was that OK? - Yeah, I'm OK, are you OK? Oh.
0:55:28 > 0:55:31Oh.
0:55:31 > 0:55:33Oh, Lord.
0:55:33 > 0:55:37We seem to be heading towards the lake - is that normal?
0:55:37 > 0:55:39Probably is, it is for today.
0:55:39 > 0:55:42Oh, so stupid this morning! Oh, ah.
0:55:42 > 0:55:46- I don't like that.- Exciting. - No yes, for you, but...
0:55:46 > 0:55:49Oh, it was astonishing.
0:55:49 > 0:55:53It was great. It's great that you're OK.
0:55:53 > 0:55:57I'm in a much better mood now that I'm down and not in a tree.
0:55:57 > 0:56:01The post-mortem confirms Dany's fears.
0:56:01 > 0:56:04Probably the exhaust it is broken.
0:56:04 > 0:56:09- The exhaust is broken?- Yes, it is why I said this is not my morning.
0:56:12 > 0:56:14Ohhh!
0:56:14 > 0:56:18The cinebule is in need of a major overhaul.
0:56:30 > 0:56:34The repair is worryingly inexpensive.
0:56:39 > 0:56:44One half of the propeller was snapped in the crash -
0:56:44 > 0:56:47by shortening the other half, Dany hopes to restore balance.
0:56:52 > 0:56:55It takes all night.
0:57:05 > 0:57:09Uh...we're going the wrong way...
0:57:09 > 0:57:13Sure, the only problem is that my propeller is shorter.
0:57:13 > 0:57:16With half a propeller and a jerry-rigged exhaust,
0:57:16 > 0:57:19the cinebule is harder to steer.
0:57:19 > 0:57:21There's a good area,
0:57:21 > 0:57:23- we're going straight through there. - Yes.
0:57:23 > 0:57:28Undeterred, the pair hit their stride.
0:57:35 > 0:57:36That's nice.
0:57:40 > 0:57:41That's great.
0:57:44 > 0:57:47That's good, that's a nice, constant speed.
0:57:47 > 0:57:50Lovely.
0:57:50 > 0:57:53Many of Planet Earth's finest images would have been impossible
0:57:53 > 0:57:58without passionate and devoted specialists like Dany.
0:57:58 > 0:58:01May they always be out there.
0:58:01 > 0:58:04Ah, here we go again, ahhhhhh!
0:58:15 > 0:58:19Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd
0:58:19 > 0:58:23E-mail subtitling@bbc.co.uk