- 3 tháng trước
Countryfile - Season 37 Episode 42 -
Chatsworth: An Evolving Estate
Chatsworth: An Evolving Estate
Danh mục
😹
Vui nhộnPhụ đề
00:00Đây là một cuộc sống rất đặc biệt.
00:02Đó là tốt đẹp trước.
00:04Đó là tốt đẹp.
00:06Đó là tốt đẹp.
00:07Đó là tốt đẹp.
00:08Đó là tốt đẹp.
00:30Đó là tốt đẹp.
00:41Đó là tốt đẹp.
00:43Chatsworth Estate in Derbyshire,
00:44a vast expanse of farmland, woods and meadows.
00:48For centuries the land was managed
00:50with the best knowledge available.
00:52But times change and now the team at Chatsworth
00:54are reimagining it for a whole new era.
01:00Chatsworth Estate
01:23Good. Do you want a job?
01:26I'm not sure I do on this slope, put it on the flat I would
01:30Right, I'm in, she's in
01:32Come on, all my strength
01:35There we go, timber
01:38You don't get many chances to get it wrong or right
01:42And away from Chatsworth, with the clock ticking on new inheritance tax rules
01:50Charlotte investigates the pressure facing farming families
01:54It's really difficult for us as a family
01:58Dad's obviously still very ill
02:01We're virtually not going to make a profit for 20 odd years
02:04The vast Chatsworth estate is comprised of farmland, moorland and woodland
02:17And every part of it features in its whole estate plan
02:21An ambitious land management project designed to protect the natural beauty, cultural heritage and biodiversity here
02:29To the west lie the rugged valleys of Monsaldale
02:34These valleys are home to some of Derbyshire's most beautiful woodlands, especially at this time of year
02:42But right now, they're under threat
02:44John Everett leads Chatsworth's forestry team
02:51And his roots in this line of work run deep
02:54He's the fifth generation of his family to work the woods
02:58John
03:01Hi, Sean
03:01Great to meet you
03:02Nice to meet you too
03:03And what a brilliant place to meet
03:05This vantage point, you can just see for miles, can't you?
03:08Yeah, it's pretty special, isn't it?
03:09Yeah, really good
03:10So what are we looking at?
03:11We're looking at a fairly young woodland, which is dominated by ash
03:14Ah
03:14So the problem you can see is the recent onset of ash dieback
03:19Which is causing the ash trees to basically all die
03:22Yeah, I mean, the more I look at it, the top of that valley
03:24They're all dead, aren't they?
03:26Tell me, what is ash dieback then?
03:28So ash dieback is a fungal infection that travels on the air
03:32But has come over to the UK in about 2010
03:34And has basically infected the majority of European ash species within the country
03:39And we're seeing about 90 to 95% mortality rates
03:42I mean, that's horrific, isn't it, for ash?
03:45I mean, is ash a really important species here?
03:47Well, interesting you should say that
03:48Ash obviously forms quite an important part of the ravine woodland type
03:53But actually, what we're looking at here isn't what you would class as a stereotypical European ravine woodland
04:00Probably about 200 to 300 years ago, there was agricultural changes
04:04Which meant a lot of the original woodlands in this area would have been cleared for grazing
04:08Around 100 years ago, the estate took the livestock back out of the ravine
04:14Leaving ash trees to quickly spread and take over the area
04:18It kind of leaves us with a monoculture of ash
04:22Which is what we're seeing now
04:24Which was OK, I suppose, until ash dieback came in
04:27A lot of people speak about monocultures in forestry
04:29And they think of conifer plantations
04:31But it's exactly the same with native tree species as well
04:33That's why it's really important to have that diverse species range
04:37The most important part about this woodland is having a woodland canopy
04:40So that's what we're looking to try to restore
04:42John's work here is part of a much bigger story
04:47Old woodlands like this are being rejuvenated all across the estate
04:52It's a huge task
04:58Here in Monsaldale alone, more than 25 hectares of woodland are being replanted
05:03With a mix of 14 native tree species
05:06It's a long way out there, isn't it?
05:09It is a long way
05:10You've just come down a long way
05:11Yeah, sorry about that
05:12The hope is that this diverse planting will restore the canopy
05:16And lock in the humidity that makes ravine woodlands unique
05:20We're just going to head up here
05:22Up there?
05:23I mean, that's practically a cliff face
05:25But to make space for the new
05:28First, the dead ash must be felled
05:31You're like a mountain goat
05:32Today's job for John's colleague Sam
05:36Is to fell two trunks of a huge dead ash
05:39So Sam's going to drop this larger ash tree
05:43Straight down the hill
05:44And because it's leaning downhill
05:45When it goes, it's going to go quite quickly
05:48He's going to come down and cut in what's called the dog tooth
05:54Which will release all the tension
05:55So here you go
05:56Going down at a diagonal angle
05:58A minute there you go
06:00And off it goes
06:01Crash
06:03That's brilliant
06:05It's like a precision game, isn't it?
06:07He's not just charging in and doing it
06:09Definitely not
06:10You don't get many chances to get it wrong or right
06:13So yeah
06:19It's quite amazing, isn't it?
06:21Yeah, it goes pretty quickly, yeah
06:23But every single tree is different
06:25Yeah, it's just brilliant to watch
06:27With the dead ash removed
06:29Preparation begins for the new species of trees
06:32That will be planted here
06:34I'm going to put these stakes into the ground
06:37And if you could just follow on
06:39Put them over the top
06:40And bash it in
06:41And bash it in
06:42It's easier to get sort of top side of them
06:44So you're uphill
06:45Yeah, I see
06:46Good, that's perfect
06:50Absolutely
06:50Do you want a job?
06:52No, I'm not sure I do on this slope
06:54Put it on the flat, I would
06:55Gosh
06:56So you're placing
06:59This is where the trees are going to be
07:00For the next 150 years
07:02200 years
07:02You feel the kind of responsibility
07:03Hopefully
07:04It's got to be in the right place
07:05Yeah
07:05We do, within these quarter of a hectare
07:07We do 320 trees
07:09In each felling area
07:11So that's what we're doing here
07:14We lay them out about 3 metre spacing
07:16Which equates to the sort of same spacing as we want
07:18We do probably three a day
07:21When we're all planting together
07:22Three of these areas
07:23Three of these areas
07:24So yeah, about
07:25It's pretty fast
07:27But the hardest bit is these things
07:28Trying to carry these around
07:29It's pretty hard work
07:32It's hard work
07:32But this will be, you know
07:34In 100, 150 years time
07:35A really thick wood
07:36It definitely will be
07:37And a real mixture of tree species we're putting in
07:39It's going to be a real diverse wood
07:40And fit for the future
07:41I feel like we've picked one where it's a bit steeper
07:48Well, I've stitched you up a bit there, haven't I?
07:50There's not much soil
07:52But we'll have to make sure it's doubly planted nicely
07:54So sort of make yourself a bit of a hole
07:56Have you got a preference?
07:59What sort of species would you like?
08:00We've got some oak
08:01We've got some bird
08:02I think I'm going to go oak
08:02I was thinking about this earlier
08:04I really want to plant an oak
08:05Okay
08:05We dig that out
08:06And just sort of place it
08:07Place it in as best as we can
08:09And then you sort of give it a bit of a stamp
08:11A stamp down
08:11So how many of these trees are you planting on the whole estate?
08:17In this project, on our land alone, there's about 24,000
08:2124,000?
08:22Yeah, so we've got 70-something areas like this
08:26So yeah, it's, well, I say 74,000
08:2973,999 now, I think
08:31Yeah
08:32You've seen how much hard work it is
08:34But, you know, even standing here and looking over our shoulder
08:36You can see the coops that we did last year
08:39Yeah
08:39And know that each one of those little matchsticks on the hillside
08:42Is one of these trees
08:43And then, you know, leaving it for the next 300, 400 years
08:46For nature to take over and do the rest
08:49These aren't plastic
08:51These are made out of wood
08:53And even these ties are biodegradable as well
08:57So just squeeze them in, nice and gently
09:00Yeah, do the top one first
09:01Do the top one first
09:02The guard shelters young saplings from wind, frost
09:05And grazing animals
09:07Giving the tree a much better chance to grow
09:09Do you ever think in your line of work
09:13You're doing something
09:14That you will actually, you won't see the peak of these trees
09:18Yeah, I think legacy is a massive part of what we do
09:21Obviously it has to be like that
09:22You know, it's not like sowing a field of barley
09:24You know, you're not going to be the person coming in and harvesting this
09:27Or even seeing these trees reach maturity
09:30So yeah, absolutely everything that we do is all about legacy
09:34And history, actually
09:35This estate has got a long history already
09:38And we're providing part of that
09:40While Sean is down Dale, I'm heading uphill to Stand Wood
09:57This 400 acre medieval woodland looks like the perfect sanctuary
10:03But looks can be deceiving
10:05200 years ago, rhododundrons were seen as the height of horticultural fashion for the wealthy
10:12But what was once a symbol of great prestige
10:16Has these days become a serious horticultural nightmare
10:20Rhododundrons were first introduced to Chatsworth in the 1760s
10:28But over time have spread and become a threat to Stand Wood
10:32Trying to undo the mistakes of the past is head gardener, Steve Porter
10:37Steve, it feels enchanted
10:43It's an amazing woodland, isn't it?
10:44Isn't it? Straight out of a fairy tale
10:46So tell me about Stan Wood
10:50In fact, tell me about this magnificent tree that we're looking at
10:54What's this?
10:55So this is an oak tree that was here long before the estate
10:58Probably up to towards 1,000 years ago
11:00This was planted as part of a huge deer park that covered this area
11:04And it's survived through all the changes over the centuries
11:06And sits here happily producing acorns at the moment
11:09I'm going to just
11:10You might think you might be a bit weird
11:13Lots of energy, it's good
11:14Wise, wise, beautiful tree
11:16Seen a lot of things, hasn't it?
11:17It has, if only it could talk
11:19But what are you here to show me, apart from the beautiful tree?
11:22We're here to have a look at this rhododendron pond scum
11:24Which is causing us challenges in this woodland at the moment
11:26I thought rhododendrons were beautiful and desired
11:29They are, they are
11:30And this has beautiful flowers in May
11:32Purple flowers
11:33And was originally introduced as an ornamental species
11:35However, here, it's taken over
11:37It's just going on for as far as the eye can see
11:39It's huge, isn't it?
11:40So the challenge today is
11:41You can see here, choking our watercourses
11:43It's swamping out all the other species
11:45But the particular concern at the moment is
11:47It carries a disease which is attacking our larger trees
11:50We've had to do some felling
11:51We've had to remove some
11:52We don't want that to continue
11:53So we need to do something about it
11:55Rhododendrons can carry Remorum disease
12:00A potential tree killer of large and ornamental species
12:04Like sweet chestnut
12:06To halt the spread, the rhododendrons must go
12:10But in Standwood, that's no easy task
12:13Each autumn, a team of dedicated volunteers
12:18Led by landscape volunteer coordinator George Hoey
12:21Roll up their sleeves and get to work
12:24If you go down to the woods today
12:28You never know what you find
12:30Hello everybody
12:31Hello
12:32Hello George
12:34What is happening here?
12:35So we're just burning up the rhododendron ponticum
12:37Why burn it?
12:38This is the easiest way for us to remove it from site essentially
12:41We've got a legal obligation to remove it in a way that won't allow it to spread
12:45Each bush, if it's a mature bush, can produce up to a million seeds
12:48So it really can spread quite violently
12:51And once it starts spreading, once it takes hold
12:53It's so extensive that nothing else can grow around it
12:57So I'm here and I can give you a hand
12:59Lovely, want some of these?
13:00Yes please
13:01Lovely, fine
13:02I'll get some gloves
13:03Go join the volunteers?
13:04I will go and join your army, yes George, thank you
13:07George's army of willing volunteers are on the front line
13:11In the fight to keep this plant under control
13:14But it's not just rhododendrons they're tackling
13:17They've also cleared silver birch and non-native invasive species
13:22Such as Himalayan balsam and Japanese knotweed
13:26Right, hello, nice to see you all
13:29I've come to give you a hand, where can I start?
13:31Jump on in, yeah, anywhere
13:33It all needs to go
13:34Just to cut it down
13:35You can see how dense it is
13:37That's all rhododendron, is it?
13:39This is all, yeah, it just ends up in this absolute knot
13:42And in times it's like spaghetti
13:45And you just don't know where to sort of attack it from
13:47Right, I'm in
13:48She's in
13:49Yay
13:50Come on, all my strength
13:52There we go, timber
13:54If we cut this piece off here and put that on the ground
14:01That would put roots down and create another bush
14:03Which is why we can't just pile it
14:05Volunteers have been clearing this wood for the past three years
14:12Why did you decide to volunteer?
14:14We all want to be able to keep stable and fit
14:17And this is a great way to do it
14:18Because you don't really feel you're working terribly much
14:20You're chatting to your mates
14:25Got it
14:26I work at home, I just work for myself
14:28And so it's nice to see other people and get out in the fresh air
14:31I think it just lifts your spirits
14:33We live quite nearby, so we walk around here anyway
14:36And you can actually see what you've done
14:38It's really lovely
14:39Yeah
14:40We've all come from different backgrounds
14:44And yet we do work as a group now
14:46Yeah
14:47There's idle chatter as we go along through the day
14:50And we do enjoy our lunch breaks and the like
14:52So it is a sociable day as well
14:53Cake?
14:54I wasn't going to mention cake
14:56But some people might tell you that that's the only reason I come here
14:59Who doesn't need a bit of cake and conversation?
15:05The team are doing some very important work here
15:08Both controlling the problem and helping biodiversity
15:12These birch branches can be used in dead hedges
15:16Natural structures that not only guide visitors along the woodland's paths
15:21But also provide vital new habitats
15:24These will decay over time
15:26And that's brilliant for fungi and bacteria
15:29And then from that you're getting a lot of insects, invertebrates
15:32And arachnids going in there
15:34And from that you're getting things like small mammals and birds
15:37Going in to hunt for the invertebrates
15:39It's a little corridor
15:40It's a little corridor
15:41But things shelter in
15:42But nesting as well
15:43Isn't it amazing how quickly nature finds its spaces?
15:46Yeah, absolutely
15:47So you're weaving it patiently?
15:49Just weaving
15:50That's exactly it
15:51So I'm going to go on the inside of this one
15:54Outside of that one
15:55That's it
15:56Inside of that one
15:57Push it down
15:58That's it
15:59So essentially you just do that over and over and over again
16:02And eventually you get a hedge
16:04Could anyone do this at home?
16:06Anybody can do it
16:07It doesn't need to be birch
16:08Could you use an old Christmas tree?
16:09Yeah, yeah
16:10If it were me I would just lop it up a little bit
16:12Take the branches off
16:13Yeah
16:14And stack it quite neatly somewhere
16:15And that way it will just gradually degrade
16:17And things will find their way in
16:18It's better than leaving it on the side of the pavement
16:21Yes, exactly
16:22Waste nothing, recycle everything
16:24Absolutely
16:28Through the team's hard work
16:30Stand wood is slowly being reclaimed
16:33And maintaining these dead wood habitats
16:35Is another key part of Chatsworth's whole estate plan
16:39It's so brilliant that you have George and his team of volunteers to help
16:44You know
16:45The team are amazing
16:46The landscape team will look after everything around the house
16:48Yeah
16:49And then the volunteers make so much more possible than would normally be
16:51Absolutely
16:52And so what's the plan for the future?
16:54We have a whole estate plan
16:55But for us, the landscape team and the garden team
16:57We have a park management plan
16:59So that really is looking forward to 10, 25, 50 years, 100 years
17:03And that informs our work
17:04It gives us direction
17:05It tells us how do we work to make sure it will look as beautiful as it does today
17:10But the challenges around climate and pests and diseases are really pronounced at the moment
17:14So for instance these trees that you see across the park today
17:17Capability Brown planted 200 years ago, more than 200 years ago
17:21They won't be around in the future
17:22We know they're struggling
17:23So we're planting a much wider, diverse palette of trees to safeguard that view
17:27How can you predict though Steve? How do you know?
17:29We can't, it's really difficult
17:30There's so many variables
17:31So we're planting a wide palette
17:33But we've got to look long term
17:34We've got to aim long term
17:35With less than six months to go before the government's changes to inheritance tax come into force
17:54Countryfile has been told of a surge in farmers seeking financial advice
18:01While at the same time, rural mental health charities say they're receiving calls from distressed farmers
18:09Charlotte has been investigating
18:11And a warning that you may find part of this film upsetting
18:15From April 2026, the first £1 million of combined business and agricultural assets will continue to attract no inheritance tax at all
18:28But for assets over £1 million, inheritance tax will apply with a 50% relief at an effective rate of 20%
18:38Last October's budget sparked the biggest shake-up to inheritance tax for farms in decades
18:45And the response was immediate
18:47Thousands of farmers marched on London
18:50Warning the proposals could be disastrous for family farms
18:54With industry groups disputing the government's claim that most farms wouldn't be affected
18:59But ministers said it was fair and that over time the changes could raise more than half a billion pounds a year for the public finances
19:12As well as targeting investors who they said were buying up farmland to avoid inheritance tax
19:18Data from one of the largest property consultancies in the UK shows that in 2024 around a fifth of the farms sold
19:28Were bought by private investors
19:31Here's Steve Reid, then Secretary of State for Rural Affairs, talking to Countryfile last November
19:37We are deterring those wealthy individuals who are buying up agricultural land as a means to bypass their own inheritance tax
19:45This really will only affect the very wealthiest individuals and the largest farms
19:49And it's right to ask them to pay their fair share
19:52If the government thought that would be the end of it, they were very wrong
19:57Farmers have spent the year staging protests in towns and cities across the country
20:04But with just a bit over 150 days until the tax kicks in, pressure is mounting on farmers who'd hoped this would all go away
20:16Greg Parks, a fourth generation beef farmer in Leicestershire, runs a 110 acre farm
20:23That's diversified into storage lettings and school book fairs
20:28All of which are still in his dad's name
20:31The government's plan taxes agricultural and business assets for the first time in a generation
20:37Greg says for their small family farm, it means with their combined assets, they face a potential inheritance tax bill of up to half a million pounds
20:46So over the past couple of months, the family has sought financial advice to plan for succession
20:52All this kicks in in April, are you feeling a sense of urgency to get it all sorted?
20:59Yeah, I think we're at the point where we're kind of accepting it's going to happen
21:03I think like a lot of farmers, we've probably sat for the first six months
21:07Thinking, you know, do we want to go down the route of spending a lot of money with professionals
21:11If things are suddenly going to change
21:13Greg is not alone
21:16Countryfile has spoken to several leading financial and legal firms
21:21Who report a sharp rise in farmers seeking advice
21:24In the run-up to the inheritance tax changes coming into force in April
21:29Rural insurance company NFU Mutual says its financial advisors have seen a 300% increase in cases
21:36While legal firm Tees Law says its succession instructions have increased five-fold
21:42But before any formal financial plans come honest conversations around the kitchen table
21:48It is difficult because there's a lot of emotion, a lot of personal considerations
21:53A lot of personal feelings wrapped up in it
21:55And it's also a conversation about the fact that one day your parents are going to die
21:59It's hard this, isn't it?
22:01It is really hard
22:02I don't think there's ever any easy answers
22:04Is all this costing you money?
22:06It is, yeah
22:07So I think kind of so far to date we've probably spent around £4,000 with professionals
22:13It's a small price to pay
22:14But obviously it takes that money away from investment elsewhere on the farm
22:19Do the new rules make you think differently now about putting more investment into the farm?
22:25Yeah, so we've got enough cattle to fill the one livestock shed we've got
22:30So we'd be possibly thinking about adding another one
22:33But we've kind of pressed pause on that at the moment
22:36Because at this point you don't want to make the farm worth more money really
22:40Because that just puts it higher
22:41That's fundamentally it
22:42The burden as such would be increased
22:46You know, the more capital value you add to the farm
22:49The more the whole estate's worth
22:53There are other signs pointing to a possible decline in investment in farms this year
22:58A survey for Family Business UK reports that 23% of family businesses and farms are cutting jobs or pausing hiring
23:07While 49% have paused or cancelled planned investments ahead of the changes
23:12And a major farming machinery association told Countryfile that so far this year
23:18New tractor registrations are down 14% on the same period in 2024
23:23With inheritance tax a factor
23:25For some farmers the impact of this announcement goes beyond business
23:29Coming amidst other financial changes and the recent drought
23:35We spoke to several rural mental health charities
23:38Who told us they've been getting calls about inheritance tax
23:41One said there's a documented increase in family and relationship related issues
23:48Including family conflict
23:50As farming families begin to address the implications
23:53Another said
23:55Very sadly we're hearing some older farmers
23:58Saying they are feeling they're a liability or burden on their family farming business
24:02And there have already been some devastating stories
24:08One of the mental health charities we spoke to told us of two farmers who have taken their own lives
24:16Both their families cited inheritance tax as a contributing factor
24:20Charles Rees is a fifth generation farmer who owns 370 acres of a 1200 acre farm in Pembrokeshire
24:32He is one of a group of elderly or unwell farmers that farming unions are particularly concerned about
24:38Because they say they don't have time to plan for the inheritance tax changes
24:43In February Charles was diagnosed with cancer
24:46His son Tom, an NFU Cymru official, has inherited his dad's love of arable farming
24:52He now runs the farm
24:54And fears he could be facing a potential inheritance tax bill of a million pounds
24:59With the calculations I've done to pay that debt back in full
25:05We're virtually not going to make a profit for 20 odd years
25:08So you are looking at now a business that's going to have a generation
25:12Where there's not going to be a lot left for investment
25:15You've got about six months before this probably becomes law
25:18What are you doing with that time?
25:20It's really difficult for us as a family
25:22Dad's obviously still very ill
25:25Struggles to talk so having conversations about this is quite difficult
25:30So you know spending time with the accountant as best we can
25:33To see is there anything we can do but the realistic is we can't
25:37Due to Charles's health which has affected his speech
25:41Life insurance or gifting which allows assets to pass tax-free to the next generation
25:47If the giver survives seven years may not be possible
25:51The latest inheritance tax plans echo a struggle the family has faced before
25:56When Charles's own father died in the late 1970s
25:59Farmers were then subject to a similar tax
26:04It took me ten years to pay it off
26:07So I couldn't do anything but found me a little tractor and was sick
26:12And then once I managed to pay my tax off
26:16I've been in two good years
26:17Tell me about the farm then what's special about it for you?
26:20Well I've been here 70 years
26:23It's everything I've ever done
26:26What's been the impact on you of this announcement this year?
26:31It's been hard for me
26:33Lying in the hospital bed
26:35Thinking how am I going to save my farm
26:37And how am I trying to have all this treatment to save my life
26:43And sometimes I think what the hell are you doing all for?
26:48Because if something's on for me the next April
26:51I'd probably chop myself
26:53You've really thought about it?
26:55Oh God yes
26:56Because of the farm?
26:58Yeah
26:59I'm only looking after the place for Tom
27:02My father looked after the family
27:04And my grandfather
27:06It's
27:07That's what it is
27:08You think it will be harder for Tom
27:10Oh God yes
27:11Because it's time round to pay the tax
27:12Yeah he's not going home he can't
27:14I hope
27:16Ruth how were you
27:18Coat?
27:19I mean you've had a rough year
27:20Anyway
27:21Aside from
27:22Caps
27:23I see
27:24He'll be back now
27:30Give him a second
27:31Yeah
27:32Yeah you try and carry on
27:34Excuse me
27:35He's starting me now
27:37But um
27:39I find it very sad that
27:41When he was diagnosed
27:44Um
27:45He generally said to me one day
27:47He said
27:48To be honest with me
27:49I
27:50For the farm point of view
27:51I'd be better off
27:52If I
27:53Didn't have treatment
27:55But since April
27:56Charles has undergone surgery
27:59Sorry about that
28:00And with the support of his family
28:02Is now recovering
28:03What is it now Charles
28:04That gives you hope
28:05For the future?
28:06Rory
28:07That's your grandson
28:09Yeah
28:10Yeah
28:11And like to see Rory
28:12And with his tractors
28:13He's got his own farm hasn't he?
28:15Anything that happens on the farm
28:16A raw tractors
28:17I never have
28:19There's a massive collection
28:21Just in the corner of the kitchen
28:22Yeah
28:23Yeah
28:24He's just so full of life
28:25And it does give you
28:27Something to look forward to then
28:28Yeah
28:29While Rory has helped restore Charles' hope
28:32The fear for the future of their family farm
28:35Remains
28:36Cases like Charles' are one reason why in May
28:40MPs on the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee
28:43Urged the government to delay the plans until 2027
28:48Saying a pause would give vulnerable farmers
28:50More time to seek appropriate professional advice
28:51Tom Bradshaw is the president of the National Farmers Union
29:03So Tom
29:05When we spoke about this initially
29:07After it was announced
29:08You were hopeful that there would be a change
29:11There hasn't been
29:13So I have to believe there's hope at this stage
29:16We've got the autumn budget coming up
29:17And I guess that's another moment
29:19Where if the government want to demonstrate
29:21That they really are resetting the relationship
29:23They can take the opportunity there
29:25So if there are things that could be changed
29:28What would your priorities be at this point?
29:30We still have to find a way of mitigating the impacts
29:33On that elderly section of our community
29:35That are so unfairly treated by the current proposals
29:38We'd like to see a threshold which is reasonable
29:40At the moment £1 million it's not reasonable
29:44We're asset rich but cash poor
29:46And we're making very low returns
29:48So a £5 million threshold would be much more acceptable
29:51Although as the government would point out
29:53Most farms are either not affected by this
29:56Or will have time to plan
29:58And that I suppose is the silver lining of all this
30:01That it has made farming families sit down
30:03And talk about the future
30:05I don't see that as a silver lining Charlotte
30:08Because if they wanted a grown-up conversation
30:10About succession planning
30:11Then we should have sat down and had a consultation
30:14Rather than burdening the industry
30:16With the toll that this has put on them
30:21Since that interview
30:22Ministers have ruled out any changes
30:24To the inheritance tax policy in next month's budget
30:28The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
30:31Told us in a statement
30:33Our commitment to farming and food security is steadfast
30:37We're backing farmers with the largest investment
30:40In nature-friendly farming in history
30:42To grow their businesses
30:44Get more British food on our plates
30:46And help restore nature
30:48Our reforms to agricultural and business property relief
30:51Are vital to fix the public services we all rely on
30:55Three quarters of estates will continue to pay
30:57No inheritance tax at all
30:59While the remaining quarter will pay half the inheritance tax
31:02That most people pay
31:03And payments can be spread over ten years
31:06Interest free
31:07Give it up!
31:12With the inheritance tax changes looming closer
31:15Some farmers are clearly getting their succession plans in place
31:19But others have been left questioning the future of their farms
31:23You're just a custodian of that business
31:26You only ever want to just try and improve that business
31:29To make it better for the next generation
31:31What worries you most about the future for the farm?
31:34Being that generation that fails the next one
31:38And you can get information and support for some of the issues raised in this film
31:45At bbc.co.uk forward slash action line
31:49We're in Derbyshire exploring the Chatsworth estate
32:07For centuries the farmland here was worked to maximise production
32:12But times are changing
32:14And now the focus is shifting towards sustainability
32:18As well as being a stunning place to visit
32:20The Chatsworth estate is actually the largest farm in Derbyshire
32:25And it's David Howlett's job to manage it
32:28He's responsible for 5,000 acres
32:31Made up of grassland, arable pasture and moorland
32:37When you came to the farm ten years ago
32:39What was your vision? What did you want to do?
32:41The vision was basically to just try and farm in a sustainable way as we possibly can
32:45So for us that's without fertiliser, chemicals
32:49And also bought in purchased feed
32:52We live in a heritage landscape and it's about just producing beef and lamb off of what Chatsworth provides
32:58Was that a challenge?
32:59It has been a challenge, yes
33:01So we had to get the breed of animals right
33:03So we moved from continental animals to more of a native breed
33:07Just because we felt that they were doing better off of the grassland that we've got
33:11So we rear these animals on grass
33:13But we also just use barley and feed that's grown on our arable farm
33:18So it's all home grown
33:19So it's a really traditional, old-fashioned method of farming
33:22But also very forward thinking
33:24Yes, we sort of respect the heritage that is Chatsworth
33:27But also look forward to the future and how we can make this work as well
33:30One such futuristic project is virtual fencing for Chatsworth's cattle
33:36No posts, no wires, just fancy collars that use GPS to keep the herd in designated grazing sites
33:45Well, it is even more gorgeous up here than down there
33:50It's a special place
33:52So this is where you're planning on bringing the cows?
33:56Yep, they'll spend the winter up here
33:58So there's 2,000 acres of moorland
34:00We want them to keep out of certain areas on the moor
34:03So if you imagine the moor, it's really difficult to fence
34:06There's watercourses, there's blanket bog on the moor that we don't want the cows going into
34:11So we plan to use the collars to be able to keep them away from these areas
34:15And can they go missing as well? I mean, it's 2,000 acres up here
34:182,000 acres and some days it takes us a long time to find them
34:22So it's great for us to be able to look on the phone
34:24See the area they're located in and then just go straight to them
34:27Back on the farm, David's livestock team, Richard, Sam and Josh
34:39Are rounding up a trial herd of the Ling cattle to be fitted with collars for the first time
34:45Morning Anita
34:47Morning! I've come to see some cows get collared
34:50Is that the right terminology?
34:52So what we're doing today is fitting our new cow collars
34:55Have you done this before?
34:57So this is the first time we're doing this
34:58Shall we give it a go?
34:59Yeah, let's go for it
35:02So Sam here is going to put on the collars
35:04And I will assign each individual collar to each individual animal
35:08Fantastic
35:09Yeah, yeah
35:10Volunteer number one, step right up
35:17030
35:18030
35:20374
35:21Yeah, so that's saved now
35:23So that's assigned to that cow
35:24There we go
35:25Future cow
35:27Soon, sir
35:29There you go
35:34So it'll take her a minute to get used to it
35:38Yeah, it'll take a bit of adjusting
35:40It's a new experience for them, for sure
35:42669
35:45345
35:46Yeah, got it
35:55It's fascinating watching them react
35:56There's that initial shock
35:57But the collars themselves are designed specifically with the welfare of the cows in mind
36:01So they're not heavy?
36:02No, no, they're very light on the neck
36:04And when we're attaching the collars to the cows we make sure there's a pan's gap between the neck and the collar
36:09Yeah
36:10Just to allow that comfort for the cow
36:11Yeah
36:16They seem to be all right, I mean, I think they're checking each other's necklaces
36:20Yeah, yeah
36:21With the Ling now kitted up with their bling
36:23See you later
36:24It's time to move the herd into the training paddock
36:27So what happens next?
36:30Well, I can now see the GPS location of each individual collar
36:35There they are
36:36So I'm going to set a perimeter fence on the app
36:39So what happens if they get too close to the fence?
36:41They'll start hearing a noise and that'll get progressively louder the closer they get towards the virtual fence
36:48The idea is to match the virtual fence to a real one
36:52So the cows learn the sound means stop
36:56Then you bring that invisible boundary a bit closer in
36:59If they ignore the warning, the collar buzzes until the cow steps back
37:05And then they'll learn and adapt to know that they can't go beyond that push
37:09That's the idea, yeah
37:10And then we'll move them onto the moorland from there on
37:12They seem quite settled now, don't they?
37:14Yeah, they certainly seem a lot more relaxed now
37:16They started grazing, so that's always good
37:18The collars mean the cattle can graze up on the moorland safely throughout winter
37:27And that's good news for the moorland too
37:31The grassland up here is getting quite long
37:33So what we're trying to do is get the cows to graze them down
37:36To then allow the heather to come through and other various things
37:39Because I am a strong believer that these environment need herbivores grazing them
37:43So it's a win-win?
37:44It is
37:45Very busy
37:46And how lucky are you, David, that you get to look after this?
37:48It's a pretty special place, isn't it? To be fair
37:50Yeah
37:51The cows are going to love it
37:52They will
37:53The jewel in Chatsworth's crown is, of course, its house and gardens
38:08Home to the Cavendish family for five centuries
38:11We've all seen TV dramas and films about amazing country homes like this one
38:18But it makes you wonder about the stories behind the fiction
38:21The real people who lived and worked in places like this
38:28Historians Fiona Clapperton and Lauren Batt have PhDs in the history of Chatsworth
38:33So they are sure to have the answers
38:37We're so fortunate at Chatsworth to have an enormous archive
38:42There are over 8,000 boxes of archival material in storage here
38:48And about 60% of it is catalogued
38:51So part of our job when we came here as PhD students was to look through that material that hadn't really been given much attention before
39:00If you look at the building, Chatsworth projects the story of one family, the Cavendish family
39:04But there were thousands of other families and individuals who lived here over the centuries
39:09And I think their stories deserve to be told as well
39:14One of the big names that people may have heard of is Sir Joseph Paxton
39:19He wasn't a sir when he first arrived at Chatsworth
39:22He was a 23-year-old gardener, son of a farm labourer
39:27So quite humble beginnings
39:29And he came and he really started to make lots of changes in the gardens
39:32So this shows the, it's called the Great Stove or the Great Conservatory
39:37This enormous glass building was constructed between 1836 and 1840
39:43And it was the brainchild of Sir Joseph Paxton
39:46In its day, when it was completed, this was the largest glass house in the world
39:51It was 227 feet long and 67 feet high
39:54And it contained all kinds of new and exotic plants
39:59From palm trees to bamboo to the banana plant
40:03One of Joseph Paxton's many achievements was he cultivated a species of banana called the Musa Cavendishi
40:10Which was named after his employer, William Cavendish
40:14And it was so successful that today it is the banana that we eat most often
40:20So the Cavendish banana that we all know was cultivated first here
40:25It was, that's right
40:29Paxton became a much lauded celebrity of the 19th century
40:33And the archives reveal that his wife, Sarah Paxton, also played a crucial role in the success of Chatsworth's Gardens
40:42So Sarah Paxton was an extraordinary woman in her own right
40:46While Paxton was off travelling the world with the Duke of Devonshire and winning horticultural prizes
40:53She stayed at Chatsworth and kept things running in his absence
40:57Whilst raising the eight children
41:00Eight children, that's phenomenal
41:02If you kind of pick through this letter, around here
41:06He basically says that at this point, Sarah knows more about what's going on in the gardens than Joseph does
41:12So in April 1836, he's down in London at the Royal Horticultural Society
41:18Showing fruits and flowers that are being grown at Chatsworth
41:22So we can see here, he's talking about some flowers of rhododendrons
41:27And he's asking his wife, Sarah, to send as many as she can
41:30And given we know that the issue of rhododendrons now are on the estate, maybe he shouldn't have been doing this
41:37Yeah, absolutely
41:39It's part of a wider picture, the archives paint, of how Chatsworth's gardens and the workforce changed with the events of history
41:46So we have a very interesting document here, and it lists the age of the men that are employed in the gardens during the period of the First World War, so
41:55This is the ages here, you'd think they'd be retired, 61, 64, William Schwimmel, and then there's a 59-year-old, another 61-year-old
42:03Yeah, we've got a 72-year-old just here as well
42:0572-year-old Henry Orsoff
42:08Yeah
42:09I mean, he's put in a shift for the estate, isn't he?
42:10Absolutely
42:12Length of service, 44 years
42:15It tells you how long they worked on the estate, and as you can see, it's a lifelong pursuit working on the Chatsworth estate
42:22So all the people who would normally work here have gone to fight in the war?
42:26Absolutely, they're bringing men out of retirement to work in the gardens, and they're bringing in young boys and also girls
42:32These days, the estate employs more people than ever before
42:37But what happened to the Great Stove, Paxton's giant glass house?
42:43We're about to enter what was the Great Stove and is now the maze
42:49This entrance and the walkway through the conservatory was so wide that you could actually drive a carriage down the middle
42:56And that's what Queen Victoria did when she came in 1843
42:58Really? So the walls there are the outer bit of the glass house, and this is it here
43:03This is it
43:05Gosh, so that's the wall that we can see, the rest of it's all gone
43:09In 1919, the decision was made to demolish the structure, and for reasons lost to history, they did this by blowing it up
43:18It's incredible to think that this was a site of real devastation at the end of the First World War
43:25You can sometimes still see shards of the glass in the borders around here, and the gardeners will come across that sometimes here
43:34And yet now, it's absolutely thriving, so it's wonderful to see how things have come full circle in a way
43:39And I suppose history is always being made, isn't it? So people will look back in hundreds of years' time on this period
43:46And you're part of that history, though, that's being created now
43:49It feels wonderful, and I think you just feel part of this kind of, like, long line of people who've interacted with the estate
43:56Walking the same routes that they would have walked, in the same places and gardens and the grounds that they would have been in
44:01And they would have seen, and knowing that perhaps in years to come, you know, future generations will be doing the same thing, it's wonderful
44:11And thanks to the work of historians like Fiona and Lauren, these remarkable stories from the history of Chatsworth will live on
44:19The start of autumn this year might be a little warmer than we're used to, but the colours have been spectacular, haven't they?
44:36Anyway, what's it looking like for the week ahead? Here's the Countryfile forecast
44:39Good evening to you. This weekend's been quite mixed weather-wise
44:50We've certainly had the first chill of the season, but in the sunshine, the autumn colours have been looking pretty stunning
44:56Now, for the week ahead, though, it's looking very changeable
44:59We'll lose that cold Arctic northerly and pick up an Atlantic flow of wind and rain in areas of low pressure
45:04And what you will notice by the end of the week, it'll be turning milder for all areas, our winds coming up from the south
45:10This is the pressure chart for this week ahead
45:13You can see how these low pressure systems start to gang up in the Atlantic and push their way in
45:18This is Thursday and Friday, in fact, some deeper areas of low pressure, which will bring some rain and gales
45:23And the rainfall accumulations, as you'd expect with all these low pressure systems, will be totting up
45:27Particularly across northern and western areas, I think Northern Ireland, Western Scotland, look like being very wet by the end of the week
45:35Less so further south and east
45:37Now, today's weather's been mixed
45:39We started off with all that sunshine, but these weather fronts pushed their way quite quickly southwards
45:43And it brought a grey, chilly afternoon
45:45Most of that rain and cloud will clear away this evening and overnight
45:48And then we'll see clearer skies, but a rash of blustery showers pushing into the northern half of the country
45:51And again, with that cold air in place, we'll likely see further wintry falls over the Scottish hills in particular
45:58Further south, lows of around 5 to 9 degrees
46:01So for Monday, we lose those weather fronts, which bring the blustery showers overnight
46:05This is a brief bump of high pressure, a ridge of high pressure, which should kill off most of the showers
46:10So, Monday's actually not looking too bad, it is going to be a chilly start
46:13The winds turn a little bit lighter, lots of sunshine around in fact
46:16A few showers across eastern areas, and then the clouds start to build up out west later on
46:21It may be a little less cold, I think, tomorrow afternoon in the south
46:24Certainly for England and Wales, we're looking close to the mid-teens
46:27But still another chilly one to come in the north
46:29For Tuesday, another rash of rain pushes in from the west and brings some showers as well
46:36And you'll notice Tuesday, it'll be a little bit milder across most of the country
46:40Away from the north of Scotland
46:42Here, still some cold air around, so any rain will be wintry over the hills
46:46Further south that you come though, it should be largely dry with a brisk westerly breeze
46:49Some good spells of sunshine, and there's that milder influence
46:53You've got 14 or 15 degrees in the south
46:56Still quite chilly though for the northern half of Scotland
46:58Another area of low pressure moves in for Wednesday
47:01The centre of it's across Scotland, this weather front running southwards
47:04So that front could bring a band of cloud and rain to southern areas throughout Wednesday
47:08Slowly clearing away, and for the northern half of the country
47:11It'll be sunshine, blustery showers
47:12Some of these showers, again, wintry over the hills in the north
47:16Milder in the south, you can see the temperature contrast there
47:19Double figures, I think, for the southern half of the country
47:22Then we switch our wind direction
47:24Start to pick up this low pressure system and southerly winds
47:27Which will push the very mild air northwards
47:29Could start off with a bit of mist and fog across northern England and Scotland
47:32Because the winds will be light
47:34And then through the day, we think it'll turn cloudier and windier
47:37With outbreaks of rain starting to push into the west later on
47:40And at this point, we start to see 15, 16 degrees in the south
47:44But even double figures pushing up in towards Scotland and Northern Ireland
47:47For Friday, at this stage, still some uncertainty this far out
47:51But it looks pretty unsettled, wet windy
47:53We could see coastal gales and outbreaks of heavy rain pushing northwards
47:56Maybe a chance of seeing some brightness across England and Wales in the south later on
48:01Before more wind and rain arrives
48:03And then we're all into that very mild air
48:05You can see 12, 13s in the north, mid-teens in the south
48:08So, it is quite an unsettled week
48:10A very autumnal week coming up
48:12But it will be turning milder for all later on
48:14That's it from me, back to Anita
48:15We are in the magnificent Chatsworth estate in Derbyshire
48:28Here, everyone from gardeners, foresters and farmers to volunteers
48:34Are working to redefine Chatsworth's grounds for a new era
48:39In the Deer Park, landscapes once reserved for the few are now open for all
48:45Giving an opportunity to witness nature at its most dramatic
48:53And it doesn't get more dramatic than the deer rut
48:57One of autumn's most primal scenes
49:02But, you have to be up early to catch it
49:06Luckily, my guide, 23-year-old wildlife photographer William Hickey
49:11Is used to pre-dawn starts
49:14We met, before sunrise, under the cover of darkness
49:18Morning, William
49:20Morning
49:21Nice to see you
49:22You too
49:23The moon's still up
49:24The sun's yet to come up
49:26Isn't this the best time to get the shots?
49:27This is the best time for the rut
49:29A little bit before the sun's coming up
49:30But, as it comes up and the light comes in, it's going to look amazing
49:33How do we know where they are?
49:35We can usually hear them, but I know there's some down near the bank
49:38And there's one
49:39Oh, there we go
49:41That's amazing, sounds like a dinosaur
49:44Right, that way?
49:45Yeah
49:46Let's do it
49:48So when did you first pick up a camera and get into photography?
49:51I started when I was 14, which is nearly 10 years ago
49:55So I've been doing it for what seems like all my life
49:58And did you always know that you wanted to do wildlife photography?
50:00Not specifically wildlife photography, but anything that involves being outside
50:05So I do a lot of landscapes, and then last year I was photographing some woodland
50:09And that's when a deer came into one of my shots, and that sparked it again
50:13Wonderful
50:14That's why this year I'm coming here to photograph the rut
50:18But to get a photo requires us to actually find some deer
50:23There's a group that way, and that way
50:25And the vocal one is over there?
50:27Yeah, but they're under the trees, so there's quite a lot of shadow
50:30Whereas the group over that side are out in the open
50:33So for the camera, I think the better it'll be
50:35That's the way then? Yeah
50:36Let's go
50:41I think there's one just there, is that something?
50:45We don't want to spook them, so what do you reckon?
50:48Just quietly walk in that direction
50:50It's probably better to drop lower
50:52Alright
50:54Even at our quietest, the deer are not fooled
50:59They sound like they're laughing
51:01They do sound like they're laughing at us
51:02Hopefully now that the sun is rising, we'll have more luck
51:18I think there's a big group over there
51:22So let me just, let me set this up quick
51:25Oh yes
51:27Yes, yes, there they are
51:28Yes, there they are
51:42So when you set up, what are you looking to capture? Do you have an idea in mind?
51:46With wildlife photography, instead of doing a super close portrait, I always like to get a bit of the environment in with it, so I try and shoot a little bit wider, I think it tells a better story to the image, in my opinion
51:59And I always look at different colours, if I can incorporate maybe a nice autumnal tree, which is perfect at this time of the year
52:05At this time of year is brilliant, isn't it?
52:07This is a really special experience, it was worth getting up before it, it's so tranquil
52:25The deer know that we are here, because they keep looking over
52:29We're going to leave William to it, so he can try and get a good shot
52:33If we all travel as a herd, it spooks them
52:46I'm just up at the top of Jasper State
52:49And there are a few stags walking around
52:53They could rot, potentially
52:56Let me try and follow them
52:58But it's like wild goose chase
53:00I've had to move round to the side a little bit
53:04Because there's two
53:06There's two stags
53:08Billowing at each other
53:10And I was kind of in the middle of them
53:12And I definitely don't want to be there
53:13I've come round the side
53:26To get a different angle
53:28And basically just trying to stay safe and out of the way
53:31I don't really want to get any closer than this
53:34Because they are just behind there
53:36And I've got this
53:38I've got a couple of trees in front of me
53:40Which is helping with cover, there's lots of bragger
53:42I would really like to get a shot of a stag
53:43I've got a couple of trees in front of me
53:44Which is helping with cover, there's lots of bragger
53:47I would really like to get a shot of a stag
53:49Let's get a shot of a stag
53:50Here he comes
53:51Is he smiling?
53:52Is he smiling?
53:53Is he smiling?
53:54Yeah
53:55Yeah, I've got some great shots
53:56Have you?
53:57I can't wait to see you
53:58Yeah
53:59Here he comes
54:00Is he smiling?
54:02Is he smiling?
54:03Yeah
54:04Yeah
54:05I've got some great shots
54:07Have you?
54:08I can't wait to see you
54:09Yeah
54:10Yeah
54:11Yeah
54:12I think Matthew
54:13That's the first thing
54:14He's wonderful
54:15This is a great shot
54:17He's wonderful
54:18Is he smiling
54:19Yeah
54:20Yeah
54:21I've got some great shots
54:22Have you?
54:23My favourite one was probably right up at the top
54:26There was a stag in the middle of all the bracken
54:29And if you look close enough you can actually see his breath
54:33That's a fantastic shot
54:35Congratulations, that's beautiful
54:38You should enter the Countryfell Cali competition
54:42In the next year, yeah
54:43You've got a visual impairment as well
54:46Yeah, so I've got a lazy eye
54:47So my left eye is basically really out of focus
54:50So just everyday life I'm kind of only using my right eye
54:55There's still a bit of peripheral vision there but not much
54:57I don't think it affects my work in any way
54:59Well you see things in your own way, your own special way
55:02And obviously you have a very good visual eye
55:04Yeah, and I'm colourblind as well, just on top of that
55:07How does that play out then?
55:09Usually in the edit is when it can be a little bit tricky
55:13Because there's some colours that I'll struggle with
55:15But everyday, like on the shoot, it doesn't make any difference
55:18Would you say you're a photographer or a storyteller?
55:23I mean I love photography
55:24And then being able to tell a story through the image is even better
55:28If you can get some kind of emotional connection or emotional feeling
55:33Out of seeing an image
55:34And I can imagine myself being there
55:36And it transports me and takes me back
55:37Then that is ideal
55:39Especially the stag last year in the woodland
55:42That was perfect
55:44Maybe Williams inspired you to get your camera out
55:51And maybe one day you could feature in this
55:54Look at that, that's just the front cover
55:55Isn't that spectacular?
55:57If you'd like to know how to get your paws on the Countryfile calendar
56:00Here's our John with all the details
56:02It costs £11.99
56:06Which includes UK delivery
56:08You can go to our website
56:10bbc.co.uk forward slash Countryfile
56:14Where you'll find a link to the online order page
56:17Or you can call 0-330-333-4564
56:24To place your order by phone
56:26Standard geographic charges will apply
56:29To both landlines and mobiles
56:32The phone line will be available from Monday to Friday
56:369am to 5pm
56:38And Saturdays from 10am to 4pm
56:42If you prefer to order by post
56:45Then send your name, address and a cheque
56:48To BBC Countryfile calendar
56:50P.O. Box 25
56:52Melton Mowbray
56:53LE131ZG
56:57And please make your cheques payable
56:59To BBC Countryfile calendar
57:01A minimum of £5.50
57:05From the sale of each calendar
57:06Will be donated to BBC Children in Need
57:09Over the years
57:12Your support has helped the Countryfile calendar
57:15Raise more than £33 million
57:17For BBC Children in Need
57:20The photographs taken by viewers
57:22Not only brighten up our homes
57:24But they help to change the lives
57:26Of countless families
57:27Right across the UK
57:29So thank you
57:31Sean
57:43Anita
57:43Nice to see you
57:45What a day
57:45I feel like I've walked half of Derbyshire
57:48And I've only just scratched the surface
57:49But there's so much of it to see
57:51And it is so spectacular
57:53And it's really nice that Chatsworth are investing
57:56Not just in the past but in the future too
57:57Speaking of the future
57:58Next week John and Charlotte
58:00Will be celebrating autumn
58:01In and around the woodlands of Wiltshire
58:03Dormouse
58:06This is a juvenile there
58:08Can you see it now?
58:09Oh my goodness
58:10There may be more
58:11But I don't want to disturb them really
58:12That's magic
58:14Well here's some overhanging branches
58:17That could really do with a trim
58:19Fantastic
58:21You're employed
58:22Once you start looking
58:26You see so many colours in this
58:28Yes it is
58:29Oh yeah
58:29And what is that?
58:31That is the yellow ochre
58:32Going through the clay
58:33Oh that's going to be a good one
58:35Can't wait for that
58:36See you then
58:37Bye
58:37DIY in sunny Andalusia
58:42Amanda and Alan's Spanish job
58:44To brighten up dark nights
58:46On iPlayer
58:47Wake up with Scott Mills tomorrow
58:49At his Radio 2 breakfast show
58:50With guest Chris McCausland
58:52On BBC Sounds
58:53While here next autumn
58:55Arrives in Hansa's
58:56Hidden Wild Isles
Bình luận