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00:00And round. Oh lovely. This is cool. And up we go. That was fun. That was fantastic. What an exhilarated
00:13way to travel.
00:45We're in the forests of South Wales at a critical point in the year. As spring gives way to summer,
00:52wildlife is at its most active and visitor numbers are rising and that puts pressure on the landscape.
00:58And one of the biggest threats, wildfires. We're going to be meeting the people on the front line, working to
01:04protect, manage and keep these beautiful wooded valleys a joy to visit.
01:11We're in Gethin Forest in the county borough of Merthyr-Titville, where steep wooded river valleys lie in the shadow
01:18of Bannaiproheniog.
01:22This is a landscape known for its wildlife, natural beauty and adrenaline-fuelled adventures, but also one where wildfires are
01:31a seasonal threat.
01:32Wow. It just kind of like takes off, doesn't it? Terrifying, isn't it? Yeah.
01:37Beautiful, isn't it? He's really stunning. So that pattern is as individual to them as a fingerprint is to us.
01:43Oh, right. I can see how this would really change the way you work.
01:48Yeah, it's a game changer. Yeah.
01:51And away from the forest, Tom investigates whether the UK is sitting on an untapped green gold mine.
01:58So the big hope for this farm is that not only we're creating a useful economic product that makes our
02:04shareholders cash,
02:05but we're also regenerating the marine environment at the same time.
02:16The steep, wooded valley of South Wales is an often overlooked natural asset,
02:22but its topography and the way the land is shaped adds to an already serious problem.
02:29As spring turns to summer in the Welsh Valleys, the risk of wildfire rises quickly.
02:35Last year alone, there were more than 3,000 wildfires in South Wales.
02:40Most are thought to have been started deliberately, though some are linked to careless use of barbecues.
02:46Acting like a funnel, the valley's steep slopes can intensify wind speeds,
02:52turbocharging wildfires and allowing them to spread at pace.
02:56As the manager of over 8,000 hectares of forest, Geraint Price has spent decades helping protect these environments
03:04and has first-hand experience of the devastation wildfires can cause.
03:09I'm so shocked to hear about how often wildfires happen in South Wales.
03:15It's devastating. With climate change and global warming, this time of year it's quite often really.
03:20We had one last night.
03:21Last night?
03:22Yeah. And just the other week, I've actually got some drone footage of the wildfire taking place.
03:29Oh, wow. It just kind of, like, takes off, doesn't it?
03:33Terrifying, isn't it?
03:33Yeah.
03:34Decades seeing these trees grow and to see them burn is just heartbreaking for me as a forester.
03:40And the environmental impact to wildlife and recreation, you know, and conservation, it's huge.
03:46How does a wildfire even start?
03:48A lot of it is arson, unfortunately.
03:50Really?
03:50Yeah.
03:50Someone would want to light, like, a flame in somewhere like this.
03:54I know, Sammy. It's crazy, I know, but it does happen, unfortunately.
03:58What can you do to try and prevent them?
04:00So, basically, for me, the key is monitoring and surveying. I'm planning today now to deploy a drone, so we're
04:08going to go and check the fire breaks.
04:10Fire break? What is that?
04:12Gethin is a huge forest. There's 856 hectares. The last thing we want to do is to lose the whole
04:19asset.
04:20So, as you can see on the map here, we've got the brown are forest roads.
04:24Right, okay.
04:25There's no vegetation growing on them.
04:27Right, okay.
04:28No fuel, no fire.
04:30Okay.
04:30And then we've got the blue lines, which are fire break.
04:34Right.
04:34Now, that's an area of land that we've reduced the amount of vegetation there, which will stop potential raging wildfire.
04:42And that's why we're going to do the drone survey today.
04:45From the air, Geraint can assess the forest's health and the effectiveness of the fire and fuel breaks that protect
04:51it.
04:52The results will help guide his work on the ground.
04:56556 hectares of Gethin forest are run as a commercial operation, with the oldest trees here dating back to 1967.
05:05So, what does it take to, like, raise a tree?
05:08It's a mammoth task.
05:09We plant the tree, and then we nurture that tree then on through its establishment years, cleaning and re-spacing,
05:15and then watch it up into thicket stage, and then into thinning, where the harvesting team will come in and
05:20start taking trees out.
05:22How long do those stages take?
05:24First thinning, early teens, 20 years maybe.
05:27Wow.
05:27Yeah.
05:28Forestry is long-term farming.
05:30Yeah, very long-term.
05:3228 kilometres of fire and fuel breaks.
05:36Surround and dissect Gethin forest.
05:41Inspecting them used to mean a very long walk, but these days, Geraint and his eagle-eyed spotter, Harry, use
05:49a state-of-the-art search drone.
05:55Wow, it's got a really good camera, doesn't it?
05:57I can zoom in really close, surveying the crop, just like a farmer.
06:02So, what are you looking for? What would stand out for you?
06:04Any diseases, really, that could have gone onto the trees.
06:07Look for any discolouring on the needles.
06:09I can see how this would really change the way you work.
06:13The distance that you just covered with that drone would have taken you a very long time.
06:16Yeah, it's a game-changer.
06:18I guess there's still no replacing actually getting out there on foot.
06:21That's still something you need to do.
06:23Very true.
06:23As a forester, it's very important.
06:25We still need to be out there checking visually, going up there.
06:30The drone gives us a bird's-eye view.
06:32And from a wildfire point of view, I'm then checking on the fire breaks that we've created.
06:37There's one there.
06:38Oh, okay.
06:39So, that's a fire break.
06:40That's a fire break.
06:41This here is potentially where a wildfire could start.
06:46So, we've got a fire break here.
06:49Right, okay.
06:50Which will stop then the fire continuing into that part of the crop there.
06:55Oh, okay.
06:55So, again, it's damage limitation.
06:58These bands of less dense vegetation reduce the fuel available.
07:02This gives firefighters a chance to combat wildfires before they reach the forest canopy,
07:08where they could spread out of control.
07:10A fire break like that, that is also increasing the ecosystem there.
07:14So, it's enhancing biodiversity.
07:17Oh, really?
07:17Encouraging butterflies to come in.
07:19Oh, nice.
07:19Yeah, ground nesting birds.
07:20It's ideal habitat.
07:22So, the area of the map that you pointed out earlier, is that where we're heading on the drone?
07:25That's right, yeah.
07:26This is the open hill.
07:27So, we're going to go and check this boundary here.
07:30Okay.
07:30Because I'm deeming this as very high risk.
07:33Why?
07:33Why would you say this is high risk?
07:35Because we've got the millennia grass out there, and then with Sitka, branches being all
07:40the way down to the ground, there is a very high likelihood that the fire then will use
07:45the branches as a ladder effect.
07:47Right, okay.
07:48And go into the canopy.
07:49Okay.
07:50And then it becomes a canopy fire.
07:52Okay.
07:53Having spotted the issue, Geraint now knows exactly where further action is needed.
07:58So, I'll bring the drone back in, and we'll make our way over there, shall we?
08:02Awesome, yeah.
08:05Location locked in.
08:06Lovely job.
08:08It's off to the southernmost tip of the estate to see the issues up close.
08:13So, I've got a question, it might be a silly one, but what's the difference between a wood
08:17and a forest?
08:18I think they're interchangeable, a forestry and a woodland, but a forest is predominantly
08:23much bigger.
08:2460% canopy cover for a forestry, and the light levels as well, because in a forestry, trees
08:30tend to be more closely packed together, where in a woodland, it's much less dense, much
08:36more light getting down to the ground.
08:37But it doesn't matter so much if I get it mixed up.
08:39It absolutely not, no.
08:43Arriving at the location we spotted from the drone, it's clear to see that the forest has
08:48already had a lucky escape.
08:50You can already see there's been a fire here.
08:53Yep.
08:53We've been very lucky here that we haven't lost this crop with this fire.
08:59It has burnt them, but if we were having a wildfire coming in from this direction, what
09:05we need to mitigate against is this ladder fuel effect here, being able to climb the branches
09:13and get into a canopy fire.
09:14Right, okay.
09:15So, how do you do that?
09:16It's just good old-fashioned pruning.
09:23By removing these branches, I mean, we're creating that disconnect.
09:30So, you're just removing the bottom runs of the ladder?
09:33Absolutely.
09:33Protecting the crop from a potential wildfire.
09:36And you can see how much thicker it is up here?
09:38It is, yeah.
09:39Let's go and have a look.
09:40Okay.
09:42This is the area we surveyed from the air with the drone.
09:45Okay.
09:45As you can see, it's very overgrown.
09:47So, how much will you try and take away?
09:49We'll probably take about 10 metres out here, 10 to 15 metres.
09:53And then we work in partnership with the fire service.
09:56We have burn plans, etc.
09:58And that's basically how we stay prepared.
10:02Geraint's work is crucial to the safety of the forest.
10:05But should the worst happen, the South Wales Fire and Rescue Service are called into action.
10:10I'll be meeting them later in the programme to witness how they combat a blaze in the forest
10:15by fighting fire with fire.
10:23Fire is not the only threat to the forest.
10:26As visitor numbers grow, the challenge is to find ways for people to enjoy these landscapes
10:32without damaging what makes them so special.
10:3513 years ago, this area was transformed into the UK's largest mountain bike park.
10:43With over 50 purpose-built trails, Bike Park Wales attracts 80,000 mountain bikers every year,
10:52all seeking the thrills of the outdoors on two wheels.
10:55And today, I'm one of them.
10:59Right, this trail's called Terry's Belly.
11:02Let's give it a go.
11:04Round we go.
11:05Woo!
11:06Nice!
11:08Up we go.
11:08Up the side.
11:10And round.
11:11Oh, there's a hole there.
11:12What's that?
11:13Oh, lovely!
11:15This is cool!
11:16And up we go.
11:18Oh, that was fun.
11:23That was fantastic.
11:24What an exhilarated way to travel.
11:27Right, I'm going to have to go and find the creators of this place.
11:31Where others saw a commercial forest, a group of mountain bikers spotted an opportunity.
11:37Husband and wife, Martin and Anna Astley, are one half of the team who set up this park.
11:43They gave up careers in ecology and accountancy to follow their passion for mountain biking.
11:50Martin, Anna, I've caught you up.
11:53How are you going, all right?
11:55Yeah, thank you.
11:56This is a mountain bikers' paradise, isn't it?
11:58Ah, yes, it is.
11:59This is incredible.
12:01Yeah.
12:01What was the inspiration behind it all?
12:04All of us as the founders of the company have just been passionate mountain bikers forever, really.
12:08And we went to loads of different places and just got really inspired by one.
12:13What we saw there.
12:14I think we kind of just realised that collectively, between us as a team, we probably had the skills that
12:19were needed to build a mountain bike park.
12:21And so how did you set your sights on this part of Wales?
12:25That was a long journey, driving around every hill in South Wales, in Anna's little purple fiesta, not me at
12:33the time.
12:34Right.
12:34And just scouring the hillsides, looking for the places that had the most potential.
12:38You need good topography, you need the right soil type, you need a landowner who's willing to work with you.
12:44So here at Gethin, having a landlord in Natural Resources Wales that were open to working with us was a
12:50really big part of that equation, really.
12:53And we now have a sort of relationship with them that allows everything to flourish, really.
12:58The mountain bike trails, our business, and really importantly for us, the actual forest itself is able to flourish.
13:06So there you were, Anna, a bunch of energetic youngsters turning up with this vision.
13:11How did and how have the locals reacted to you?
13:14I mean, they've just been brilliant.
13:16Like, I think we bring so many visitors.
13:19They're really proud of it.
13:21Yeah, it would have been unsurprising if some people had maybe thought, what's this?
13:25I don't want this in my back garden.
13:26But I don't know why.
13:28It just didn't really happen.
13:29And we've just had a really positive reception from locals.
13:34Obviously, it's quite a different direction to take the land in, isn't it?
13:38A mountain bike park like this.
13:40So how aware of that were you in those early days?
13:43We've always had a passion for the environment.
13:46You know, I have a degree in zoology.
13:47I was an ecologist for a while.
13:49So I think we went into it knowing that we wanted to take care of the environment that we were
13:53in.
13:54Yeah.
13:54But as we've matured and the business has matured, new opportunities have come up.
13:59And I think we realized that we had a pretty unique chance to do something really special in this forest.
14:05And that's why kind of over the years, the relationship with Natural Resources Wales has changed.
14:10And we've been able to do more with the forest than we originally thought.
14:13So what they're doing is now, when they are clear-felling, when the forests and the crops come to age,
14:20they're now replanting it with native woodland?
14:22For us as a legacy, it's just the best thing about what we've done here is we're actually able to
14:26change a forest
14:27from a fairly monoculture commercial forest into a really diverse, more native forest.
14:40Natural Resources Wales, the forest's landowners, are restoring natural features and native species around the bike trails.
14:49Contracts manager Gareth Rosser is at the heart of the work.
14:54I can see tree guards disappearing off over the brow here, Gareth.
14:58So what is the plan with this area?
15:00So the plan with this area is to restore what was here before the conifer was planted.
15:06So you've got some species down here.
15:07What are you putting in?
15:08So these are sessile oak.
15:10This species in particular actually really enjoys more of the upland habitat.
15:14Well, let's put some more of these in, shall we?
15:17And are you a mountain biker yourself?
15:19I am a mountain biker.
15:20You are?
15:20Half the appeal of the role was working in and amongst this environment.
15:26My role is just to work really closely as the trail network expands, as their projects get delivered,
15:31and just make sure we're still meeting our criteria as an environmental organisation.
15:35We've got a commitment for 33 years of paying us a rent, effectively,
15:39and the commitment from our side of things is let's reinvest that in the hill.
15:42It's interesting, isn't it, when you look at it and you think,
15:44if it wasn't for the park, would this work be happening?
15:47No, I don't think it would.
15:49Chances are this might have become a conservation area,
15:52but it probably wouldn't have had the push that I'm doing now with the funding I get to use on
15:57site,
15:57replanting the trees, monitoring them every year.
16:00The whole woodland is going to change and it's going to benefit everybody.
16:03Local people can still use the public rights of way.
16:05There's a footpath we're stood right next to now.
16:07These are always open, so it's still a publicly owned, open woodland for everyone to use.
16:12Yeah.
16:15Attracting riders takes more than steep hills and good views.
16:20Rowan Sorrell is another co-founder and designs the trails that makes this place such a draw.
16:25Good to see you.
16:27Yeah, and you.
16:27This is a very impressive creation.
16:30Just talk me through the concept of what you're building here.
16:32This is a boardwalk to get us over this really wet ground,
16:36and we're reusing timber from within the forest.
16:39So how much of your time is spent building and how much is it spent maintaining?
16:45Maintaining for sure is the bigger part.
16:47Yeah, like for us it's really important that we don't just like rest on our laurels and stay constant.
16:54We've always added new trails.
16:58What's come at some cost maintaining all of your trails and the routes?
17:03We're spending well over half a million pounds a year keeping all the trails up and running.
17:07Are you really?
17:08We have to sort of keep on top of that maintenance to keep people wanting to come back.
17:12And when you're going to put in a new trail completely, you know, from scratch,
17:15do you have an estimate in your mind of how much that would cost?
17:20Our green trail, so our beginner trail called Kermit, that's one of the longest,
17:24and we had to use loads of stone to build that, and that's like a quarter of a million pounds.
17:29So, yeah, they're not inexpensive.
17:30It's incredible what you've created, though, isn't it?
17:32Yeah, it really is.
17:33Like, yeah, I guess, you know, you have to take those moments every now and then,
17:36you sort of do pinch yourself.
17:37Like if myself as a teenager riding bikes could imagine now this is like a career,
17:42and we've got almost 100 people working in this woodland because of mountain biking,
17:47and I think that's pretty special.
17:49You know, a lot of us do it because it's partly for the thrill,
17:53but a huge part of it is like it's social and being in nature, you know,
17:57and I think, like, it's given me a real sort of connection to this woodland
18:01and just an appreciation of nature, you know,
18:04and I think that's something that's, like, really valuable for mountain biking.
18:10Later, we'll meet a rider drawn to these slopes for both adrenaline and escape.
18:24These forests are at a turning point, and as their future management evolves,
18:29so too does the way we manage our seas.
18:35Seaweed has been harvested along Britain's coast for thousands of years.
18:40But around a decade or so ago, a boom in the global seaweed industry
18:44sparked renewed interest here.
18:47Yet ten years on, some insiders say growth in UK seaweed farming has stalled.
18:53Tom investigates.
18:57Four miles off the North Devon coast lies one of the UK's largest commercial seaweed farms.
19:03Beneath the surface, a network of rope-grown kelp is nearing harvest.
19:11The scale of this operation looks impressive,
19:14but five years after the business was set up,
19:17this is only a fraction of what it could be.
19:20Olly Hicks, co-founder of the Algepelago seaweed farm,
19:24is focused on unlocking that potential.
19:28How much are you harvesting at the moment?
19:31This year we'll harvest 10 to 15 tonnes.
19:33And what kind of proportion of the area is that?
19:35That's on about 10% of the site.
19:38And so at full capacity, we'd go up to around 3,000 tonnes.
19:42I mean, at the moment, because it's really a demonstrated site,
19:45all the lines are quite far apart, it's a fairly basic system.
19:48We're looking at a much more complex system
19:51with more dense line spacings, and we get a much higher yield.
19:56Around 98% of the world's seaweed production is based in Asia,
20:00where it's mostly grown for food.
20:02Europe, by contrast, is the largest global market
20:05for seaweed-based biostimulants,
20:08aids to crop growth, where demand is growing
20:11and is currently largely met through harvesting seaweeds
20:15growing naturally along the coastline.
20:17Algepelago believes their cultivated kelp
20:20can offer a more consistent supply and a better product.
20:24Agriculture's used kelp for centuries,
20:26and so it's the market that we've chosen to use.
20:29This kelp we process into fertiliser,
20:32and we are industrialising and standardising that process
20:36to create a liquid concentrate biostimulant, like that.
20:42Think of it as rocket fuel for your crops.
20:44Can't resist sniffing, I'm afraid.
20:46Smells like seaweed, surprisingly.
20:48So not only a bigger crop, but a more resilient crop.
20:51That's right.
20:52Biostimulant has been shown to be really effective
20:54at reducing stress-induced by heat or drought or cold.
20:58That's where it's really good.
21:00They've currently got trials of their product underway
21:03with major agricultural companies,
21:05including Dyson Farming Research and Ribena.
21:09But with no sales of their biostimulant to date,
21:13the farm has largely relied on a mix of private funding,
21:16grants and government support.
21:19We've raised nearly £3 million in the last five years.
21:22That goes into our research and development
21:24of our agricultural products.
21:25But there's a lot of nuts and bolts holding this farm together.
21:28Heavy anchors, big chains, boat time.
21:31And this year is going to be a tipping point
21:33as to whether it's going to start paying its way.
21:35Are you worried?
21:36Not yet, Tom.
21:37We'll be worried if we haven't sold it by the end of this year.
21:42One of the key organisations supporting the seaweed farming industry in the UK
21:46is the Worldwide Fund for Nature
21:48because of what it sees as its ecological promise.
21:53Francesca Batt is from WWF UK.
21:57Where are seaweed farms at at the moment?
21:59It's a difficult stage at the moment.
22:01We call it the valley of death in terms of financing.
22:04We've had that initial peak of excitement around it
22:07and a lot of innovation,
22:08but actually growing that into product and into a market,
22:12that's where it gets really difficult.
22:14Yeah.
22:14Well, maybe it's because, you know,
22:16scientists and environmentalists might like it,
22:18but the market doesn't.
22:19Seaweed has so many different options,
22:21which is the benefit of it,
22:22but that's also really challenging.
22:24Do you focus on the agriculture?
22:26Do you focus on the food?
22:27Do you focus on maybe the high-value pieces
22:29like the pharmaceuticals?
22:31Some of that needs really high upfront costs
22:34in terms of infrastructure for processing.
22:36It's not a low-hanging fruit.
22:39In addition, WWF say the process of securing approval
22:43to build seaweed farms is holding the industry back.
22:47The actual licensing process is at the moment quite costly
22:51and quite unclear and is different across all the devolved nations.
22:54So I think we need some standardisation,
22:57some clarity on what is needed and what is understood.
23:00I also think within that legislation,
23:02it really needs to factor in the environmental element
23:04and the benefits to promote
23:07why a seaweed farm should go where it can go.
23:09That call is backed by the UK Seaweed Network,
23:13which represents the industry.
23:14They want the UK and devolved governments
23:17to work together to help scale up seaweed farming,
23:21including by reforming licensing
23:23to make it easier for seaweed start-ups.
23:25So, how small is the industry currently?
23:30Countryfile has found that in the past decade,
23:3228 companies or individuals have been granted licenses
23:35related to commercial seaweed farms
23:37by the four different licensing authorities.
23:41Nine in England,
23:4216 in Scotland,
23:44two in Wales and one in Northern Ireland.
23:47But of these 28 businesses,
23:49we were only able to confirm
23:51that 15 are currently growing seaweed,
23:54with a further 30 license applications being withdrawn,
23:58refused or undecided.
24:02On this stretch of the North Cornwall coast,
24:06proposals for several seaweed farms
24:08have faced significant opposition.
24:12For two years,
24:13film and TV actor Barnaby Kaye
24:15from the Save Our Bays group
24:17has campaigned against plans
24:19for a seaweed farm
24:20a couple of miles out to sea
24:22from the village of Port Isaac
24:23and against two planned closer to shore
24:27here at Port Quinn.
24:30You've brought me to a stunning spot.
24:32What was proposed here
24:33and what would I have seen?
24:35Well, the proposal was
24:36for two adjacent 50 hectare seaweed farms,
24:39making up about a kilometre square at the bay,
24:43about the size of about 140 football pitches.
24:46On the surface would have been
24:47over 3,000 plastic grey buoys
24:50holding up about 358 miles of plastic rope
24:54in that very small area.
24:56So that's what you'd have seen immediately,
24:58but also 14 yellow navigational buoys,
25:01eight of which would have been flashing.
25:03So our opinion would be
25:04that there would be quite a lot of light pollution from that.
25:07What arguments did you set out
25:09against the seaweed farms here?
25:11Well, the main one initially was
25:13this is a safe anchorage area
25:15for cargo vessels that are in distress.
25:17That was a big issue for us
25:20because we see it all the time.
25:21And there's a tolerance level in wave height
25:24for seaweed agriculture installations
25:27of about six metres.
25:29We're regularly over eight
25:30and the projection for over 50 years
25:32is 10.5 to 11.5 metres.
25:33So that means that if there was an infrastructure here,
25:37it would be destroyed.
25:38The group can point to some significant successes.
25:41One of the Port Quinn schemes was withdrawn.
25:44The other had its licence application refused.
25:47The Port Isaac scheme was granted a licence,
25:51but then had that licence modified late last year
25:54with a new condition added,
25:56following concerns raised by local campaigners
25:59and new expert advice.
26:01The businesses behind the projects in Port Quinn didn't comment.
26:06The firm behind the Port Isaac scheme
26:07initially queried the accuracy of Countryfile's information,
26:11but didn't give details.
26:12It was clear, though,
26:14that they were very critical of some of the claims
26:16made by what they say are one-sided activists.
26:20The arrival of seaweed farming can also raise concerns
26:24among those who already make a living from the sea.
26:27Mike Cohen represents
26:29the National Federation of Fishermen's Organisations.
26:32What impact do you think seaweed farms
26:34could have on fishing communities?
26:36The impact's going to depend on exactly where they're put.
26:39We have had situations in which there's been applications
26:42for a seaweed farm right on the most direct route
26:45between a headland and a harbour.
26:46In bad weather, that could mean spending longer-reaching safe haven.
26:50And if a rope breaks free and starts to drift,
26:52it can tangle the propeller of a boat,
26:54and then that boat is adrift at sea with no power,
26:56and it's very dangerous.
26:58Could it be a threat to livelihood?
26:59In the wrong place, it could.
27:01We had a situation where a large seaweed farm was proposed
27:05in an area that was quite heavily fished,
27:07and the local inshore fishery authorities' modelling
27:10suggested those boats would lose 10% to 20% of their income.
27:13Do you think there is a future where seaweed farms
27:15and inshore fishermen can be getting on fine?
27:18Absolutely.
27:19They can have real economic benefits,
27:21they can bring jobs,
27:22and new ventures are good for coastal communities
27:25that often get ignored.
27:27It's all about doing the right thing in the right place.
27:29We asked the UK government
27:31about seaweed farm licensing in England.
27:34They told us they support
27:35the sustainable growth of aquaculture,
27:38and that the current licensing system
27:40involves considering
27:41environmental protection,
27:43human health,
27:44and interference with legitimate uses of the sea.
27:47They added,
27:49We have recently published new guidance
27:51to help prospective farmers navigate the licensing process,
27:54making it easier for them
27:56to grow their businesses in future.
27:59The Scottish Government said
28:01they're continuing to support
28:03their seaweed farming industry,
28:05which they say could generate
28:06£70 million annually by 2040.
28:10Natural Resources Wales,
28:12which looks after Welsh seaweed farm licensing,
28:15said they're working with the industry
28:16and the Welsh Government
28:17on the official guidance
28:19relating to seaweed farming.
28:22And Northern Ireland's
28:23Department of Agriculture, Environment,
28:25and Rural Affairs said that
28:26while they don't currently regulate seaweed farming,
28:30only licensing infrastructure work around it,
28:32a new bill should change that
28:34and better regulate the industry.
28:38While location remains a key concern
28:41for some local communities and fisheries,
28:44there is also recognition
28:45of seaweed farming's potential upside.
28:48But just how important is public awareness
28:50to this emerging industry?
28:54We've seen most success from seaweed farming
28:57when they've worked with the community.
28:58We call it getting a social licence
29:00and getting people on board
29:01to understand what the benefits could be.
29:04Most of a seaweed farm happens under the ocean
29:05where people don't see it.
29:07All of the fantastic ecosystem that's created
29:09is all happening under the ocean.
29:10So when you just see some floating boys,
29:12I can understand why it's not understood
29:14what's going on.
29:18And in terms of benefits,
29:19Dr Ian Hendy from the University of Portsmouth
29:21is overseeing a four-year study at Algo Pelago
29:25looking into the impact of seaweed farming on marine life.
29:31I know it's early days in your scientific research,
29:34but what kind of results are you seeing?
29:35We're seeing a whole array of increase in biodiversity,
29:39particularly with commercially important fish species
29:42like bass and bream.
29:43But we're also seeing cuttlefish laying their eggs
29:47because what you're creating is a reef-like structure
29:50providing an oasis for this biodiversity.
29:53Where do you sit on this idea of where they should be
29:55in relation to the coast?
29:57Well, overall, I prefer these kelp farms
30:00to be further offshore than closer to the shore.
30:04That's because the nature and the ecology
30:06is less intense in the deeper water.
30:08Now, what we cannot do
30:11is put a kelp farm
30:13in an area where there's already another habitat,
30:17such as a seagrass bed
30:19or another kelp forest.
30:21In North Devon,
30:23Algo Pelago, operating a few miles off the coast,
30:26may have picked a right location.
30:28The challenge now
30:29is for Ollie Hicks to prove
30:31the viability of his green dream.
30:35What's the big hope?
30:36So the big hope for this farm
30:38is that not only are we creating
30:40a useful economic product
30:41that makes our shareholders cash,
30:43but we're also regenerating
30:45the marine environment at the same time.
30:55As I discovered earlier,
30:56wildfire risk rises in the Welsh Valleys
30:59as spring turns to summer.
31:01I've been with Forrester Geraint Price
31:04witnessing the damage these fires can cause.
31:07It just kind of, like, takes off, doesn't it?
31:09Terrifying, isn't it?
31:10Yeah.
31:11I'm now joining the South Wales Fire and Rescue Service
31:14to find out how they prepare to tackle
31:17the forest's greatest threat.
31:20Firefighters Rikki and Rian
31:22work with local crews
31:23from Aberdaer and Triocchi
31:25that specialise in combating wildfires.
31:29Today, the team are running a training exercise
31:31and although it has just started raining,
31:34they'll be attempting to fight fire with fire.
31:37I've seen some of the videos
31:39of some of the fires
31:39that you've been fighting recently.
31:42Is this not terrifying to do that?
31:44It is, yeah.
31:45It is, yeah.
31:45But obviously, we do a lot of training.
31:47Yeah.
31:47And this is what we're doing here today.
31:48OK.
31:49Practising the scenario of a fire
31:51on top of a mountain.
31:52When a wildfire takes hold,
31:55there's often no option
31:56but to let it burn itself out.
31:59For the fire crew,
32:00that means switching their focus
32:02from extinguishing to containment.
32:05This section of straw here
32:06is going to be the area we're going to protect.
32:09We're going to light a fire up the top end.
32:10OK.
32:11And as the fire burns
32:12towards the fire break
32:13that we've cut across the mountain,
32:15the crews are going to come in
32:16and simulate a tactical backburn
32:19across this path
32:21to allow the fire to burn back
32:22towards the original fire that started.
32:25So, are the fires still burning in this weather?
32:27We hope so.
32:28OK.
32:28Should we get it going then?
32:29Yeah, let's go.
32:30OK.
32:32This may be a training exercise
32:33but it mirrors exactly what crews face
32:36when fires race across the valley tops
32:39through woodland.
32:42Just like in the forest,
32:43the straw is divided by fuel breaks.
32:46Areas where vegetation,
32:48the fire's fuel,
32:49has been cleared.
32:50Remove the fuel
32:51and the fire has nowhere left to go.
32:55So, what I'm using now is a drip torch
32:57which is full of diesel and petrol.
32:59OK.
33:00The end stays alight
33:02and when you pour it,
33:03it essentially pours out the line of fire.
33:10Today's challenge is to contain the fire
33:12before it can jump the gap
33:14using a technique the Rhian
33:16and the team refer to as backburn.
33:19I guess there's that well-known phrase,
33:21you know, fight fire with fire
33:22but I'd never really known what that meant until now.
33:25You do still get the butterflies almost in your stomach
33:29as it's going
33:29but it does work when it's planned correctly.
33:32You've got to look at the way the winds blow in.
33:35Right.
33:35That could obviously send that off track,
33:37not where you want it to go.
33:38I see, yeah, yeah.
33:39So, it's all got to be planned really carefully.
33:41So, these fire breaks,
33:41they can really work.
33:42They're really positive things.
33:44Yeah, it's a great idea.
33:45When it comes to fighting fire,
33:48rain can certainly help
33:49but forest fires burn with such intensity
33:52that it's rarely enough to put them out.
33:54It's going now?
33:55Yeah, it's going now, yeah.
33:56As you can see,
33:57the crew has lit the backburn,
34:00the tactical burn
34:01and what will happen
34:02is the fire starts to get closer
34:03where the wind is currently blowing the flames
34:05both of the angles.
34:06Okay.
34:07The flames will come back to each other
34:09because of the heat rising in the middle
34:11which will draw the fire
34:12even faster towards the original fire
34:15and then effectively both fires have burned all the ground.
34:18So, as the fires meet in the middle,
34:19they'll just go out.
34:20Wow.
34:21I can see that they're starting to draw together now.
34:24It just seems mad
34:25that two fires will put each other out.
34:26I would just think you come in with a big hose.
34:28With water, obviously, it puts the fire out
34:30but we could be a mile, two miles away
34:33from the nearest road
34:34so to get water to that fire
34:36is almost impossible.
34:38Yeah.
34:38So, what we'll do,
34:39we'll take away the fuel
34:39to not allow that fire to burn any further.
34:43Today's conditions may be damp
34:45but the principle remains the same.
34:48take away the fuel
34:49and the fire can't spread.
34:51So, there's only a few flames left, really, at the sides.
34:54So, now you can see the fire
34:55has sort of burnt itself out.
34:57Yep.
34:58The tactical burn that we put in the first place
35:00has burned towards the head of the fire.
35:02Yep.
35:02The fire break that we then cut in
35:04has stopped the fire spreading
35:06into the second part of the field.
35:08So, it's pretty successful.
35:09Yeah.
35:10Yeah, definitely, yeah.
35:11It's amazing
35:11because I've obviously been learning about this all day
35:13but to actually see it happen,
35:15even with a small fire
35:17and sitting this far back,
35:19I can feel the heat from this fire
35:21and I can't imagine what it must be like
35:22for you guys
35:23to fight
35:24a really big, out-of-control fire.
35:27Don't worry, it's always safety first.
35:28Thank you guys for doing it
35:30and I hope you stay safe.
35:33While it's reassuring
35:34to know the fire service is there
35:36if needed,
35:37the message is simple.
35:39Take care in the countryside.
35:41No campfires,
35:42no discarded glass or cigarettes
35:44and only use barbecues
35:46where they're allowed.
35:54The ongoing protection of these forests
35:56is vital for the wildlife
35:58that depends on them.
36:00As parts of this forest
36:02are maturing and evolving,
36:04there's one protected species
36:05that's establishing itself
36:07in and around the woodland ponds.
36:11The Great Crested Newt
36:13is the largest
36:14of the UK's
36:15three native newt species.
36:17While they're no longer
36:19a common sight,
36:21conservationists like John Price
36:22from Natural Resources Wales
36:24are making it their mission
36:26to protect them.
36:28John, what is the current situation
36:30of Great Crested Newts?
36:31They've generally been in decline
36:33in the UK
36:34for quite a long time,
36:35at least the last sort of 100 years.
36:38And the main reason?
36:39Mainly sort of habitat loss,
36:41the different ways
36:42that we carry out agriculture,
36:44and the loss of kind of ponds
36:46and actually Great Crested Newts
36:48and other newts
36:48spend a lot of the time
36:50outside of water.
36:52Right.
36:52So the wider environment
36:54is really important to them.
36:56So over the years then,
36:57what work have you been doing?
36:58Where we have records
37:00of identifying places
37:01which are good environments
37:03for newts to be in,
37:04we will try to either
37:06protect the water bodies
37:07that are there,
37:08create more ponds,
37:10manage the habitat around them
37:12so that it just becomes
37:13a really good and suitable area
37:15for them to survive in
37:16and then hopefully thrive
37:17and expand their range.
37:19Yeah.
37:19And how successful
37:20has this work been?
37:21We've got quite a healthy population.
37:23We're getting records
37:24of 20, 30 newts
37:26every time we're surveying.
37:27And for small places,
37:29that's quite good.
37:30So this is the sort of dream scenario
37:32that you're creating here.
37:34How many other sites
37:36are you working on
37:37across the forest?
37:38This is a kind of
37:39quite an established pond.
37:40It's probably been here
37:4120, 25 years.
37:43But we're also in the process
37:44of creating four or five
37:46new ponds.
37:48By creating other areas,
37:49we hope that the numbers
37:51will increase.
37:52They're a good sign
37:53of kind of healthy
37:54water environments.
37:56So to have them
37:58and to support them
37:59and to protect them,
38:00that we do these things
38:02because they're important
38:04and because we care about them.
38:06Across the forest,
38:07work is in progress,
38:09transforming a hectare of land
38:11into a new home
38:12for the newts.
38:13Right then, John,
38:14so this is one of your
38:17earmarked areas?
38:17This is, yes.
38:18Yeah, this is one of the spots
38:19that will eventually
38:20become a pond.
38:22Right, so we'd be
38:23literally walking on water now.
38:25We would be, yeah.
38:25We would be, yeah.
38:28While clearing the space,
38:29the team pile up
38:30offcuts of scrub
38:31for the newts to hibernate in
38:33during the winter.
38:35And the next stage then?
38:37The next stage then
38:38is to get a machine.
38:39So we'll have
38:40kind of like a
38:41nine-ton excavator.
38:43We'll come in
38:44and then start digging the hole.
38:45It's easier than a spade.
38:46It is, yeah, yeah.
38:48Do you let it fill naturally
38:49or do you give that
38:51a helping hand as well?
38:52Well, we are in South Wales.
38:54Yeah.
38:54So I think the hope is
38:55that it'll fill with rainwater.
38:58And when you think then
38:58to the example
38:59that we saw earlier on,
39:01how long will it take
39:02until this looks like that?
39:04The reality is
39:05it can be quite quick.
39:06It can only take
39:07a couple of years
39:08to start to look like
39:09something that people would
39:10assume is what a pond looks like.
39:13So it's not a very long process.
39:14And then you just keep
39:15your fingers crossed
39:16that newts move in.
39:17Yeah, I hope so, yeah.
39:18The hope is that
39:20they'll just migrate
39:21and start to use these as well.
39:25In the older ponds,
39:27senior ecologist
39:28Amy Williams-Schwartz
39:29is surveying newt numbers
39:31in the forest.
39:32Oh my goodness me.
39:34So you've got newts then?
39:35I've got newts, yeah.
39:37There's a nice population
39:38of newts here.
39:39We've got a male here
39:40and then this one
39:41over here is a female.
39:43Right.
39:43So the male here
39:44you can tell
39:45the most obvious thing
39:46is he's the one
39:46who's actually got the crest.
39:48So the female over here
39:49she doesn't get that crest.
39:51The male only develops
39:52that during the breeding season
39:53so which is sort of
39:54this time of year
39:55and the rest of the year
39:56it sort of gets almost
39:56reabsorbed back into them.
39:58Right.
39:59He also has this lovely
40:00white flash
40:01that runs along his tail
40:02and he uses that
40:04in courtship rituals
40:05to try and impress the females
40:08and show off a bit.
40:09Right.
40:09And how is this year's
40:10survey going numbers wise?
40:11What are you noticing?
40:13They seem to be doing
40:14pretty well.
40:15I think they came out
40:16a little bit early this year
40:18which is a sort of pattern
40:20that's being seen
40:20across a lot of amphibian species.
40:23I just think sort of
40:24changing weather patterns
40:25and things like that
40:26mean that they're
40:27coming out maybe
40:27a little bit earlier.
40:29And with regards
40:30to your survey then
40:31what information
40:31are you taking?
40:33So we're looking
40:33at population size.
40:35You'd be looking then
40:36at finding out
40:36whether they're breeding
40:37successfully
40:38so you'd have a little
40:39look for eggs
40:39in the vegetation.
40:40And with the eggs
40:41that you've noticed
40:42then when will they
40:43be hatching?
40:43A week or so
40:44and they'll be hatching
40:45they're called EFTS
40:46the youngsters.
40:48And how long
40:48would you expect them
40:49to live for?
40:50So these guys
40:51you know they could
40:52be 15 years old
40:53and that wouldn't be
40:54unheard of at all
40:55for these.
40:56And you've got gloves
40:57on there
40:57and you need a license
40:59don't you
40:59to be catching them?
41:00Yes absolutely
41:01they're protected
41:02from disturbance
41:03handling
41:04trapping
41:04anything like that.
41:06Okay so what are you
41:06going to do with these two?
41:07They're going to go back in
41:08once we've taken
41:09some pictures of them
41:10what you can do
41:11is you can have
41:11a little look
41:12at their belly pattern
41:13if they've got this
41:14gorgeous bright orange belly.
41:16Okay well let me help
41:17out with the photos.
41:17So what we would do
41:18is we would just
41:20gently lift him
41:20like this
41:21and then snap away
41:22yeah?
41:23Yeah and then just grab
41:24a picture of him
41:24underneath.
41:25Beautiful isn't he?
41:27Yeah he's really stunning.
41:29Yeah.
41:29So that pattern
41:30is as individual
41:31to them
41:31as a fingerprint
41:32is to us.
41:33Oh right.
41:33So you can keep
41:35an eye on
41:36populations
41:36and individuals
41:38over quite a number
41:39of years actually
41:40because they'll
41:41retain that pattern
41:42throughout their life.
41:44And with these photos
41:45then what do you do
41:45with those?
41:46Because I imagine
41:46you could put them
41:47into like an AI program.
41:49Yeah you can use
41:50programs that will
41:51basically tell you
41:52you know
41:52oh this is
41:53newt number 52
41:54and it'll be able
41:55to tell you sort of
41:56the date and things
41:56that you'd seen them
41:57before.
41:58So this is your world
41:59then?
42:00Yes.
42:00You are well
42:01and truly into this.
42:03Yeah no I love it
42:04I sort of grew up
42:05loving amphibians
42:07and reptiles
42:07just sort of
42:08never stopped really.
42:09You're living the dream
42:10then doing this.
42:11Yeah yeah absolutely.
42:12Is there work done here?
42:14Yep yep
42:14so that's everything
42:15we've taken all the data
42:16we need from these guys
42:17so it's now time
42:18to let them go.
42:19Okay.
42:35Now the BBC's Food
42:37and Farming Awards
42:38are fast approaching
42:39and as usual
42:40Countryfile has its own category.
42:43Here's Adam
42:43with all the details.
42:49Countryfile are in search
42:50of a young countryside champion
42:52for the BBC Food
42:53and Farming Awards
42:542026.
42:57You could be a young farmer
42:59innovating to increase yields
43:03a young naturalist
43:04protecting our wildlife
43:06or a volunteer
43:07raising awareness
43:09of the opportunities
43:09in the countryside.
43:17So if you
43:18or someone you know
43:19is aged between 16 and 24
43:21and passionate about
43:22improving the British countryside
43:23then please get in touch.
43:26To nominate
43:27for the Countryfile
43:27Young Countryside Champion
43:29go to
43:30bbc.co.uk
43:32forward slash
43:33food awards
43:34where you can also find
43:35the terms and privacy notice.
43:37Nominations close
43:38at midday
43:39on Monday
43:40the 15th of June.
43:42Good luck.
43:49Well the weather
43:50here in South Wales
43:51has been pretty changeable
43:52but let's find out
43:53what the weather
43:54has in store for you
43:54for the week ahead.
43:55Here is your
43:56Countryfile forecast.
44:04Hello there.
44:05Good evening to you.
44:06Well the main message
44:07from this weather bulletin
44:09is about the heat.
44:12Imprecedented heat
44:12for the time of year
44:13which is going to
44:14continue to ramp up
44:15over the next few days.
44:17We could be breaking
44:18May records
44:19or it's very likely
44:20we're going to break
44:20May records
44:21both by day
44:22and by night.
44:23But it's not just
44:23the UK seeing
44:24extreme heat at the moment
44:25much of Western Europe
44:27Northern Spain
44:28Central Western France
44:29the Low Countries
44:30also seeing temperatures
44:31well above normal
44:32for the time of year.
44:34Now it was a hot day
44:35today with temperatures
44:36into the low 30s
44:37in the southeast.
44:39In towards
44:40the overnight period
44:42many places
44:42will be dry
44:43away from northern Scotland
44:45which will continue
44:45to see a weather
44:46from bringing outbreaks
44:47of rain.
44:47In the rural spots
44:49it may turn quite fresh
44:50but towns and cities
44:51warm and muggy.
44:52So for Monday
44:53we start the new week off
44:55with plenty of sunshine
44:56a hotter day to come
44:57for many
44:57away from the
44:59northwest of Scotland
44:59which will continue
45:00to see cloud
45:01and outbreaks of rain.
45:02A warmer day
45:03for Northern Ireland
45:04and Southern Scotland
45:05but we could be
45:05close to the mid 30s
45:07across parts of
45:08central, southern
45:09and eastern England
45:10unlikely to break records.
45:12This is the May Day
45:14record 32.8 Celsius
45:16set back in 1944
45:17and it's possible
45:19over the next few nights
45:20we could break
45:21the May night record
45:23which is 18.9
45:24also back in the mid 40s.
45:27So this is
45:28like I mentioned
45:28an unprecedented heat wave.
45:30Now as we head into Tuesday
45:31high pressure topples in
45:32it breaks that weather front
45:34across northwest Scotland.
45:36So we'll start to see
45:37dry conditions here
45:38plenty of sunshine
45:39elsewhere
45:40hot dry sunny day
45:41but there is a chance
45:42we could see some isolated
45:43showers and thunderstorms
45:44developing
45:44parts of Wales
45:45the Midlands
45:46Northern England
45:47now it's a very slim chance
45:49but if you do catch one
45:50it could be pretty torrential
45:51but most places will be dry
45:53sunny
45:53and another very hot day
45:55to come
45:55low to mid 30s
45:57and Celsius
45:58and warmer for Scotland
45:59and Northern Ireland.
46:00Now Wednesday
46:01some subtle changes
46:02our area of high pressure
46:03moves towards the
46:04east of the UK
46:05and starts to drag
46:06some cooler air
46:07off the north scene
46:08to eastern areas
46:09so I think
46:10the highest temperatures
46:11will shift a little bit
46:12further westwards
46:13probably the high 20s
46:15but much fresher
46:16with areas of cloud
46:17across the eastern side
46:19of the UK.
46:20As we push towards Thursday
46:22our high pressure
46:22probably sitting out
46:23to the North Sea
46:24will bring back
46:25warmer southerly winds
46:27the temperature's a bit
46:27higher again
46:28on Thursday
46:29maybe one or two showers
46:31or thunderstorms
46:31developing out west
46:32as low pressure
46:33begins to encroach in
46:35but essentially
46:35all areas will be sunny
46:37including much of
46:38Scotland, Northern Ireland
46:39and it will be a very
46:40warm day
46:41or hot
46:41again across the
46:42south and east.
46:43High pressure dominates
46:44the scene for Friday
46:45so again
46:46much of England, Wales,
46:47southern Scotland,
46:48Northern Ireland
46:49will have a sunny day
46:50and it will turn hot
46:52again in the southeast
46:52we're back
46:53perhaps into the
46:5430 Celsius mark
46:55or higher
46:56and further north
46:58and west
46:58there will be sunshine
46:59but temperatures
47:00perhaps coming down
47:01a little bit
47:02and I think that's the trend
47:03as we head towards
47:04next weekend
47:05high pressure retreats
47:06to the near continent
47:07and I think we'll start
47:08seeing active jet
47:09begin to bring
47:10low pressure systems
47:11in off the Atlantic
47:11which will gradually
47:13bring temperatures down
47:14all the while
47:15I think the southeast
47:16may hold on to
47:17warm and sunny weather
47:19for a while
47:20but further north
47:21and west
47:21it will start to turn
47:22more unsettled
47:23with showers
47:23or thunderstorms
47:24moving in
47:25and also stronger winds
47:27and the main message
47:27for this week
47:28it's staying very hot
47:29and sunny for many
47:30and it could be
47:31record-breaking
47:32take care
47:41we've been spending time
47:43in Gethin Forest
47:44a landscape at a turning point
47:46where decisions made now
47:47will shape its future
47:50the forest means different things
47:52to different people
47:53a commercial timber operation
47:55a rich wildlife habitat
47:58and a fun-filled playground
48:09from mountain biking
48:11ambassador Liz Greaves
48:12riding these trails
48:14is about more
48:15than just adrenaline
48:21she's a passionate advocate
48:23for the sport
48:24a little roller there
48:26and a little drop here
48:27and her high octane trail guides
48:29have attracted thousands
48:30of followers online
48:31let the rocks cast around beneath you
48:34just keep the stables
48:40I first got into the sport
48:41through my brothers actually
48:43as a child
48:44building brick jumps
48:46with ramps and stuff
48:46outside the house
48:47and kind of came back
48:49to the idea of mountain biking
48:50in my early 30s
48:51and I was hooked from there
48:52within a year of that
48:53I was racing nationals
48:55the mindset of racing
48:56is just so interesting to me
48:57and I love it
48:58the challenge
49:06what I love about riding in the forest
49:08is just the fact that
49:09it's different every day
49:10depending on what the weather's doing
49:11particularly in Wales
49:17the sounds and the smells
49:21to be able to just get that time
49:23to come outside
49:23into nature
49:25and just connect with it
49:25it's just beautiful
49:28this time of year
49:29is particularly good
49:30because we're coming out
49:31of that dredby part of winter
49:32I think
49:33and everything's starting to pop
49:34and moss is all green
49:36and the bracken's going back
49:37and everything's just getting ready
49:39to kind of show you its best
49:40for the rest of the year
49:41and it's quite exciting
49:42it's like a new beginning
49:52moving your body outdoors
49:54especially just helps you
49:55leave everything behind
49:56you're almost riding away
49:57from the things that held tension inside you
50:05there's a thing that I describe
50:06as being in the flow state
50:08when you're riding
50:08and it's just going through a process
50:10and you're just so centred
50:12and focused on that process
50:13very very present in the moment
50:22and all you're thinking about
50:24is just what you're doing
50:25in that exact moment
50:26how the bike feels
50:27the sounds of the bike
50:30the sounds of the trail
50:31the dirt underneath the tyres
50:46it just cuts out
50:47any other noise you've heard
50:48throughout the day
50:49and just really kind of helps you
50:51just centre yourself again
50:52and relax
50:56it's so nice just to be able to
50:57just drop into a trail
50:59and after a couple of seconds
51:01you just take a deep breath out
51:02and you're going
51:03and you just slip into that state
51:05and it's wonderful
51:23the Welsh valleys have long been shaped
51:26by economic and environmental change
51:30less than 50 years ago
51:31the land around here
51:33was dominated by coal mining
51:34today it's home to a mix
51:36of commercial and public woodland
51:38and the Black Mountains College
51:40an institution training the next generation
51:43to care for this evolving landscape
51:47co-founded seven years ago
51:49by Ben Rawlins
51:50the college here in Treeherbert
51:52has a simple goal
51:54to teach hands-on skills
51:56for managing woodland in the modern world
51:59so Ben let's start at the very beginning
52:01why did you want to set up
52:03this college in the first place
52:04I used to work in Africa
52:05as a journalist
52:06and climate change was top of the agenda
52:09and then I met a girl from South Wales
52:11moved here
52:12we had started a family
52:15and climate change was nowhere on the agenda
52:17this is 10 years ago
52:19and I thought
52:20why are we not preparing our young people
52:22and I started having conversations locally
52:25and then we did some consultations
52:27and people said
52:27we need to know how to grow food
52:29we need to know how to do forestry
52:31after a while we got some other people together
52:34got some grant funding
52:35did a business plan
52:37and got it going
52:38and that was about 6-7 years ago
52:40we've been teaching for 5
52:42and there was nobody teaching forestry in South Wales
52:45so we're still the only provider of forestry in South Wales
52:49we're about 120 students now
52:51we'd like to get to about 300
52:53but you know we're getting there
52:55what do you think the main things are
52:57that people are getting from this college
52:58we get lots of students coming
53:00saying they haven't fared very well in the classroom
53:03and they really want to be learning outside
53:05they're getting a chainsaw ticket
53:07they're learning to read the woodland
53:08they're learning to manage the trees
53:10and that's a very valuable skill
53:12forestry is one of the fastest growing sectors in Wales
53:15and the last thing I think they're getting
53:17is a sense of community and a sense of hope
53:20here is an opportunity to be engaged
53:23in meaningful work
53:25which is aligned to building a thriving future
53:30students have hands-on practical lessons
53:33three days a week
53:34Pam Cottrell has been attending the course for eight months
53:39how would you say that this place has changed or shaped your future?
53:43what I feel about the college is that it's more equipping people
53:47to be able to deal with climate change
53:49with food insecurity
53:51soil regeneration being so important
53:54farming like people having access to space to grow their own food
53:58learn wood carving
53:59learn how to use the sawmill
54:00get involved in the management of the woodland
54:02and I think that can just enrich the community even more
54:07for tutor Kerry Evans
54:08forestry isn't something you learn from a desk
54:12so we're based here but we spend a lot of time in the woods
54:16we start looking at maybe the mosses and the lichens
54:19and then the trees and the habitats itself
54:22because we've got parts of ancient woodland there as well
54:25and then hopefully at the end of the course
54:27it's a better place than it was at the start
54:29because we're planting trees, we're felling
54:31we're doing a lot of habitat management
54:33and what do you hope that the students who come here
54:36learn and take away at the end of the course
54:38what's the idea of it all?
54:41lots of skills, lots of knowledge
54:43from tree ID to using tools safely
54:48and just a really good experience
54:49and I mean for you I can see a big smile on your face here
54:52you get a lot out of passing on the skills that you've learnt in your life
54:56onto the next generation
54:57I really do enjoy it
54:59and if I spark some passion in someone else
55:02I think that's really great
55:04for today's lesson
55:05the class are making a firewood shelter from local timber
55:10okay so this is the first frame that we're going to build
55:14so we're going to have two of these
55:15and they're going to be upright
55:16and we're going to join them together
55:18with the timber that you've just milled
55:19so the first job is to screw these in
55:29after years of working in animation
55:31Tad Davies is using the course to help him forge a new career path
55:37you just get so many different types of people here
55:39we have people who are just fresh out of school
55:42like 17, 18
55:43who maybe actually really struggled in school
55:45and that kind of structured way of working
55:48I know I did
55:49I couldn't do a test
55:50but it turns out my brain just worked a bit differently
55:52you know what I mean
55:53and it's really nice to see that in 18 year olds
55:56who you know considered problem youth
55:59and then suddenly they can name every kind of tree under the sun
56:02and they actually can create beautiful works of art
56:05they want to contribute
56:07and they want to have worth
56:08and a place like this has to exist
56:10in order for those people that you're talking about
56:12to facilitate that
56:14yeah
56:17with today's lesson nearly over
56:19there's just some final touches left to do
56:22incoming
56:23incoming
56:26are we all square there
56:27Jesse all good
56:29yeah all good there
56:31put that one in for you
56:32yeah you go for it man
56:40that's it
56:40brilliant
56:41happy teacher
56:41happy carry
56:42yeah really happy
56:43well done everyone
56:44super
56:45I wish I was coming back next week
56:46yeah
56:47I tell you
56:50it's very important work that you're doing for the community here
56:53because when you think of the history of this place
56:55and it's coal mining past that's no longer there anymore
56:58yes and what the what's grown up on the former coal tips is the forest
57:04and we have to work with the forest now
57:06when we did the big visioning community conversations
57:10the strong preference was for a timber town
57:13this is what we have now
57:14if we can get to a point in the future
57:16where we're managing the woodland on a semi-commercial basis
57:20we're supporting then the processing of the timber wood products
57:24that Treherbert can instead of being known for mining in the past could be known for timber in the future
57:45well that was certainly an action-packed day
57:47yeah we've had a great time but that is all we've got time for
57:50next week adam and sean will be in northern ireland
57:53at their largest agricultural event
57:55the balmoral show
58:02gentlemen how are your energy levels now
58:04very tense
58:07go
58:09I'm watching to see if they touch any posts
58:12so he's got a zigzag all the way to here
58:14so he has to zigzag through the corns
58:16that is really tricky
58:21oh
58:25that's next week on bbc one at 6.15
58:30we hope you can join us then
58:31bye bye
58:41new comedy on iplayer life at 40
58:43for some richard back home with his dad
58:46in a return of only child
58:47also there are crime fighting duo back together
58:50but poles apart with a new series of mysteries to solve in death valley
58:55i'll stay with bbc two next for end of season final score
59:00thank you
59:01you
59:02you
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