The Truth about Wildlife

THE TRUTH ABOUT NATURE

Naturalist Chris Packham presents a hard-hitting personal look at what is wrong with wildlife conservation in England.

Despite millions of pounds of public money being spent, many key habitats in iconic areas such as Dartmoor and the New Forest are in decline and species are facing extinction.

Chris travels across the South and West of England to question and challenge those most closely involved in conservation as to whether what they are doing is working.

In the first of three programmes, Chris looks at farmland which has a crucial role in sustaining England's wildlife.

He's dismayed to find a farmer ploughing up wildlife friendly field margins to plant wheat because there's more money in the crop than in wildlife grants.

He asks why, despite millions spent on grants for wildlife-friendly farming, the decline continues.

Chris says more needs to be done to support farmers who play a vital role in protecting our wildlife.

In programme two, on Monday 6 June, Chris finds conservationists and fishermen at loggerheads over new marine conservation zones aimed at protecting marine wildlife.

Key habitats including Lyme Bay have already been damaged. Chris is saddened to find out how little of Britain's undersea waters have real protection but feels new marine zones could make a real difference.

In the final programme, on Monday 13 June, Chris investigates the damage done to woods, moors and heathland over the decades.

Precious ancient woodland has been destroyed while non-native conifers of lesser wildlife value have been planted on upland areas.

Chris is critical of the money spent on single species such as dormice, but ends the series with hope for the future in big landscape scale conservation projects that could make woods, heaths and moors better places for all Britain's native animals.