Autumnwatch now

[armybloke]

I just wish 'TV nature' would show the whole picture including woodland & the work of say the game conservation, and the other side of gamekeeper work eg, keepers feeding Barn owls to save them in the snow at their own cost. Plus the way woods have been 'work places' and still good for nature for hundreds of years.

 

I remember the mouthfuls of abuse from 'nice little old ladies' who see us as the 'anti-christ of nature, when a saw starts up - come back next spring and see the wild flowers, doesn't cut it with them.

 

This is speculative - I wrote Mr Packham a nice email explaining that fungi helped in nature after his slur on program 1 about fungi. Since then he's asked for fungi pics and even posted the piece on the use of the PICUS. Could it be worth a 'pop' at him to start making a few constructive comments on woodland management as a whole - a really pragmatic and holistic view rather than tunnelled towards the tree huggers and environmentalists?

 

It is well publicised that deer, squirrel and rabbit cause havoc to our woodlands and between them are responsible for large chunks of the woods to be felled - due to their actions. A post like that could work - HOWEVER, no one wants to hear about or see a fluffy bunny being destroyed to save a tree? It's emotional blackmail to some!! Good luck - and if it helps I understand

[blazer]

Good points about the fungi Armybloke, but there must be a way of showing the real side of nature on TVand the way it needs to be managed. A walk through a old wood needs to be shown how it got to that state by active work. It seems to be ok to show seals & happyfeet been eaten by killer whales but not squirrels, not that I want the detail shown (I have done butchering since a kid, plus hospital medical engineering work).

 

My wife was a bit of a 'veggy' but was frustrated when she joined a nature group to find there was more wildlife on a large shooting estate than most 'nature reserves'. I'm sure if the real work is shown it would attract more younger people into getting involved, even like me doing it as a 'hobby job' for 15 yrs.

[armybloke]

Totally agree with you and until the 'TV' promote this type of work then we are stuck. As an aside I tried to gain valuable membership to a well known ecology organisation on the basis I have carried out voluntary work in the environment sector for the past 9 years and carried out survey work for NE only to be told that volunteer work carries no credits in the application - barking in my view! Volunteers are worth millions of ££'s in that line of work and it is all FREE! Rant over

[blazer]

Good point on vol work, I did some for yrs up Oxford for the city rangers (may start back soon). Often the image of Vol work is some old people or Chaves as a punishment with loppers & bowsaws but through the city rangers we laid on courses for hedgelaying, axe felling & survival ( build a camp and fire etc) and they worked well attracting more younger people, this developed into coppicing, deadhedging etc- then with the cut backs stopped.

 

It really has good potential as a way for students to get into woodland work - just needs structure to gain points for later, my son has helped me for yrs and now at 19 with his A-levels he doesn't want to go to uni but do practical tree work and gain level 6 if possible, so it gave him a way in.

 

On the shoot we have another 'vol group', truckers/contractors that often drive 50 miles from 'Brum' to do woodland/shoot jobs all year.

 

I was thinking after your earlier posts how on 'Nature telly' you will only see Sheep dogs working but never a keeper with his dogs, in the autumn although we are surrounded by shoots in this area.

 

The keepers friend is the game adviser for 'the Archers' and there was talk about doing a programme - fingers crossed:thumbup1:

[Sam Thompson]

I just wish 'TV nature' would show the whole picture including woodland & the work of say the game conservation, and the other side of gamekeeper work eg, keepers feeding Barn owls to save them in the snow at their own cost. Plus the way woods have been 'work places' and still good for nature for hundreds of years.

 

I remember the mouthfuls of abuse from 'nice little old ladies' who see us as the 'anti-christ of nature, when a saw starts up - come back next spring and see the wild flowers, doesn't cut it with them.

 

Doubt if I would ever me on Autumnwatch as I shoot squirrels by the hundred to increase wild song birds and use my well trained 2 working cockers on a large shoot, the number of small birds coming out of cover crops must be seen. I feel the prog has become an urban image of nature but biased views by Packman as the expert on strippy charlies.

 

:thumbup: