An edition of the Tyne Tees Television rural affair programme Landmark presented by Eric Robson with reports focused on issues of forestry. In the first item the development of the governments new Farm Woodlands Scheme on the Charterhall Estate near Duns in Berwickshire in which arable land is given over to tree planting. The second report comes from Cheviot Trees Nursery near Wooler in Northumberland where tree saplings are being propagated in poly tunnels. This is followed by an interview...

An edition of the Tyne Tees Television rural affair programme Landmark presented by Eric Robson with reports focused on issues of forestry. In the first item the development of the governments new Farm Woodlands Scheme on the Charterhall Estate near Duns in Berwickshire in which arable land is given over to tree planting. The second report comes from Cheviot Trees Nursery near Wooler in Northumberland where tree saplings are being propagated in poly tunnels. This is followed by an interview with Steve Tomkins who has recently written a report on the loss of Scottish uplands to forestry and why this is bad for the environment. The programme ends in Greystoke Forest in Cumbria where horsepower is still being used to move timber. Title: Landmark Presenter Eric Robson introduces the programme from snow covered surroundings in Northumberland. He outlines items which will be in the programme including new methods for growing trees in Northumberland, and timber extraction in Cumbria. He will also be talking to Stephen Tomkins about the environmental future of trees. With a backdrop showing Kielder water and Kielder Forest Eric Robson outlines new government policy on agriculture and tree growing, where forestry will have a higher profile in government policy is due to high cost of importing timber. Views of machines at work cutting down and trimming trees back up Eric Robson’s comments of the use of advanced technology to harvest trees. He says national production of timber is still relatively low and new plantations are needed. The promotion of new uses of arable land have resulted in a farm woodland scheme which is creating interest for foresters and farmers. The scheme is to run for an experimental three-year period, with new trees to be grown on arable land or improved grassland. Martin Gale from the Forestry Commission says the main aim of the scheme is to create productive and environmentally acceptable forestry on former arable land. The scheme is run by the forestry commission and the ministries of agriculture in England Wales and Scotland. The film moves to Charterhall near Duns in Berwickshire where an auction sale is underway. The farm will be run in the future by a management company, with part of the land being used for trees. An auctioneer starts selling some of the farm equipment and material. The Charterhall estate has a lot of mixed woodland giving habitats for wildlife as well as timber. Forestry consultant Felix Karthaus visits the estate regularly and talks to estate owner Alexander Trotter who is keen to be part of the new scheme. He speaks on camera about the estate and why he is keen on the new forestry scheme, outlining specific parts of the estate land he can utilise, and why other options that he might have taken under the set aside scheme would have been unsatisfactory. The film shows fencing being erected and trees being planted. Felix Karthaus from Border Forestry has some reservations about the new scheme. Martin Gale seen earlier also talks on camera about issues with the scheme, however he also talks about the potential of growing trees on very productive ground, with significant amounts of revenue for those signing up to the scheme. It also gives the opportunity to develop forests with more varied species in the lowlands. Title: Landmark The second part of the programme begins with Eric Robson introducing a report on a small firm in Northumberland specialising in growing trees suitable for plantations. Cheviot Trees Nursery near Wooler is ready for their first season, after being set up the previous December using polytunnels previously used for vegetable growing. Harry Frew from Cheviot Trees speaks on camera about the firm’s background in vegetable growing, the types of trees they produce and their growing methods. They grow around 30 different species. The compost they use is made on site and is specially formulated to encourage plant growth. Harry Frew demonstrates how module growing and planting works. The polytunnel environment ensures young seedlings can grow quite quickly. They stay in the polytunnels for about 6 months. A worker uses a special watering system to water and spraying the plants. Growth rates can be regulated by a varying fertiliser practices. Good air circulation is maintained by keeping seedling trays off the ground. Harry Frew shows some of the seedling plants and talks about their growth patterns. The modular growing system allows trees to be planted out on site three to four times as fast as conventional growing methods. Eric Robson then talks about cutbacks in Forestry Commission nurseries in Scotland. There are also concerns about forestry commission forests extending excessively over well-loved hills and mountains. On screen a book published in part by the Rambler’s Association demonstrates concerns by its title: ‘The Theft of the Hills: Afforestation in Scotland’. The book has created huge concern, resulting in a tax loophole being closed off by the Chancellor. Eric Robson introduces Steve Tomkins a forestry writer who is the author of the book. Eric asks if the curtailing of the tax loophole made a difference to forestry planting. Steve says not, as the grant for planting was increased. Although he says grants are a good way to help fund planting it’s still advantageous for those upland plantations to have most of their planting costs paid by the government. Steve also disputes the volume of timber imports. He also doesn’t think the forestry commission has gone far enough, especially in Scotland to curtail some of its planting where he believes it’s destroying wildlife habitats and generally harming conservation of the existing natural flora and fauna. He would like to see Scotland’s forestry on a much smaller scale and planted on better quality land. In Cumberland some tree harvesting is done in very traditional ways. Eric Robson introduces Willy Granger and his horse Dick work who in parts of Greystoke forest where heavy plant would find it difficult to go. They drag tree trunks out of the forest, and in the process do little damage to land and trees, and the method is useful for selective thinning and for access to places off road or track. Title: Hoi Pollio Film & Video Credit: Camera Chris Sutcliffe, Richard Edwards Credit: Sound Paul Gunn, John Myers Credit: VT Editors Sally Fryer, Peter Telford Credit: Production Assistant Pauline Grant Credit Production Secretary Coreen Harvey Credit: Executive Producer Chris Potter Credit Director Simon Lawson Credit: Producer Charles Bowden End credit: A Waterfront Production for Tyne Tees Television © MCMLXXXVIII