The final edition in this series of the Tyne Tees Television rural affair programme Landmark presented by Eric Robson. The first item in the programme looks at the growth of onshore oil and gas exploration in North Yorkshire. This is followed by an interview with the co-founder of Greenpeace Peter Wilkinson who has returned to the UK to bring his years of expertise in fighting for environmental issues to more home-grown problems. The final part of the programme is on the growth in the...

The final edition in this series of the Tyne Tees Television rural affair programme Landmark presented by Eric Robson. The first item in the programme looks at the growth of onshore oil and gas exploration in North Yorkshire. This is followed by an interview with the co-founder of Greenpeace Peter Wilkinson who has returned to the UK to bring his years of expertise in fighting for environmental issues to more home-grown problems. The final part of the programme is on the growth in the importance of Salers cattle in the UK and its prospects for the future. Title: Landmark The first report opens on several vibroseis vehicles come to a stop in a field to take measurements for potential drilling site. Oil companies take considerable risks investing in exploration with no guarantee of either finding anything or getting planning permission to exploit it. Interview with Euan Cameron from Kelt (UK) Ltd from a drill site is currently being explored at Marishes near Pickering in North Yorkshire. Members of a group of people from RAGE (Ryedale Against Geological Exploration) and Marishes Parish Council travelling by minibus to the drill site for a visit. There are concerns not only of onsite pollution into nearby rivers, but also what will happen if oil and gas are found on another site. The representative of Kelt (UK) Ltd explains that the site has been designed to be totally sealed to prevent any escape of pollution. There is a passionate debate between the representative of the company and a gentleman from RAGE concerning the safety of the site. The gas on the site would be 'sour' meaning it would need to be treated in a processing plant to make it useable. Interview with Roy Welford from Marishes Parish Council who has concerns about the building of a procession plant, however he is quite happy with the wellhead. Interview with Jim Over from RAGE who says that the site won't bring many jobs to the local area and that pollution from a treatment plant will have a devastating effect on tourist, which is growing in the county, and on other leisure industries. Euan Cameron advises that drilling is a compromise between the interests of local people and the company's economic interests. The report returns four weeks later, and the wellhead is in place and the site empty of construction. The report changes to another drill site at Hatfield Moor near Doncaster that has been producing 'sweet' usable gas for seven years. However, in 1981 while exploring for oil there was a gas explosion which took 3 weeks to bring under control. This is an example of the dangers inherent in exploration. The gas is piped underground and is used to heat the kilns at the nearby Belton Brick Works. With the claims of power shortages in the 1990s, the government is encouraging more onshore exploration over environmental concerns. Title: Landmark The second item begins with archive footage from a Greenpeace film of Japanese whaling. Interview with one of the founders of Greenpeace Peter Wilkinson from a boat travelling along a river. He has returned to the UK to focus on more local issues and to bring some of his uncompromising green action. Eric Robson says doesn't this go against the current consensus with industry and environmental groups working together. Peter says that we all have the same goals but going at it from different routes. He wants to bring the skills and experiences he's learned in Greenpeace as well as Friends of the Earth to a new consultancy company he is setting up to focus on local issues such as the stopping of the nuclear industry by the year 2000 and the protection of indigenous animals such as birds of prey and badgers. He hopes he will be able to change peoples and organisations minds over environmental issues. The final report in this series is on an international agricultural success story which takes us from Prehistoric France to the Lake District and on to five continent. First imported into the UK in 1984 is a new breed of cattle from France; Salers. Interview with Jean Beaurenaut from the French Salers Association who says this is the and purest breeds of cattle in France and the oldest with examples of cave paintings showing the animals been discovered. The animal is good for milk, draft and beef. A farm at Crosthwaite near Kendal in Cumbria has a herd of 150 pedigree animals. Interview with Brian Barton from Salers International who believes the animal will be the saviour of the British beef industry and will put beef back on the table of everyday life. It is a healthier beef with low cholesterol and is economically sound from conception to carcass. They now export both the animals and the means to breed the cattle to five continents including Australia, America and Zimbabwe. Jean Beaurenaut doesn't believe the animal will be a flash-in-the-pan like other breeds but is suitable for farms in England and Scotland. Credit: Presented by Eric Robson Title: Hoi Polloi Film and Video Credit: Camera Chris Sutcliffe, Richard Edwards Credit: Sound Paul Gunn Credit: Electrician Bill Hughes Credit: Production Assistant Pauline Grant Credit: Production Secretary Coreen Harvey Credit: Research Catherine Siddall, William Moult Credit: VT Editors Sally Fryer, Peter Telford Credit: Executive Producer Chris Potter Credit: Director Simon Lawson Credit: Producer Charles Bowden End Credit: Waterfront Productions for Tyne Tees Television © MCMLXXXIX