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Britain's Wilderness

It was the first attempt in England to turn a large landscape back into a wilderness. After 10 years what has been achieved in Ennerdale Valley in the Lake District?

The first attempt in England to turn a landscape back into a wilderness is 10 years old this year.

In this week's Costing The Earth, Miranda Krestovnikoff visits Ennerdale Valley, on the Western edge of the Lake District, to find out how the scheme is progressing.

Rewilding, as the scheme has become known, allows natural processes to take place, in order to return the habitat to as natural an environment as possible. The landscape has been managed in such a way that natural flora and fauna have been encouraged back to the valley. Miranda meets those involved in returning the valley to a wilderness.

In order for the project to be be a success, the major land owners in the valley: the National Trust, the Forestry Commission, Natural England and United Utilities have all been working together.

Miranda discovers how successful the rewilding project has been and whether or not schemes of this type are worth attempting elsewhere in the UK: a country that has very little wilderness that has been untouched by human hands. She also finds out the vital role visitors to the area play in keeping the landscape alive.

Presenter: Miranda Krestovnikoff
Producer: Martin Poyntz-Roberts.

Available now

30 minutes

Last on

Wed 29 Aug 2012 21:00

Broadcasts

  • Tue 28 Aug 2012 15:30
  • Wed 29 Aug 2012 21:00

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