Leicestershire

It boasts rolling countryside, quaint market towns and fertile farmland, but Leicestershire is actually one of our least wooded counties. Julia Bradbury finds out why The Woodland Trust believe it is so important to create more forests that they’ve launched the Jubilee Woods project. The plan is to plant six million native trees by the end of the winter! On a 460 acre site, west of the city of Leicester, open fields lie ready and waiting to be planted. So Julia is set the challenge of planting 2,000 saplings in just one hour - with a little help from her friends of course. Under strict guidance from The Woodland Trust, local firemen, young farmers and a couple of Countryfile presenters race against the clock to create a brand new native woodland!

How to get involved in the Tree Planting Challenge

John Craven gets exclusive access to a centre at the forefront of the nation’s military training - for our four-legged friends! The Defence Animal Centre in Melton Mowbray trains military working animals and personnel for a variety of security and active service jobs both in the UK and abroad. John meets the colonel in charge and the clever dogs being trained to seek out weapons and explosives in war zones, such as Afghanistan.

Find out more about the Defence Animal Centre

The European Lynx used to be just as much a part of the British Countryside as foxes or rabbits. They disappeared from our island more than five hundred years ago, mainly because of hunting and deforestation. Now some conservationists are calling for these big cats to be reintroduced to Britain. They say it would help control deer numbers and restore the natural balance of the countryside. But would it also have a negative impact on human activities such as farming? Tom Heap investigates.

Find out more about the European Lynx

Things are generally looking up for wildlife in the Soar Valley, but there is a problem - Pennywort. This non-native plant is clogging up the river and starving its wildlife. Julia meets the Environment Agency team who are on a mission to get rid of this destructive weed. She also tries out a rather clever machine that is part-boat, part-digger and specially designed to clear up the water-clogging plant. The agency has also developed a new phone app called ‘Plant Tracker’ that contains a list of its Top 12 ‘Most Wanted’ invasive species. Click on the link below for hints on how to spot them and where to report sightings.

Find out more about the Plant Tracker application

On the doorstep of Leicester, the Soar Valley is a hidden gem and a nature lover’s haven. It is here that the Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust is establishing a living landscape and restoring wild places to the floodplains of the River Soar. The trust bought 350 acres of land back in 2004 and has been working to transform these former gravel extraction sites into a wildlife corridor, connecting several nature reserves along the river valley. John visits Cossington Meadows and is set the challenge of rounding up some rather reluctant Exmoor ponies and a herd of Shetland cows who are helping graze the land and revive diversity-rich habitats.

Find out more about the Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust

There is apprehension in the air on Adam’s farm this week. Eric, his favourite Highland bull is already a proud father of four beautiful little calves. In fact Eric’s offspring are doing so well, that Adam decided to put him in with his herd of Highlands again in the hope of producing more young. Now it is time to find out if he has succeeded. Adam’s asked the vet to visit the farm to check the herd and discover whether Eric is going to become a dad again.