BBC Countryfile visits Bisterne Estate and features GWCT’s work with waders

The Easter Special episode of BBC’s Countryfile was a true highlight of the holidays, featuring the conservation work behind thriving populations of lapwing and hares – both signs of spring across our countryside.

Matt Baker and Margherita Taylor visited Bisterne Estate near Ringwood in Hampshire’s Avon Valley, where the GWCT has spent the past decade working with wading birds in the arable fields and water meadows along the river.

Lizzie Grayshon, our Wetland Ecologist, showed Margherita around the water meadows, looking for nests and spotting lapwing and redshank pairs that had returned. Rupert Brewer, Game and Wildlife Manager at Bisterne, took the presenter on a drive to see the conservation work that has been carried out across the estate.

The programme proved to be a great demonstration of the core work of the GWCT - working with nature alongside farming – a message the public rarely hears so expertly explained.

WATCH IT HERE: Countryfile - Easter - The Sights and Sounds of Spring - BBC iPlayer

Reflecting on the experience, Rupert said: “I think the episode of Countryfile went very well, highlighting the brilliant collaboration not only across Bisterne Estate, but also with GWCT and its staff. Not only enabling successful and demonstrable conservation, species recovery, and recording science, whilst farming, forestry and a game shoot can all function efficiently. Amazing too, to put Bisterne Estate firmly on the map as place doing great things.”

Lizzie added: “Our communications team work really hard to tell people about our conservation work and projects that we work on. We often get some interest from programmes like Countryfile, however, it’s really rare for these things to actually happen. Often filming can get cancelled as other projects that fit the programme’s brief better, or are easier to film, so when this one took off I was really excited, and the more we talked with Countryfile the bigger it got. This resulted in three film crews across Bisterne Estate for three days.

“It was a huge amount of work for everyone involved. It was a little earlier in the year than ideal for finding lapwing eggs but I did try every morning on the lead up to their visit to find some. It was a really enjoyable afternoon of filming when we did our filming on lapwing. The presenters made you feel really comfortable and it was just a fun chat about what we do.

“The feedback since the episode has gone out has been great and I was really pleased with the messages that came across. You don’t get to see anything before it goes live so it’s a bit nerve-racking! I think everyone involved should be really pleased with how they came across, and it was really great to get some recognition for all the work everyone does to make the projects possible and successful.”

Martin Button, Arable & Environmental Manager at Bisterne, said: “From my perspective it’s nice to show the other side of arable farming, it’s not all about spraying and fertiliser.

“Not mentioned, but we produce a good number of lapwing chicks and skylark across the arable land each year. Providing plots for both and working around nests when found, often with Lizzie’s help with marking nests.

“All of this has been made possible by owner Hallam Mills’ approach to managing the estate and putting the environment and wildlife as one of the cornerstones of the estate.”