Introduced by HRH The Duke of Edinburgh, KG

It is European Conservation Year, and much attention has been drawn to the general problems of pollution, over-population, and nature conservation.

But what is the situation in Britain? What, for example, is the present condition of our own River Thames? Just how clean is the air in cities now? Will factory farms and prairie fields become the only country landscape of the future? With our modern way of life using up more and more food, water, power, and space, each one of us every day makes increasing demands on the countryside of Britain. We are changing it whether we like it or not. But we can choose how we change it.

To bring together the many users of the countryside. The Duke of Edinburgh set up in 1963 'The Countryside in 1970' series of conferences. These culminate today, because this is the first day of the final conference, an occasion to review progress so far and plan for the future.
A special film report followed by a discussion about issues raised in the film.

Appearing in the film:
John Cherrington, farmer
Bernard Venables, fisherman
Peter Scott, conservationist
Tony Soper, naturalist
Desmond Morris, writer
Written by John Lloyd

Appearing in the discussion:
HRH The Duke of Edinburgh
Peter Scott
D.A.C. Dewdney, Rio Tinto Zinc Corporation Ltd
G.P. Wibberley, Professor of Countryside Planning, London
(from Bristol)
(Prince Philip in the chair: page 5)