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Farming Today: 21/06/21 Tree planting, Arctic Terns, Soft fruit.

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21/06/21 Tree planting, Arctic Terns, Soft fruit.

BBC Radio 4 - Farming Today, 21/06/21 Tree planting, Arctic Terns, Soft fruit.

Tree planting targets missed, Covid restrictions affect Arctic Terns, soft fruit.

New figures show tree planting targets are not being met. Overgrown nature reserves blamed for fall in Arctic Tern numbers. Soft fruit farmers struggling to find enough pickers.

New figures from the Forestry Commission show Britain is failing to meet targets for planting woodlands. The Government aims to plant 30,000 hectares over the next four years, but the Confederation of Forest Industries, ConFor, says that in England, tree planting rates will have to treble if the country's to reach its goals. 

The Farne Islands off the Northumbrian Coast are reknown for their colonies of Arctic Terns but bird lovers say that over the past 18 months, the nature reserves there have become overgrown and gulls have driven the Terns Away. The National Trust says its resident wardens haven't been able to manage the islands because of Covid restrictions. But critics say they've neglected an important habitat.

It's soft fruit season. Growers say the cold weather at the start of the season means the berries will taste better this year. But finding pickers is a struggle for many fruit farmers.

Presenter = Charlotte Smith
Producer = Rebecca Rooney

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21/06/21 Tree planting, Arctic Terns, Soft fruit.

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