Battle Grounds: Culture Wars in the Countryside

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Anna Jones uncovers the stories of people caught up in the battles of British rural life.

Farmer's daughter and rural affairs journalist Anna Jones uncovers the personal stories of individuals caught up in the culture wars raging under the surface of British rural life.

The British countryside is often portrayed as a green and pleasant land - a rural idyll. But under the surface, rural culture wars rage: the Right to Roam, veganism, rewilding. Anna Jones is a farmer's daughter who has worked as a rural affairs journalist for almost 20 years. In this series she uncovers the personal stories of individuals caught up in these battle grounds.

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Battle Grounds: Culture Wars in the Countryside: 4. Trees

4. Trees

BBC Radio 4 - Battle Grounds: Culture Wars in the Countryside, 4. Trees

Rural journalist Anna Jones uncovers a newly emerging culture war around trees.

Anthony Geddes is a man who loves trees. But he says a growing hostility towards trees has contributed to him leaving his job in forestry. So how has this become a culture war?

The British countryside is often portrayed as a green and pleasant land - a rural idyll. But under the surface, rural culture wars rage: the Right to Roam, veganism, rewilding.

Anna Jones is a farmer’s daughter who has worked as a rural affairs journalist for almost 20 years. In this series she uncovers the personal stories of individuals caught up in these battle grounds.

On the face of it, there’s nothing that offensive about a tree. But in this episode Anna explores how for some, they’re beginning to represent a threat to their identity, their sense of control…and even their community.

For Anthony Geddes, the growing hostility towards trees has contributed to him leaving his job in forestry: “You feel like you're in this sort of this embattled environment where it's really difficult to be the person who's talking about trees.”

Presented by Anna Jones
Produced for BBC Audio in Bristol by Heather Simons and Anna Jones

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Battle Grounds: Culture Wars in the Countryside

4. Trees

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