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BBC Countryfile films Muckers at Close Sartfield

The BBC Countryfile team filmed the Trust's dedicated band of intrepid muckers at Close Sarfield last week.

The BBC team, including presenter Julia Bradbury, spent a couple of hours at the reserve in Ballaugh, finding out about the work of the Trust and seeing first-hand the work undertaken by volunteer conservation volunteers, or Muckers as they're known locally.

The team interviewed Trust Reserve Officer, Tricia Sayle (photo, right), and even took the opportunity to join in with the Muckers and lend a hand.

The task for the day was down by the bird hide, at the end of the boardwalk. 

As regular readers will know, this has been a large project, over two years (and counting!), to recreate important bog habitat.

Muckers even turned out on a Saturday to help with the task, see the whole team in the photo below left.

The programme is due to be broadcast at 6pm on BBC One on Sunday, 10 January 2010 - visit the Countryfile webpage here .

More information

Why not take a trip, over the Christmas holiday, to Close Sarfield to see all the work that's been carried out so far.

Find out more about Close Sartfield reserve here.

In March 2008, the Trust's Muckers began work to recreate a bog habitat at the hide, read about that early work here .  Phases 2 and3 were started in September this year, read more about the 2009 work here .

Read about a rare plant species found on newly recreated bog habitat at Close Sarfield in summer 2009.

Find out more about the work of the Trust’s conservation volunteers, or “Muckers”, here

Details about the BBC Countryfile programme can be found here .

All photos of the Muckers and the BBC team on this page: Derek Wiggall.