College Lake Stars on TV

College Lake Nature Reserve north of Tring had a starring role in a recent edition of the BBC’s Countryfile.

Presenter John Craven met teenage conservation volunteers at the site who told him about their work and why they love doing it.

Among those featured was 17-year-old Dylan, who goes to College Lake every Sunday to help the Berks, Bucks and  Oxon Wildlife Trust (BBOWT), which runs the reserve, with a host of jobs including refilling bird feeders.

Mr Craven also met with 16- and 17-year-old members of the Chiltern Rangers New Shoots project, which helps young people to get involved with conservation and environmental volunteering.

The entire programme was presented from the site, and John Craven also told some of the extraordinary story of  how it was transformed over the past 30 years from a chalk quarry into a 67-hectare nature reserve and Site of  Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) supporting more than 1,000 species.

Today, BBOWT manages the site for wildlife and people, and also runs a visitor centre, café and shop, hosts school  parties, seasonal guided walks and family fun days.

Watch the Countryfile episode again at www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m00134tx/countryfile-review-of-the-year.

To find out more about College Lake head to www.bbowt.org.uk/nature-reserves/college-lake.