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These are the user uploaded subtitles that are being translated: 1 00:00:00,462 --> 00:00:03,560 (crickets chirping) (light music) 2 00:00:03,560 --> 00:00:06,173 Landscapes of bewitching beauty. 3 00:00:09,270 --> 00:00:10,203 Unique. 4 00:00:11,360 --> 00:00:12,773 Species rich. 5 00:00:14,300 --> 00:00:15,313 Exemplary. 6 00:00:18,140 --> 00:00:21,003 Because something extraordinary is happening here. 7 00:00:23,480 --> 00:00:26,340 These natural habitats remain in tact 8 00:00:26,340 --> 00:00:29,693 only because humans intervene and shape them. 9 00:00:31,630 --> 00:00:33,343 A new pact with nature. 10 00:00:35,327 --> 00:00:40,327 (light music) (crickets chirping) 11 00:00:45,431 --> 00:00:49,000 (upbeat polka music) 12 00:00:49,000 --> 00:00:51,010 The Swiss Alps, 13 00:00:51,010 --> 00:00:53,563 one of the most impressive landscapes in the world. 14 00:00:55,050 --> 00:00:58,103 For many, this is pure nature. 15 00:01:01,550 --> 00:01:03,910 And there is indeed a great diversity 16 00:01:03,910 --> 00:01:06,253 of animals and plants in the Alps. 17 00:01:07,300 --> 00:01:10,270 In summer, the alpine meadows are transformed 18 00:01:10,270 --> 00:01:13,263 into a species rich sea of flowers. 19 00:01:15,200 --> 00:01:17,783 (bright music) 20 00:01:24,810 --> 00:01:28,080 But few people know that the mountain pastures 21 00:01:28,080 --> 00:01:31,170 are a man-made paradise. 22 00:01:31,170 --> 00:01:34,253 Without grazing, this would all be forest. 23 00:01:35,330 --> 00:01:37,810 Farmers have been driving their livestock 24 00:01:37,810 --> 00:01:41,150 up to the mountain pastures for centuries 25 00:01:41,150 --> 00:01:44,040 and it's that that has created this mosaic 26 00:01:44,040 --> 00:01:46,773 of meadows, forests and rock. 27 00:01:49,500 --> 00:01:52,720 But this age-old tradition could disappear 28 00:01:52,720 --> 00:01:55,370 and with it, the alpine pastures 29 00:01:55,370 --> 00:01:57,860 because there are fewer and fewer herdsman 30 00:01:57,860 --> 00:01:59,393 and mountain farmers. 31 00:02:03,970 --> 00:02:06,403 The Swiss have recognized the danger. 32 00:02:09,150 --> 00:02:12,280 Can they succeed in preserving the diversity 33 00:02:12,280 --> 00:02:13,743 of the mountain landscape? 34 00:02:27,098 --> 00:02:27,970 (bright music) 35 00:02:27,970 --> 00:02:32,390 Grison is the biggest of Switzerland's cantons. 36 00:02:32,390 --> 00:02:35,620 For centuries, this region of the heart of the Alps 37 00:02:35,620 --> 00:02:36,973 was considered poor. 38 00:02:37,870 --> 00:02:39,290 The people here had to use 39 00:02:39,290 --> 00:02:42,260 the highland as well as the lowland areas 40 00:02:42,260 --> 00:02:44,423 to meet the needs of their herds. 41 00:02:48,600 --> 00:02:52,080 Nowadays, Grison is a favorite holiday destination 42 00:02:52,950 --> 00:02:55,620 and a region in which the landscape 43 00:02:55,620 --> 00:02:57,883 looks like it does in the publicity. 44 00:03:02,243 --> 00:03:05,560 (dogs barking) 45 00:03:05,560 --> 00:03:08,770 But there still is hard work. 46 00:03:08,770 --> 00:03:12,270 In summer, animals and people live 2,000 meters up 47 00:03:12,270 --> 00:03:15,130 far away from the nearest village. 48 00:03:15,130 --> 00:03:18,333 Many Swiss people no longer want to do this work. 49 00:03:20,910 --> 00:03:23,943 So many shepherds, men and women, come from abroad. 50 00:03:26,280 --> 00:03:27,893 Like Lean Jabali. 51 00:03:34,310 --> 00:03:37,043 Lean's been working in Switzerland for over 10 years. 52 00:03:38,150 --> 00:03:41,240 She grew up in Jordan and Sweden. 53 00:03:41,240 --> 00:03:44,710 This summer, she's up on the Corn de Stelles Alp, 54 00:03:44,710 --> 00:03:46,800 not far from Kua, 55 00:03:46,800 --> 00:03:50,503 in charge of nearly 900 sheep and eight dogs. 56 00:03:51,342 --> 00:03:53,592 (mumbling) 57 00:03:56,061 --> 00:03:58,990 Her working day begins just after dawn. 58 00:03:58,990 --> 00:04:02,650 First, she checks that all is well with her animals. 59 00:04:02,650 --> 00:04:06,560 Despite the large number, she knows each sheep individually 60 00:04:06,560 --> 00:04:08,933 and notices immediately if something's wrong. 61 00:04:10,067 --> 00:04:15,067 (Lean mumbling) (sheep baaing) 62 00:04:17,780 --> 00:04:19,710 What Lean does used to be part 63 00:04:19,710 --> 00:04:22,350 of every day life in Switzerland. 64 00:04:22,350 --> 00:04:26,400 Nowadays, it's getting harder and harder to find shepherds. 65 00:04:26,400 --> 00:04:29,113 The solitude up here puts a lot of people off. 66 00:04:30,720 --> 00:04:32,510 I love being alone with the animals. 67 00:04:32,510 --> 00:04:33,523 I love nature. 68 00:04:34,640 --> 00:04:35,890 And I find it so interesting, 69 00:04:35,890 --> 00:04:38,963 the movements of the animals, the sheep and the dogs. 70 00:04:42,940 --> 00:04:45,030 I'm my own boss up here somehow. 71 00:04:45,030 --> 00:04:48,010 I decide what I want to do during the day more or less. 72 00:04:48,010 --> 00:04:50,823 I mean, some things I have to do, of course. 73 00:04:52,500 --> 00:04:56,220 The freedom up here, the routine of this job, 74 00:04:56,220 --> 00:04:57,223 gives me freedom. 75 00:05:00,643 --> 00:05:02,643 (yells) 76 00:05:04,170 --> 00:05:05,484 Hey. 77 00:05:05,484 --> 00:05:07,500 (yells) 78 00:05:07,500 --> 00:05:09,980 The sheep have their own routine. 79 00:05:09,980 --> 00:05:13,078 Their job for the day is eating. 80 00:05:13,078 --> 00:05:18,078 (sheep baaing) (bells tinkling) 81 00:05:18,470 --> 00:05:21,290 For hundreds of years, the farmers have had their animals 82 00:05:21,290 --> 00:05:22,990 taken up to the high pastures 83 00:05:22,990 --> 00:05:25,440 and tended in the summer months. 84 00:05:25,440 --> 00:05:26,893 It's called summering. 85 00:05:31,370 --> 00:05:34,270 Lean is completely alone up here. 86 00:05:34,270 --> 00:05:38,290 If a sheep needs medical attention, she knows what to do. 87 00:05:38,290 --> 00:05:42,160 Turn the animal on its back and it keeps still. 88 00:05:42,160 --> 00:05:44,623 The nearest vet is a long way away. 89 00:05:46,010 --> 00:05:48,550 This time, it's just a small wound 90 00:05:48,550 --> 00:05:50,763 which Lean can treat with ointment. 91 00:05:53,150 --> 00:05:55,220 What's hard is when you have sick animals, 92 00:05:55,220 --> 00:05:58,940 for example, or you have to kill an animal, 93 00:05:58,940 --> 00:06:00,270 to put an animal to sleep, 94 00:06:00,270 --> 00:06:03,453 because it's too sick, it's not going to survive. 95 00:06:04,480 --> 00:06:06,650 But it's a part of the job and you have to take it 96 00:06:06,650 --> 00:06:08,910 but it's hard to do that. 97 00:06:08,910 --> 00:06:09,743 It is. 98 00:06:14,530 --> 00:06:17,720 The Corn de Stelles Alp is big. 99 00:06:17,720 --> 00:06:20,940 Up to 1,200 sheep can graze here. 100 00:06:20,940 --> 00:06:23,880 This summer, it's around 900. 101 00:06:23,880 --> 00:06:26,940 As in many alp pastures in the region, 102 00:06:26,940 --> 00:06:28,903 the numbers are slowly declining. 103 00:06:32,830 --> 00:06:35,680 In the past, all the sheep belonged to the farmers 104 00:06:35,680 --> 00:06:38,400 in the nearby villages in the valley. 105 00:06:38,400 --> 00:06:41,630 Now, though, a lot of alps are also taking in sheep 106 00:06:41,630 --> 00:06:43,170 boarded out from other regions 107 00:06:44,130 --> 00:06:46,220 because more and more sheep farmers 108 00:06:46,220 --> 00:06:47,833 are going out of business. 109 00:06:48,931 --> 00:06:51,598 (playful music) 110 00:06:54,500 --> 00:06:57,860 That's not always because of economic necessity. 111 00:06:57,860 --> 00:07:00,123 Life in Switzerland has changed. 112 00:07:02,060 --> 00:07:03,980 In many villages these days, 113 00:07:03,980 --> 00:07:07,880 tourism is far more important than agriculture. 114 00:07:07,880 --> 00:07:10,850 Many young people are moving to the cities 115 00:07:10,850 --> 00:07:13,563 and a lot of farmers have no one to take over. 116 00:07:17,860 --> 00:07:22,150 Arno Casty has kept sheep for over 50 years. 117 00:07:22,150 --> 00:07:25,763 He took over the farm from his parents and grandparents. 118 00:07:27,930 --> 00:07:28,940 Now he's over 80 119 00:07:30,650 --> 00:07:33,043 and still goes into the barn every day. 120 00:07:36,420 --> 00:07:39,420 He can't imagine living without his animals. 121 00:07:39,420 --> 00:07:42,830 In summer, there's not a lot to do down here in the valley. 122 00:07:42,830 --> 00:07:46,173 Most of the sheep are grazing up on the alp with Lean. 123 00:07:49,260 --> 00:07:51,463 Just a few lambs are left down here. 124 00:07:52,578 --> 00:07:57,578 (lamb baaing) (bells tinkling) 125 00:08:00,740 --> 00:08:04,140 Arno's children have chosen different careers, 126 00:08:04,140 --> 00:08:08,053 so he'll probably be the last sheep farmer in the family. 127 00:08:10,797 --> 00:08:12,040 (Arno talking in foreign language) 128 00:08:12,040 --> 00:08:14,540 The young people don't want to be tied down. 129 00:08:14,540 --> 00:08:17,003 They've got sports and other activities. 130 00:08:18,299 --> 00:08:21,710 Haymaking and everything, the work has to be done 131 00:08:21,710 --> 00:08:24,303 and it doesn't bring in much these days, it's true. 132 00:08:30,910 --> 00:08:33,350 It would be better to hand on the small business. 133 00:08:33,350 --> 00:08:34,300 That would be good. 134 00:08:38,950 --> 00:08:40,880 Otherwise, you just have to stop. 135 00:08:40,880 --> 00:08:42,780 Everything comes to an end, after all. 136 00:08:48,054 --> 00:08:52,387 (Arno speaking in foreign language) 137 00:08:56,790 --> 00:08:59,450 Small operations like his especially 138 00:08:59,450 --> 00:09:01,733 also have economic difficulties. 139 00:09:02,570 --> 00:09:05,430 When farmers like Arno Casty give up, 140 00:09:05,430 --> 00:09:08,363 that makes itself felt up in the mountains. 141 00:09:11,110 --> 00:09:15,340 The harsh life of the past has left its mark in the Alps. 142 00:09:15,340 --> 00:09:17,710 And down the centuries have brought immense wealth 143 00:09:17,710 --> 00:09:18,560 to the mountains. 144 00:09:19,430 --> 00:09:23,490 A wealth of habitats, plants and animals. 145 00:09:23,490 --> 00:09:25,740 This diversity is threatened 146 00:09:25,740 --> 00:09:28,273 if animals no longer graze here. 147 00:09:29,137 --> 00:09:31,637 (light music) 148 00:09:34,511 --> 00:09:37,920 Reto Elmer has been observing the changes for years. 149 00:09:37,920 --> 00:09:41,820 He's an expert in plant cultivation at Planterhof, 150 00:09:41,820 --> 00:09:44,183 a state-run farming consultancy. 151 00:09:45,200 --> 00:09:48,230 In summer, he's often out and about in the mountains, 152 00:09:48,230 --> 00:09:51,363 checking the condition of the meadows and pastureland. 153 00:09:52,895 --> 00:09:53,728 (speaking in foreign language) 154 00:09:53,728 --> 00:09:55,020 Here we can see clearly 155 00:09:55,020 --> 00:09:57,620 the different stages of under usage. 156 00:09:57,620 --> 00:09:59,730 First, the mat grass is grazed less 157 00:09:59,730 --> 00:10:01,840 and spreads more and more, 158 00:10:01,840 --> 00:10:05,770 followed by heather and juniper, which also spread. 159 00:10:05,770 --> 00:10:08,710 And finally, we have a solid area of juniper 160 00:10:08,710 --> 00:10:11,153 and that's completely lost to grazing of course. 161 00:10:15,850 --> 00:10:18,650 Reto Elmer is seeing how bushes and forests 162 00:10:18,650 --> 00:10:21,053 are increasingly replacing flower meadows. 163 00:10:22,400 --> 00:10:25,470 Up to a thousand hectares are disappearing every year 164 00:10:25,470 --> 00:10:27,550 in the Swiss Alps. 165 00:10:27,550 --> 00:10:29,540 It's an insidious process. 166 00:10:29,540 --> 00:10:31,690 Once the encroachment has started, 167 00:10:31,690 --> 00:10:34,140 it sparks a viscous circle. 168 00:10:34,140 --> 00:10:37,380 Cows and other animals avoid these areas 169 00:10:37,380 --> 00:10:39,610 and the bushes and trees take over 170 00:10:39,610 --> 00:10:41,483 more of the Alp pastureland. 171 00:10:47,167 --> 00:10:49,750 (upbeat music) 172 00:11:04,530 --> 00:11:05,600 For some time now, 173 00:11:05,600 --> 00:11:08,890 a special assault force is being deployed, 174 00:11:08,890 --> 00:11:10,953 Grison striped goats. 175 00:11:13,820 --> 00:11:17,003 Every three days, they're moved to a new location. 176 00:11:20,610 --> 00:11:24,350 And then they set about what other grazing animals spurn. 177 00:11:24,350 --> 00:11:26,063 Green alders, for example. 178 00:11:32,420 --> 00:11:34,650 The state is backing the project 179 00:11:34,650 --> 00:11:39,040 because keeping goats is expensive and time-consuming. 180 00:11:39,040 --> 00:11:42,110 Movable fences are needed and a goat herd 181 00:11:42,110 --> 00:11:45,263 must always be there, which all costs money. 182 00:11:48,290 --> 00:11:52,080 No plants can survive this sort of onslaught for long. 183 00:11:52,080 --> 00:11:55,670 The goats even cope with branches as thick as an arm. 184 00:11:55,670 --> 00:11:58,170 They're as effective as chainsaws 185 00:11:58,170 --> 00:12:02,053 and they don't need petrol, just bushes and young trees. 186 00:12:04,818 --> 00:12:06,430 (man speaking in foreign language) 187 00:12:06,430 --> 00:12:08,480 The problem with sides and chainsaws 188 00:12:08,480 --> 00:12:11,040 is that the shrubs carry on growing, 189 00:12:11,040 --> 00:12:12,300 especially the alder. 190 00:12:12,300 --> 00:12:15,290 Cut it down and it comes back twice as strong, 191 00:12:15,290 --> 00:12:16,540 leave them more strength. 192 00:12:18,587 --> 00:12:20,830 It just strengthens roots, we've tried it. 193 00:12:20,830 --> 00:12:23,340 The most effective method is the goats. 194 00:12:23,340 --> 00:12:25,123 Then the bushes slowly die off. 195 00:12:30,440 --> 00:12:32,170 The goats will have plenty to do 196 00:12:32,170 --> 00:12:33,860 in years to come. 197 00:12:33,860 --> 00:12:36,360 They can slow down bush encroachment, 198 00:12:36,360 --> 00:12:38,253 but they can't stop it completely. 199 00:12:39,578 --> 00:12:44,578 (bright music) (bells tinkling) 200 00:13:11,570 --> 00:13:15,540 The best way is to prevent encroachment in the first place, 201 00:13:15,540 --> 00:13:19,570 but for that, the meadows need to be grazed by livestock, 202 00:13:19,570 --> 00:13:21,583 which takes money and effort. 203 00:13:23,682 --> 00:13:25,810 (sheep baaing) 204 00:13:25,810 --> 00:13:27,570 To stop the sheep from falling 205 00:13:27,570 --> 00:13:30,610 or spreading out all over the huge area, 206 00:13:30,610 --> 00:13:34,060 Lean regularly has to set up fences, 207 00:13:34,060 --> 00:13:37,023 a strenuous task in this steep terrain. 208 00:13:48,550 --> 00:13:50,800 When one area has been grazed, 209 00:13:50,800 --> 00:13:53,103 the shepherd and her animals move on. 210 00:13:55,710 --> 00:13:58,463 In midsummer, they're constantly moving up. 211 00:14:09,010 --> 00:14:12,927 The animals have so many rights in Switzerland 212 00:14:12,927 --> 00:14:14,710 and that I really like. 213 00:14:14,710 --> 00:14:17,450 I think that's why I ended up in Switzerland. 214 00:14:17,450 --> 00:14:19,470 And they really look to the nature, 215 00:14:19,470 --> 00:14:21,380 which I also find very important. 216 00:14:21,380 --> 00:14:22,950 It's not only about the animals, 217 00:14:22,950 --> 00:14:24,520 it's about the whole picture. 218 00:14:24,520 --> 00:14:28,563 It's how everything goes together that's important. 219 00:14:29,592 --> 00:14:32,009 (bell dings) 220 00:14:38,140 --> 00:14:39,780 Catering for the shepherds 221 00:14:39,780 --> 00:14:42,850 also involves cost and effort. 222 00:14:42,850 --> 00:14:46,040 The nearest supermarket is a long way away. 223 00:14:46,040 --> 00:14:48,740 At the start of summer, all their provisions are delivered 224 00:14:48,740 --> 00:14:50,930 to the alp by helicopter. 225 00:14:50,930 --> 00:14:52,950 Afterwards, the only fresh food 226 00:14:52,950 --> 00:14:54,773 is what visitors bring with them. 227 00:15:00,490 --> 00:15:04,150 With one exception: fresh goat's milk. 228 00:15:04,150 --> 00:15:07,193 That's literally waiting on the doorstep every day. 229 00:15:20,680 --> 00:15:22,460 Once she's looked after the animals, 230 00:15:22,460 --> 00:15:25,010 Lean allows herself a break. 231 00:15:25,010 --> 00:15:27,793 The hut is a home and her office. 232 00:15:40,570 --> 00:15:43,860 There's paperwork to be done even up here. 233 00:15:43,860 --> 00:15:46,920 Lean has to keep the field journal. 234 00:15:46,920 --> 00:15:49,600 Everything is precisely recorded, 235 00:15:49,600 --> 00:15:53,903 weather, animal illness or medicines she has to administer. 236 00:15:56,450 --> 00:15:58,270 The shepherd's life reminds Lean 237 00:15:58,270 --> 00:16:00,670 of her young years in Jordan. 238 00:16:00,670 --> 00:16:03,630 A lot of her relatives worked as shepherds. 239 00:16:03,630 --> 00:16:06,713 Another reason why she loves her time on the alp. 240 00:16:09,890 --> 00:16:14,140 Many say that I'm stuck up here the whole summer. 241 00:16:14,140 --> 00:16:15,640 But for me, it's the opposite. 242 00:16:16,560 --> 00:16:19,060 When I'm down in the valley in winter, I'm stuck. 243 00:16:19,060 --> 00:16:21,253 When I'm up here in summer, I'm free. 244 00:16:22,748 --> 00:16:25,831 (upbeat Polka music) 245 00:16:27,830 --> 00:16:31,420 But not many people feel like Lean these days. 246 00:16:31,420 --> 00:16:33,790 It's harder and harder to find shepherds 247 00:16:33,790 --> 00:16:36,833 able and willing to put in the hard work. 248 00:16:39,890 --> 00:16:42,290 These two are also migrant workers 249 00:16:42,290 --> 00:16:44,120 and come from Austria. 250 00:16:44,120 --> 00:16:47,323 For many years, they've worked every summer in Switzerland. 251 00:16:48,528 --> 00:16:51,528 (cow bells clammer) 252 00:16:56,640 --> 00:16:59,160 The shepherds also need paying, 253 00:16:59,160 --> 00:17:02,763 but farming in the mountains brings in very little money. 254 00:17:04,960 --> 00:17:09,060 That's why in Switzerland, the state is heavily engaged. 255 00:17:09,060 --> 00:17:10,670 It's investing a lot of money 256 00:17:10,670 --> 00:17:14,553 to preserve biodiversity and ancient traditions. 257 00:17:17,900 --> 00:17:21,160 By early July, Reto Elmer from Planterhof, 258 00:17:21,160 --> 00:17:23,430 the state consultancy institute, 259 00:17:23,430 --> 00:17:25,760 is up in the mountains every day. 260 00:17:25,760 --> 00:17:27,963 He's mapping rare plants. 261 00:17:33,780 --> 00:17:35,550 (camera shutter clicks) 262 00:17:35,550 --> 00:17:36,543 Like rampion, 263 00:17:37,890 --> 00:17:39,063 kidney vetch, 264 00:17:40,860 --> 00:17:41,860 alpine thyme 265 00:17:45,926 --> 00:17:46,759 and campanula. 266 00:17:48,410 --> 00:17:52,513 These plants show that the meadow ecosystem is in tact here. 267 00:17:55,535 --> 00:17:56,368 (Reto speaking in foreign language) 268 00:17:56,368 --> 00:17:58,780 All these flowers, the colors and the scents, 269 00:17:58,780 --> 00:18:00,380 that's something very beautiful. 270 00:18:02,541 --> 00:18:05,041 (horn sounds) 271 00:18:07,720 --> 00:18:09,810 When Reto Elmer certifies 272 00:18:09,810 --> 00:18:12,560 the high species diversity here, 273 00:18:12,560 --> 00:18:15,570 it means hard cash for the farmers. 274 00:18:15,570 --> 00:18:19,510 He takes out a six meter diameter circle on the alp. 275 00:18:19,510 --> 00:18:24,510 He needs to find at least six of 25 selected alpine flowers 276 00:18:24,580 --> 00:18:26,543 known as indicator plants. 277 00:18:30,810 --> 00:18:33,840 Every hectare that meets this requirement 278 00:18:33,840 --> 00:18:36,593 qualifies for a sum of money as a subsidy. 279 00:18:42,350 --> 00:18:44,340 The farmers are paid the equivalent 280 00:18:44,340 --> 00:18:47,420 of about 130 euros per hectare, 281 00:18:47,420 --> 00:18:50,793 provided that the species diversity is large enough. 282 00:18:52,790 --> 00:18:54,173 Here, everything's fine. 283 00:19:03,590 --> 00:19:04,423 (Reto speaks in foreign language) 284 00:19:04,423 --> 00:19:06,340 The quality is very, very good. 285 00:19:06,340 --> 00:19:07,330 On this test area, 286 00:19:07,330 --> 00:19:09,930 we found at least 12 of these indicator plants. 287 00:19:09,930 --> 00:19:11,430 It's a very fine location. 288 00:19:11,430 --> 00:19:13,303 The quality is extremely good. 289 00:19:17,460 --> 00:19:20,430 It seems contradictory that cows 290 00:19:20,430 --> 00:19:24,513 eating plants and flowers preserve the biodiversity. 291 00:19:28,400 --> 00:19:32,670 Grazing animals prevent certain species from taking over 292 00:19:32,670 --> 00:19:37,033 and the growth of grasses is even stimulated by grazing. 293 00:19:41,710 --> 00:19:44,500 Over time, grasses and grass eaters 294 00:19:44,500 --> 00:19:46,553 have adapted to one another. 295 00:19:48,397 --> 00:19:49,230 (Reto speaks in foreign language) 296 00:19:49,230 --> 00:19:50,780 Grazing is essential for ensuring 297 00:19:50,780 --> 00:19:53,410 the species richness is preserved. 298 00:19:53,410 --> 00:19:56,620 If there's less grazing, dwarf shrubs gradually move in 299 00:19:56,620 --> 00:19:58,453 and suppress this great diversity. 300 00:20:03,440 --> 00:20:05,490 Without government subsidies, 301 00:20:05,490 --> 00:20:07,820 it often wouldn't be worthwhile these days 302 00:20:07,820 --> 00:20:10,930 taking livestock up into the mountains. 303 00:20:10,930 --> 00:20:15,100 In addition to the biodiversity bonus, there are subsidies 304 00:20:15,100 --> 00:20:18,720 known as summering contributions for each alp, 305 00:20:18,720 --> 00:20:21,453 with which, for example, the shepherds can be paid. 306 00:20:24,827 --> 00:20:28,744 (speaking in foreign language) 307 00:20:35,750 --> 00:20:39,930 The state invests around 150 million euros a year 308 00:20:39,930 --> 00:20:43,440 to promote grazing and biodiversity. 309 00:20:43,440 --> 00:20:46,720 This outlay is already showing good results 310 00:20:46,720 --> 00:20:49,833 for the mountain pastures and for the farmers. 311 00:20:52,900 --> 00:20:54,540 But for a few years now, 312 00:20:54,540 --> 00:20:56,600 the sheep farmers have been contending 313 00:20:56,600 --> 00:20:59,373 with a new challenge: wolves. 314 00:21:01,970 --> 00:21:05,743 Missing for nearly 400 years, they're back again. 315 00:21:09,690 --> 00:21:12,560 Jan Boner is the livestock protection commissioner 316 00:21:12,560 --> 00:21:14,083 for the Canton of Grison. 317 00:21:14,960 --> 00:21:17,100 Today, he's on his way to Lean 318 00:21:17,100 --> 00:21:19,200 because the Corn de Stelles Alp 319 00:21:19,200 --> 00:21:21,883 is in the middle of the territory of a wolf pack. 320 00:21:23,300 --> 00:21:27,000 Abusive prey also add to the species diversity 321 00:21:27,000 --> 00:21:30,653 and at the same time are controversial among the locals. 322 00:21:31,987 --> 00:21:36,987 (light music) (cowbells clammer) 323 00:21:39,030 --> 00:21:41,300 The farmers and shepherds especially 324 00:21:41,300 --> 00:21:43,303 are worried about their animals. 325 00:21:46,570 --> 00:21:49,500 The number of wolves is growing every year 326 00:21:49,500 --> 00:21:52,973 and increasingly often they snatch grazing livestock. 327 00:21:59,490 --> 00:22:02,480 That's a big problem for the sheep farmers. 328 00:22:02,480 --> 00:22:04,553 It's Jan Boner's job to help them. 329 00:22:14,877 --> 00:22:16,850 (sheep baaing) 330 00:22:16,850 --> 00:22:19,960 Six herd protection dogs live among the sheep 331 00:22:19,960 --> 00:22:22,940 on the Corn de Stelles Alp, day and night 332 00:22:22,940 --> 00:22:23,970 and look after them 333 00:22:27,700 --> 00:22:29,570 in addition to the herding dogs 334 00:22:29,570 --> 00:22:32,063 who live close together with the shepherds. 335 00:22:35,770 --> 00:22:37,990 The protection dogs, in contrast, 336 00:22:37,990 --> 00:22:40,560 aren't much interested in humans. 337 00:22:40,560 --> 00:22:42,193 Their families are the sheep. 338 00:22:46,890 --> 00:22:49,830 Jan Boner trains dogs and takes care 339 00:22:49,830 --> 00:22:51,810 that they're from good stock, 340 00:22:51,810 --> 00:22:54,607 like the dogs that Lean works with. 341 00:22:54,607 --> 00:22:56,857 (mumbling) 342 00:23:09,700 --> 00:23:12,850 Herd protection dogs have a demanding job. 343 00:23:12,850 --> 00:23:16,680 They need to learn to distinguish between friend and foe, 344 00:23:16,680 --> 00:23:18,063 which isn't so easy. 345 00:23:22,360 --> 00:23:24,520 The alp may be remote, 346 00:23:24,520 --> 00:23:26,910 but it's not only wolves who visit. 347 00:23:26,910 --> 00:23:30,573 Sometimes hikers come by with dogs. 348 00:23:33,787 --> 00:23:38,037 (Jan speaking in foreign language) 349 00:23:40,880 --> 00:23:42,690 Baryvan is still young 350 00:23:42,690 --> 00:23:45,600 and is in the middle of her training. 351 00:23:45,600 --> 00:23:49,540 Jan Boner and Lean Jabali are working towards the test 352 00:23:49,540 --> 00:23:52,223 that every herd protection dog has to take. 353 00:23:53,620 --> 00:23:56,960 Over the next 10 days, a collar with a transmitter 354 00:23:56,960 --> 00:23:59,563 will record all the dog's movements. 355 00:24:00,660 --> 00:24:03,820 The outlay for the dog training is great, 356 00:24:03,820 --> 00:24:05,933 as are their responsibilities. 357 00:24:07,257 --> 00:24:11,560 (Jan speaking in foreign language) 358 00:24:11,560 --> 00:24:13,780 Baryvan is a female and Italian 359 00:24:13,780 --> 00:24:15,600 herd protection dog. 360 00:24:15,600 --> 00:24:18,310 Her job is to drive the wolves away, 361 00:24:18,310 --> 00:24:21,680 kill them, market them or whatever. 362 00:24:21,680 --> 00:24:24,370 Tourists she has to leave alone. 363 00:24:24,370 --> 00:24:27,350 So she needs to get on well with people. 364 00:24:27,350 --> 00:24:29,730 We also test the relationship with the sheep. 365 00:24:29,730 --> 00:24:32,573 The dog has to show a sense of responsibility for them. 366 00:24:33,448 --> 00:24:34,920 That's the basic training. 367 00:24:34,920 --> 00:24:36,730 Beyond the herd, we also examine 368 00:24:36,730 --> 00:24:39,750 the dog's own stability and self-confidence. 369 00:24:39,750 --> 00:24:42,260 It's exposed to optical and acoustic signals 370 00:24:42,260 --> 00:24:43,660 to see if it freaks out 371 00:24:43,660 --> 00:24:45,710 and how long it takes to calm down again. 372 00:24:47,545 --> 00:24:52,545 (upbeat music) (dogs barking) 373 00:24:54,980 --> 00:24:57,200 The deterrent effect works. 374 00:24:57,200 --> 00:24:59,530 When there are protection dogs with the sheep, 375 00:24:59,530 --> 00:25:01,650 wolves look for other prey. 376 00:25:01,650 --> 00:25:02,713 Deer, for example. 377 00:25:10,600 --> 00:25:12,953 But protection can never be 100%. 378 00:25:13,810 --> 00:25:16,530 In wolf territory, sheep farmers have to expect 379 00:25:16,530 --> 00:25:19,013 that they'll lose animals from time to time. 380 00:25:22,880 --> 00:25:24,830 I lost 10 sheep 381 00:25:27,340 --> 00:25:28,640 because of the wolf. 382 00:25:28,640 --> 00:25:31,010 Yeah, he's back. 383 00:25:31,010 --> 00:25:32,140 It's a fact. 384 00:25:32,140 --> 00:25:35,580 And I think I just have to do what I can 385 00:25:35,580 --> 00:25:37,373 to protect the sheep. 386 00:25:38,429 --> 00:25:41,012 (dogs barking) 387 00:25:44,031 --> 00:25:46,580 (sheep baaing) 388 00:25:46,580 --> 00:25:47,840 That includes herding the sheep 389 00:25:47,840 --> 00:25:49,460 together at night, 390 00:25:49,460 --> 00:25:52,793 for which she is dependent on her two herding dogs. 391 00:25:54,885 --> 00:25:57,302 (Lean yells) 392 00:25:58,630 --> 00:26:01,223 She trained her dog Sia herself. 393 00:26:02,100 --> 00:26:04,140 Her I trust, yes, 100% 394 00:26:04,140 --> 00:26:07,970 because she sees also danger. 395 00:26:07,970 --> 00:26:12,970 So she does not just bring the sheep or push the sheep. 396 00:26:13,170 --> 00:26:15,290 When she sees that there's a cliff, 397 00:26:15,290 --> 00:26:17,200 she waits and she takes it easy. 398 00:26:17,200 --> 00:26:18,710 So her, I can really trust 399 00:26:18,710 --> 00:26:21,847 'cause she thinks for herself as well. 400 00:26:21,847 --> 00:26:24,430 (bright music) 401 00:26:25,920 --> 00:26:28,760 Lean has to round up nearly 900 sheep 402 00:26:28,760 --> 00:26:30,910 into the nighttime fold. 403 00:26:30,910 --> 00:26:34,003 It takes one to two hours every night. 404 00:26:42,740 --> 00:26:47,160 Human and animals are a well-coordinated team. 405 00:26:47,160 --> 00:26:50,143 For the herding dogs, it's the high point of the day. 406 00:26:56,610 --> 00:26:59,130 Border collies and other herding races 407 00:26:59,130 --> 00:27:02,070 are especially bred for this work. 408 00:27:02,070 --> 00:27:03,830 People have been setting them to work 409 00:27:03,830 --> 00:27:05,860 in the fields for centuries. 410 00:27:05,860 --> 00:27:08,133 Herding and tending is in their blood. 411 00:27:09,957 --> 00:27:14,957 (sheep baaing) (dogs barking) 412 00:27:19,990 --> 00:27:24,220 In the past when there weren't yet any wolves in Grison, 413 00:27:24,220 --> 00:27:25,970 the sheep were allowed to wander free 414 00:27:25,970 --> 00:27:27,850 in the meadows at night. 415 00:27:27,850 --> 00:27:30,100 A lot of sheep farmers even left their sheep 416 00:27:30,100 --> 00:27:32,900 in the mountains without shepherds. 417 00:27:32,900 --> 00:27:36,000 The Corn de Stelles Alp, where Lean works, 418 00:27:36,000 --> 00:27:38,980 also managed without shepherds for some years. 419 00:27:38,980 --> 00:27:40,700 Unthinkable today. 420 00:27:40,700 --> 00:27:42,433 The losses will be too big. 421 00:27:52,960 --> 00:27:57,030 The herd protection dogs stay overnight with the sheep, 422 00:27:57,030 --> 00:28:01,670 guarding by shepherds, her protection dogs and by penning. 423 00:28:01,670 --> 00:28:05,243 Nothing more can be done to keep the sheep safe from wolves. 424 00:28:07,580 --> 00:28:10,733 I also have animals that die from steinschlag, 425 00:28:12,700 --> 00:28:16,430 that fall down, that are sick 426 00:28:16,430 --> 00:28:18,300 and it's also nature. 427 00:28:18,300 --> 00:28:22,090 And those cases are much more 428 00:28:22,090 --> 00:28:25,163 than the ones who get killed from the wolf. 429 00:28:27,480 --> 00:28:30,330 Wolves are not the biggest problem, 430 00:28:30,330 --> 00:28:33,453 but they have made alpine grazing more demanding. 431 00:28:36,770 --> 00:28:39,670 Farmers have been grazing their livestock in the Swiss Alps 432 00:28:39,670 --> 00:28:41,830 for many hundreds of years 433 00:28:41,830 --> 00:28:43,130 and for most of that time, 434 00:28:43,130 --> 00:28:45,620 there were wolves here as well. 435 00:28:45,620 --> 00:28:47,520 It's just that humans have forgotten 436 00:28:47,520 --> 00:28:49,523 how to deal with the predators. 437 00:28:57,640 --> 00:28:59,330 There's not all that much to eat 438 00:28:59,330 --> 00:29:03,210 in the grazing areas of the alps, so in some regions, 439 00:29:03,210 --> 00:29:06,550 the sheep have to be moved on in midsummer, 440 00:29:06,550 --> 00:29:10,623 as with this herd, about 50 kilometers away from Lean. 441 00:29:16,470 --> 00:29:17,840 At the beginning of July, 442 00:29:17,840 --> 00:29:20,340 the first area is grazed out 443 00:29:20,340 --> 00:29:23,080 and the shepherds drive around 500 sheep 444 00:29:23,080 --> 00:29:25,843 to another alp near the Austrian border. 445 00:29:29,450 --> 00:29:31,960 They have a long trek ahead of them. 446 00:29:31,960 --> 00:29:34,303 It'll take them a good eight hours. 447 00:29:42,480 --> 00:29:47,100 It takes a lot of effort and a vet has to be present. 448 00:29:47,100 --> 00:29:50,593 The shepherds and all the sheep farmers also take part. 449 00:29:53,175 --> 00:29:58,175 (sheep baaing) (bells tinkling) 450 00:29:59,544 --> 00:30:01,590 (man yelling) 451 00:30:01,590 --> 00:30:03,850 They make a stop over at the Gruescher Alp farm 452 00:30:03,850 --> 00:30:05,540 for a health check, 453 00:30:05,540 --> 00:30:08,010 a chance for the farmers to take another close look 454 00:30:08,010 --> 00:30:08,860 at their animals. 455 00:30:15,450 --> 00:30:19,440 Jan Boner is responsible for organizing the move. 456 00:30:19,440 --> 00:30:22,313 He keeps some sheep himself as a sideline. 457 00:30:23,150 --> 00:30:26,520 All the animals are put through a disinfection bath. 458 00:30:26,520 --> 00:30:28,770 This protects against foot rot, 459 00:30:28,770 --> 00:30:32,053 a dangerous and infectious inflammation of the hooves. 460 00:30:33,230 --> 00:30:35,813 A good opportunity to count the sheep. 461 00:30:41,605 --> 00:30:42,438 (Jan speaking in foreign language) 462 00:30:42,438 --> 00:30:44,080 All there, down to the last one, 463 00:30:44,080 --> 00:30:45,630 thanks not just to the good weather, 464 00:30:45,630 --> 00:30:47,470 but also to the shepherds. 465 00:30:47,470 --> 00:30:48,520 We're really pleased. 466 00:30:49,848 --> 00:30:51,848 (sheep baaing) 467 00:30:51,848 --> 00:30:54,070 (men talking in foreign language) 468 00:30:54,070 --> 00:30:56,750 Some new arrivals need registering 469 00:30:56,750 --> 00:30:58,573 and are treated for worms. 470 00:31:10,710 --> 00:31:12,960 Finally, they set off again. 471 00:31:12,960 --> 00:31:15,993 They'll be on route for another five hours at least. 472 00:31:27,880 --> 00:31:31,420 It's uphilL towards the Zuelschlu Peak. 473 00:31:31,420 --> 00:31:35,950 The new grazing area is nearly 2,400 meters up. 474 00:31:35,950 --> 00:31:40,220 It's a stressful move for both humans and animals, 475 00:31:40,220 --> 00:31:42,170 but then they'll have nearly three months 476 00:31:42,170 --> 00:31:43,233 of peace and quiet. 477 00:31:44,592 --> 00:31:47,509 (slow polka music) 478 00:31:51,490 --> 00:31:53,360 Most of the sheep in Grison 479 00:31:53,360 --> 00:31:56,990 are kept for lambs, meat and wool, 480 00:31:56,990 --> 00:32:00,690 but that no longer brings in much of a return. 481 00:32:00,690 --> 00:32:03,410 So up on the Borden Alp in Langwies, 482 00:32:03,410 --> 00:32:05,313 they're looking for alternatives. 483 00:32:08,770 --> 00:32:13,200 David Zippert also keeps sheep, but for milk. 484 00:32:13,200 --> 00:32:14,730 His family has been farming 485 00:32:14,730 --> 00:32:18,260 the local alpine pastures for 400 years. 486 00:32:18,260 --> 00:32:21,130 He wants to keep up the old traditions 487 00:32:21,130 --> 00:32:23,070 and is there for looking for new ways 488 00:32:23,070 --> 00:32:24,713 to market his products. 489 00:32:27,630 --> 00:32:31,550 David Zippert would like to be at least partly independent 490 00:32:31,550 --> 00:32:33,440 of government subsidies, 491 00:32:33,440 --> 00:32:35,910 so he's come up with new ideas. 492 00:32:35,910 --> 00:32:39,113 Every summer, he takes his family up into the mountains. 493 00:32:43,367 --> 00:32:47,175 (David speaks in foreign language) 494 00:32:47,175 --> 00:32:49,550 What I like best is the beauty of nature. 495 00:32:49,550 --> 00:32:51,147 Every day in the mountains with the animals 496 00:32:51,147 --> 00:32:54,610 and the plant life, that gives me a lot of strength. 497 00:32:54,610 --> 00:32:57,340 And of course, it's great to work together as a family, 498 00:32:57,340 --> 00:33:00,580 with my wife and often the children join in. 499 00:33:00,580 --> 00:33:02,760 That's by no means standard. 500 00:33:02,760 --> 00:33:04,843 Impossible in many occupations. 501 00:33:08,883 --> 00:33:11,466 (upbeat music) 502 00:33:14,790 --> 00:33:17,270 Every evening, he milks his sheep. 503 00:33:17,270 --> 00:33:19,450 That's rare in Grison. 504 00:33:19,450 --> 00:33:21,863 Sheep's cheese is not traditional here. 505 00:33:31,640 --> 00:33:35,540 David Zippert wants to secure new sources of income 506 00:33:35,540 --> 00:33:39,033 in case the state cuts back its support at some point. 507 00:33:47,690 --> 00:33:48,893 Next, please. 508 00:33:50,100 --> 00:33:53,000 The sheep are milked for around five months, 509 00:33:53,000 --> 00:33:55,690 then they're services by the ram. 510 00:33:55,690 --> 00:33:58,943 Until then, they produce about a liter of milk a day. 511 00:34:04,380 --> 00:34:07,070 The milk is processed immediately. 512 00:34:07,070 --> 00:34:10,280 David travels down to the valley at least twice a week 513 00:34:10,280 --> 00:34:14,483 to his own dairy where he produces organic sheep's cheese. 514 00:34:21,240 --> 00:34:23,980 Production takes about half a day. 515 00:34:23,980 --> 00:34:27,803 All handmade, and therefore labor-intensive. 516 00:34:34,600 --> 00:34:38,080 The finished cheese is put in the maturing chamber 517 00:34:38,080 --> 00:34:41,013 and after four or five days, can then be wrapped. 518 00:34:43,430 --> 00:34:46,270 The Zipperts supply village shops and restaurants 519 00:34:46,270 --> 00:34:47,780 in the region. 520 00:34:47,780 --> 00:34:50,280 The sheep's cheese business is doing well, 521 00:34:50,280 --> 00:34:52,893 but they couldn't support themselves from it alone. 522 00:34:57,643 --> 00:35:00,560 (David speaks in foreign language) 523 00:35:00,560 --> 00:35:01,710 For our business, 524 00:35:01,710 --> 00:35:03,610 the direct payments from the state 525 00:35:03,610 --> 00:35:05,553 are an important part of the turnover. 526 00:35:08,630 --> 00:35:11,173 Farming all the land is a lot of work, 527 00:35:12,610 --> 00:35:14,920 especially when you produce hay, 528 00:35:14,920 --> 00:35:17,110 partly on steep slopes. 529 00:35:17,110 --> 00:35:20,383 That would not be viable through product sales alone. 530 00:35:25,280 --> 00:35:28,390 David is also pursuing unusual paths 531 00:35:28,390 --> 00:35:30,890 as far as grazing is concerned. 532 00:35:30,890 --> 00:35:35,090 He also has ponies, horses and donkeys up on the alp, 533 00:35:35,090 --> 00:35:36,683 alternating with the sheep. 534 00:35:38,330 --> 00:35:41,160 That's also supported by the state. 535 00:35:41,160 --> 00:35:43,550 It's very good for the biodiversity 536 00:35:43,550 --> 00:35:45,600 and condition of the meadows 537 00:35:45,600 --> 00:35:48,623 because the animals graze on different plants. 538 00:35:50,817 --> 00:35:54,021 (David speaks in foreign language) 539 00:35:54,021 --> 00:35:55,970 The dry grass here forms tussets 540 00:35:55,970 --> 00:35:57,703 that the sheep don't like eating. 541 00:35:59,230 --> 00:36:02,470 But donkeys and horses are happy to eat it 542 00:36:02,470 --> 00:36:05,830 and in addition, if you keep these animals in the meadows, 543 00:36:05,830 --> 00:36:07,720 it ensures that a balanced mixture 544 00:36:07,720 --> 00:36:10,660 of weeds, grasses and flowers is maintained. 545 00:36:13,794 --> 00:36:16,794 (light polka music) 546 00:36:18,700 --> 00:36:20,650 Maintaining the alpine landscape 547 00:36:20,650 --> 00:36:22,250 can be achieved both through 548 00:36:22,250 --> 00:36:25,363 old traditions and new approaches. 549 00:36:30,360 --> 00:36:32,840 Nevertheless, the way the alps are worked 550 00:36:32,840 --> 00:36:36,090 has changed very little in centuries. 551 00:36:36,090 --> 00:36:38,613 It's nature that sets the pace up here. 552 00:36:48,700 --> 00:36:51,290 Summer is coming to its close. 553 00:36:51,290 --> 00:36:53,970 It's already quite cold in the mountains. 554 00:36:53,970 --> 00:36:55,843 Soon, the first snow will come. 555 00:36:57,192 --> 00:36:59,000 At the end of September, Lean is getting ready 556 00:36:59,000 --> 00:37:01,223 to drive the sheep down the mountain. 557 00:37:02,957 --> 00:37:07,570 (dogs barking) (Lean yelling) 558 00:37:07,570 --> 00:37:10,660 She spent a good four months with the animals 559 00:37:10,660 --> 00:37:14,880 up in the mountains. (Lean yelling) 560 00:37:14,880 --> 00:37:18,320 Now she has to take the 900 sheep entrusted to her 561 00:37:18,320 --> 00:37:20,820 safely down into the valley. 562 00:37:20,820 --> 00:37:24,436 The descent is the culmination of the year. 563 00:37:24,436 --> 00:37:27,519 (upbeat polka music) 564 00:37:43,680 --> 00:37:47,260 The rock tunnel is a bottleneck along the way, 565 00:37:47,260 --> 00:37:49,810 but as soon as the first sheep are through, 566 00:37:49,810 --> 00:37:51,557 the rest of the herd follow. 567 00:38:12,517 --> 00:38:14,450 There's another 10 kilometers to go 568 00:38:14,450 --> 00:38:17,440 and around a thousand meters in altitude 569 00:38:17,440 --> 00:38:18,673 down to the village. 570 00:38:43,570 --> 00:38:46,130 The sheep have to be kept moving 571 00:38:46,130 --> 00:38:48,830 not too fast and not too slow. 572 00:38:48,830 --> 00:38:52,710 The right pace is important for the herd to keep together. 573 00:38:52,710 --> 00:38:54,840 Krisjon Elny is responsible 574 00:38:54,840 --> 00:38:56,493 for everything running smoothly. 575 00:38:57,695 --> 00:39:00,195 (men yelling) 576 00:39:08,980 --> 00:39:11,923 A brief stop for the herd to come together again. 577 00:39:39,960 --> 00:39:41,780 When the paths get wider, 578 00:39:41,780 --> 00:39:46,600 individual sheep keep breaking away and if things go wrong, 579 00:39:46,600 --> 00:39:49,350 hundreds of others can quickly follow. 580 00:39:49,350 --> 00:39:53,500 So it's vital that no group heads off in the wrong direction 581 00:39:53,500 --> 00:39:56,033 and, for example, disappears into the forest. 582 00:39:57,710 --> 00:40:00,010 Lean is responsible for ensuring 583 00:40:00,010 --> 00:40:02,180 that no sheep gets lost. 584 00:40:02,180 --> 00:40:04,793 Without her dogs, she wouldn't stand a chance. 585 00:40:06,053 --> 00:40:07,350 (Lean yelling) 586 00:40:07,350 --> 00:40:09,870 The herding dogs will cover the whole distance 587 00:40:09,870 --> 00:40:12,023 several times over today. 588 00:40:35,670 --> 00:40:37,080 Everyone's relieved 589 00:40:37,080 --> 00:40:39,940 that the weather's playing along this year. 590 00:40:39,940 --> 00:40:43,930 Often, they're overtaken by rain or snow by this time. 591 00:40:43,930 --> 00:40:45,650 That's not only unpleasant, 592 00:40:45,650 --> 00:40:48,170 but makes the descent even more dangerous 593 00:40:48,170 --> 00:40:49,423 than it already is. 594 00:41:00,970 --> 00:41:03,770 Not much further now down to the valley. 595 00:41:03,770 --> 00:41:06,960 They've taken about two and a half hours so far 596 00:41:06,960 --> 00:41:09,703 and descended a good thousand meters in altitude. 597 00:41:31,450 --> 00:41:33,810 Kyle Elny's sheep barn. 598 00:41:33,810 --> 00:41:35,733 This is where most of the sheep live. 599 00:41:37,696 --> 00:41:42,696 (sheep baaing) (bells clammer) 600 00:41:54,670 --> 00:41:56,720 One of the herd protection dogs 601 00:41:56,720 --> 00:42:00,390 has clearly suffered from the hardships of the descent. 602 00:42:00,390 --> 00:42:04,530 He's already 10 years old and ready for retirement. 603 00:42:04,530 --> 00:42:07,413 Next year, he'll stay down below in the valley. 604 00:42:08,466 --> 00:42:10,966 (dog panting) 605 00:42:15,100 --> 00:42:18,480 Some of the animals still have a way to go. 606 00:42:18,480 --> 00:42:20,630 A sophisticated sleuth system 607 00:42:20,630 --> 00:42:23,300 divides them into smaller groups 608 00:42:23,300 --> 00:42:25,633 so that each farmer can take his sheep home. 609 00:42:35,249 --> 00:42:38,416 (metal gates clammer) 610 00:42:50,520 --> 00:42:52,840 Arno Casty who's over 80 611 00:42:52,840 --> 00:42:55,990 has also come along to take delivery of his sheep, 612 00:42:55,990 --> 00:42:58,250 maybe for the last time. 613 00:42:58,250 --> 00:43:01,933 He's probably going to give up keeping sheep soon. 614 00:43:02,900 --> 00:43:07,900 (mumbling) (child jabbering) 615 00:43:08,640 --> 00:43:11,860 His granddaughter and daughter have come with him. 616 00:43:11,860 --> 00:43:15,373 They want to experience Arno's world one more time. 617 00:43:19,220 --> 00:43:21,650 Lean is happy that she's brought the sheep 618 00:43:21,650 --> 00:43:23,193 safety down to the valley. 619 00:43:24,030 --> 00:43:26,920 The season is coming to an end for her. 620 00:43:26,920 --> 00:43:30,510 One more signature and the responsibility for the animals 621 00:43:30,510 --> 00:43:32,073 is back with their owners. 622 00:43:35,349 --> 00:43:38,182 (men calling out) 623 00:43:46,590 --> 00:43:50,520 They all have a special relationship to their animals. 624 00:43:50,520 --> 00:43:54,320 The older ones who have known a completely different world 625 00:43:54,320 --> 00:43:57,563 and the younger ones who are making their own way in life. 626 00:43:58,890 --> 00:44:03,170 State subsidies are helping to maintain alpine farming, 627 00:44:03,170 --> 00:44:06,493 but the farmers want to give their work added value. 628 00:44:08,270 --> 00:44:10,250 With wool, for instance. 629 00:44:10,250 --> 00:44:11,450 In autumn and spring, 630 00:44:11,450 --> 00:44:14,463 professional shearers go from village to village. 631 00:44:21,580 --> 00:44:24,960 The right grip and the sheep holds still 632 00:44:24,960 --> 00:44:27,343 so there are hardly any injuries. 633 00:44:36,710 --> 00:44:40,320 The shearers need two to five minutes per sheep, 634 00:44:40,320 --> 00:44:43,203 resulting in up to four kilograms of wool. 635 00:44:48,750 --> 00:44:51,060 It's hard to believe 10 years ago 636 00:44:51,060 --> 00:44:53,970 this wool was practically worthless, 637 00:44:53,970 --> 00:44:56,910 but the sheep have to be sheared in any case. 638 00:44:56,910 --> 00:45:01,370 Many farmers simply threw the wool away or burned it. 639 00:45:01,370 --> 00:45:04,280 A natural product for the waste bin 640 00:45:04,280 --> 00:45:06,713 because there were just no buyers for it. 641 00:45:20,250 --> 00:45:22,380 What looks soft and fluffy 642 00:45:22,380 --> 00:45:25,270 is actually unpleasant to the skin. 643 00:45:25,270 --> 00:45:30,060 The fleece of alpine sheep is relatively short and scratchy. 644 00:45:30,060 --> 00:45:32,383 Very different, say, from merino wool. 645 00:45:33,920 --> 00:45:35,390 The Swiss stand no chance 646 00:45:35,390 --> 00:45:38,090 against the competition from New Zealand, 647 00:45:38,090 --> 00:45:40,270 but thanks to a clever sales idea, 648 00:45:40,270 --> 00:45:41,943 the situation is improving. 649 00:45:55,600 --> 00:45:59,100 The farmers still don't make a lot of money from their wool, 650 00:45:59,100 --> 00:46:01,570 but there are now takers. 651 00:46:01,570 --> 00:46:04,420 They're not just marketing the product itself, 652 00:46:04,420 --> 00:46:07,660 but also advertising everything connected with it: 653 00:46:07,660 --> 00:46:11,200 the countryside, tradition and a lifestyle. 654 00:46:11,200 --> 00:46:13,623 And slowly, the price of wool is rising. 655 00:46:32,630 --> 00:46:35,680 Instead of throwing the wool away or burning it, 656 00:46:35,680 --> 00:46:39,070 the farmers now take it to collection points. 657 00:46:39,070 --> 00:46:42,500 The biggest customer is the Swiss Wool Company. 658 00:46:42,500 --> 00:46:46,270 It collects almost half of Switzerland's wool. 659 00:46:46,270 --> 00:46:48,830 They accept everything the farmers bring them 660 00:46:48,830 --> 00:46:50,503 and pay cash in hand. 661 00:46:58,540 --> 00:47:02,150 The idea behind Swiss wool is working out. 662 00:47:02,150 --> 00:47:04,970 A lot of customers, especially in Switzerland, 663 00:47:04,970 --> 00:47:08,593 are willing to pay a bit more for the guaranteed origin. 664 00:47:10,890 --> 00:47:14,360 The original Swiss wool is processed not in Switzerland, 665 00:47:14,360 --> 00:47:17,453 but in Germany, in Dinkelsbühl near Stuttgart. 666 00:47:18,430 --> 00:47:22,400 After washing it, it weighs half of what it did before. 667 00:47:22,400 --> 00:47:26,413 They produce around 200 tons of Swiss wool here every year. 668 00:47:29,436 --> 00:47:30,269 (Friedrich speaking in foreign language) 669 00:47:30,269 --> 00:47:32,440 It's typically for mattresses. 670 00:47:32,440 --> 00:47:34,630 We call it B quality. 671 00:47:34,630 --> 00:47:36,150 A is for clothing. 672 00:47:36,150 --> 00:47:38,220 It's being processed now. 673 00:47:38,220 --> 00:47:40,080 We load it on the truck tonight 674 00:47:40,080 --> 00:47:43,423 and tomorrow it'll be in Switzerland at the mattress makers. 675 00:47:47,860 --> 00:47:50,130 The Swiss wool label was established 676 00:47:50,130 --> 00:47:52,260 around 10 years ago. 677 00:47:52,260 --> 00:47:54,830 More and more products have been introduced 678 00:47:54,830 --> 00:47:59,340 for quilts, felt, luden cloths and jacket padding. 679 00:47:59,340 --> 00:48:02,730 Even for fleece and insulating material. 680 00:48:02,730 --> 00:48:06,653 The label, grown in Switzerland, is a selling point. 681 00:48:12,570 --> 00:48:15,900 The alpine farmers benefit from Swiss wool 682 00:48:15,900 --> 00:48:18,100 as does the environment. 683 00:48:18,100 --> 00:48:20,570 There are no long transport routes 684 00:48:20,570 --> 00:48:21,810 and in lots of cases, 685 00:48:21,810 --> 00:48:25,743 wool and fleece is even replacing manmade fiber products. 686 00:48:29,555 --> 00:48:32,055 (light music) 687 00:48:34,610 --> 00:48:37,720 In Grison, winter has set in. 688 00:48:37,720 --> 00:48:40,430 A few months ago, sheep, cows and goats 689 00:48:40,430 --> 00:48:42,870 were still grazing here. 690 00:48:42,870 --> 00:48:44,883 The alps are hardly recognizable. 691 00:48:45,780 --> 00:48:47,370 Up to three meters of snow 692 00:48:47,370 --> 00:48:49,070 are not uncommon at this altitude. 693 00:48:59,381 --> 00:49:01,798 (bell rings) 694 00:49:11,850 --> 00:49:15,660 The sheep spend the cold winter months in the barn 695 00:49:15,660 --> 00:49:17,890 and live off the hay that the farmers made 696 00:49:17,890 --> 00:49:19,193 in summer in the valley. 697 00:49:21,570 --> 00:49:24,080 In winter, too, the herd protection dogs 698 00:49:24,080 --> 00:49:26,290 are always with the sheep. 699 00:49:26,290 --> 00:49:29,100 That's no problem is a big barn like this, 700 00:49:29,100 --> 00:49:31,250 but for farmers with only a few sheep, 701 00:49:31,250 --> 00:49:34,440 it can be difficult to accommodate the dogs. 702 00:49:34,440 --> 00:49:38,320 For all the farmers, the running costs for food and vets 703 00:49:38,320 --> 00:49:40,933 are paid for once again by the state. 704 00:49:43,645 --> 00:49:46,228 (sheep baaing) 705 00:49:48,720 --> 00:49:50,560 Sheep farmer Kyle Enly 706 00:49:50,560 --> 00:49:53,650 and her protection consultant Jan Boner 707 00:49:53,650 --> 00:49:55,440 are checking the animals. 708 00:49:55,440 --> 00:49:57,580 Their work never stops. 709 00:49:57,580 --> 00:49:59,423 Soon it will be the lambing season. 710 00:50:00,572 --> 00:50:03,655 (upbeat polka music) 711 00:50:06,360 --> 00:50:09,403 Everyone's waiting for the snow to melt. 712 00:50:17,740 --> 00:50:20,660 The landscape that the Swiss are so proud of 713 00:50:20,660 --> 00:50:23,390 cannot be taken for granted. 714 00:50:23,390 --> 00:50:27,570 It will only be preserved if cows, sheep and goats 715 00:50:27,570 --> 00:50:29,193 continue to graze here. 716 00:50:30,160 --> 00:50:32,460 If there are people like Lean, 717 00:50:32,460 --> 00:50:33,880 willing to live with the animals 718 00:50:33,880 --> 00:50:35,633 on the alp for months on end, 719 00:50:38,140 --> 00:50:42,233 if the Swiss continue to finance landscape conservation, 720 00:50:45,080 --> 00:50:47,750 then Switzerland will remain a model 721 00:50:47,750 --> 00:50:49,813 for other mountain regions. 722 00:50:54,441 --> 00:50:59,441 (sheep baaing) (bells tinkling) 52192

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