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David Attenborough:
The relationship between plants
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and humans is extraordinary.
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We've been adapting
to each other
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00:00:48,400 --> 00:00:51,280
for as long as we've been
on the planet.
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00:00:53,800 --> 00:00:57,800
We rely upon plants
for almost everything.
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00:00:57,920 --> 00:00:59,760
The air we breathe,
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00:00:59,880 --> 00:01:01,440
the water we drink,
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00:01:01,560 --> 00:01:03,120
the food we eat,
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much of the clothes we wear,
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and in some parts of the world,
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the very buildings
in which we live.
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But that relationship
is now changing.
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How it changes next
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00:01:18,680 --> 00:01:23,080
will shape the future
of our green planet.
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Some plants have the ability
to live alongside us...
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Even when we make it
extremely difficult
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for them to do so.
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This is piccadilly circus
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in the heart of London.
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It would be difficult to imagine
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00:01:58,600 --> 00:02:01,880
a more hostile place
for a plant.
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00:02:03,440 --> 00:02:06,920
And yet, even here,
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00:02:07,040 --> 00:02:09,400
plants will find a way.
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Plants like this may seem
to follow us wherever we go.
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We call them -
perhaps a little unkindly -
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weeds.
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00:02:36,880 --> 00:02:40,840
In fact, these plants
are pioneers,
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00:02:40,960 --> 00:02:44,680
the ones that are most able
to take advantage
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00:02:44,800 --> 00:02:47,880
of new habitats,
even very harsh ones.
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00:02:52,800 --> 00:02:56,200
This wall is
at least 100 years old.
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00:02:56,320 --> 00:02:58,520
It's like a sheer cliff face,
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with no sign of soil.
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00:03:01,920 --> 00:03:06,040
And yet, this Ivy-leaved
toadflax thrives here.
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How?
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The plant grows
towards the light,
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with its flowers facing outwards
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to attract pollinators.
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00:03:17,680 --> 00:03:20,400
But once they've succeeded
in doing that
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00:03:20,520 --> 00:03:22,840
and the seed pods
have started to develop,
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its behaviour changes.
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00:03:26,720 --> 00:03:28,840
Now the pods turn
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and grow away from the light,
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seeking the darkest place
they can find.
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A crevice, perhaps,
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00:03:37,120 --> 00:03:38,320
like this one.
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00:03:43,360 --> 00:03:46,080
It's all the toadflax needs.
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It can now germinate and start
to produce a new plant.
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00:04:08,640 --> 00:04:11,800
Other pioneers have
a different strategy.
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00:04:11,920 --> 00:04:15,960
They, instead, distribute
their seeds far and wide
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in great numbers.
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Sow thistles are masters
of this trick.
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Each of its seeds is equipped
with a tiny downy parachute
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which will catch
the slightest breeze.
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00:04:32,520 --> 00:04:35,480
And they can travel
extraordinary distances.
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00:04:37,360 --> 00:04:39,920
They can rise a mile high
in the sky
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and reach places
hundreds of miles away
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from the parent plant.
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The seeds only need to find
the tiniest chink...
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And they can take hold.
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00:04:58,560 --> 00:05:02,280
We barely notice
many of these plant invaders.
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But here,
in the heart of Hong Kong,
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00:05:07,680 --> 00:05:09,400
strangler fig seeds
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that landed on a stone wall
generations ago
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have spread their flexible
branching roots far and wide.
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They can be anchored so firmly
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that they become a part
of the city's architecture.
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00:05:31,320 --> 00:05:35,840
This is, perhaps,
the ultimate weed.
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But there are places where
the extraordinary abilities
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of fig trees have created
a very different relationship
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with human beings.
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(Birds call)
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Meghalaya, in northeast India...
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A high-altitude plateau
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riven by
dizzying/y steep valleys.
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00:06:15,080 --> 00:06:17,800
It's home to the khasi people...
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Who've learned how to use
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the remarkable properties
of fig trees
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00:06:26,280 --> 00:06:29,120
to help them live
in such difficult country.
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00:06:33,160 --> 00:06:34,800
As in Hong Kong,
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00:06:34,920 --> 00:06:38,280
the tree's numerous roots
anchor it firmly,
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00:06:38,400 --> 00:06:41,480
here, to steep mountainsides.
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These roots can grow
up to 2. 5cm a day.
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They are unusually strong,
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flexible
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and can develop
into a multitude of shapes.
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The khasi persuade them
to provide them with stairs.
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00:07:08,720 --> 00:07:10,360
The monsoon season brings
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a seemingly insurmountable
challenge
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for khasi communities.
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(Thunder rumbles)
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This is the wettest place
in the world.
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Nearly 30cm of rain can fall
in a day.
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Rivers become lethal torrents,
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dividing communities
from each other.
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This is when the relationship
between fig trees and the khasi
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becomes most important.
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They deliberately plant
fig trees near the rivers.
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When they're mature enough
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to have developed
many hanging roots,
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00:08:01,360 --> 00:08:05,360
shining star kongthaw
begins working with them.
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He guides the roots
through bamboo tubes
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that are pointed towards
the opposite river bank.
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These strands will combine
as they grow,
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sharing nutrients and resources,
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and becoming stronger than
a lone strand could ever be.
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As the years pass,
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the growing roots
become a living bridge.
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As they grow,
they become ever stronger
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and more stable.
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This unusual relationship
has allowed the people here
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to thrive in an otherwise
challenging landscape.
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But there are plants
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that have found
a deeper partnership with us,
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00:10:49,280 --> 00:10:53,720
and in doing so, have changed
landscapes across the globe.
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00:10:57,280 --> 00:10:59,960
It began over 10,000 years ago
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00:11:00,080 --> 00:11:03,800
with plants that we found
especially good to eat.
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00:11:05,720 --> 00:11:09,800
At first, this relationship
created challenges of its own.
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00:11:11,400 --> 00:11:14,040
Many of the ancestral grasses,
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00:11:14,160 --> 00:11:16,480
like these wild oats
from Israel,
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have a trick to ensure
that their seeds
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are planted
in the perfect place.
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Each seedhead, at the top,
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carries two long bristles
called awns,
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00:11:29,600 --> 00:11:32,920
and when a seed drops
to the ground,
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00:11:33,040 --> 00:11:36,760
these awns do something
truly extraordinary.
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They walk.
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00:12:22,680 --> 00:12:26,640
The awns twist as they dry out
during the day,
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00:12:26,760 --> 00:12:28,440
and then, when they get wet...
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00:12:31,120 --> 00:12:33,720
They untwist.
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00:12:35,960 --> 00:12:38,680
Tiny hairs grip onto the ground,
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00:12:38,800 --> 00:12:41,680
keeping the individual
moving forward.
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00:12:48,000 --> 00:12:51,400
In this way, the seeds work
their way along the ground
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until, eventually, they find
a rock to hide under
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00:12:55,320 --> 00:12:57,600
or a crack to drill into.
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00:13:03,560 --> 00:13:06,560
This adaptation is useful
for the plant
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00:13:06,680 --> 00:13:08,160
but not for us.
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00:13:09,560 --> 00:13:11,040
It's hard to collect seeds
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when they drop off
and walk away.
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00:13:14,760 --> 00:13:17,800
So our ancestors selected plants
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whose seeds don't drop off,
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don't have legs
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and don't Bury themselves
out of reach.
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They also selected
those individuals
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which put their energy into
developing much larger seeds.
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Close relationships like this
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have developed
all over the world...
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00:13:42,800 --> 00:13:47,040
Producing the plants
that are now our crops.
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This may seem a poor deal
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00:13:53,120 --> 00:13:54,480
from the point of view
of plants,
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00:13:54,600 --> 00:13:55,920
butnotso.
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We eat their seeds
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but, in return,
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we Cherish and cultivate them
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00:14:02,640 --> 00:14:07,440
and now they are widespread
and far more abundant
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than their wild ancestors.
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You might call this
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a bargain
between ourselves and plants,
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00:14:20,600 --> 00:14:22,120
and over the years
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00:14:22,240 --> 00:14:24,680
it's proved
extraordinarily powerful.
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00:14:34,320 --> 00:14:35,800
In the beginning...
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The bargain operated
on a small scale.
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Plant, tend, and harvest by hand
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in small patches.
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Over time,
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these plants produced more food
increasingly efficiently...
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And the partnerships
became more exclusive.
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We started doing more and more
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for a small number
of chosen species.
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These few persuaded us
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to eliminate
their competitors...
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Cure their diseases,
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poison their enemies...
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And keep them well watered,
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even when other species
face drought.
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00:15:51,720 --> 00:15:56,160
Fewer and fewer plant species,
like soy, wheat and rice,
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now occupy more and more land.
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00:16:01,120 --> 00:16:03,520
So now whole landscapes
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are dominated
by a single species of plant.
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A monoculture.
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00:16:17,480 --> 00:16:21,200
This is the central valley
of California,
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the biggest orchard
in the world.
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A million acres
of just one type of tree.
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Almonds.
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Each flower, if it's fertilised
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by pollen
from a different almond tree...
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Will produce an almond nut.
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The flowers' patterns and scent
have evolved
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to attract insects
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and bribe them to do that job
for them.
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The pollen
doesn't have to move far.
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00:17:12,480 --> 00:17:14,760
It just has to reach
a neighbouring tree.
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00:17:19,160 --> 00:17:24,080
There are about 20,000 flowers
on each tree...
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00:17:27,600 --> 00:17:31,560
And 140 million trees.
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00:17:34,200 --> 00:17:37,040
That is billions of flowers,
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all calling out at once.
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But here, the beauty
of the blossom is wasted.
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00:17:46,200 --> 00:17:49,240
To make way
for these almond trees,
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00:17:49,360 --> 00:17:52,000
the land was, in effect,
wiped clean.
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00:17:55,320 --> 00:17:58,680
Countless wild species
of plants and animals
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00:17:58,800 --> 00:18:03,200
were removed, including,
critically, pollinators.
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00:18:05,280 --> 00:18:07,600
So now the flowers need help,
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00:18:07,720 --> 00:18:09,560
and lots of it.
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00:18:37,920 --> 00:18:39,560
(Buzzing)
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40 billion honeybees...
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Trucked in from all over
the United States.
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00:18:58,840 --> 00:19:02,160
The orchard is only in bloom
for a few weeks,
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00:19:02,280 --> 00:19:06,760
so the almonds need the bees
to get to work immediately.
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00:19:22,920 --> 00:19:26,440
Each bee can visit
thousands of blossoms a day.
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00:19:29,200 --> 00:19:32,280
And while they take
most of the pollen they collect
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00:19:32,400 --> 00:19:33,440
back to the hive,
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00:19:33,560 --> 00:19:37,640
they also drop some pollen
at each stop.
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00:19:37,760 --> 00:19:39,360
And so, with luck,
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00:19:39,480 --> 00:19:42,880
the flowers are
all eventually fertilised.
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00:19:44,640 --> 00:19:46,880
Day after day,
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00:19:47,000 --> 00:19:49,360
the process is repeated.
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00:20:02,480 --> 00:20:05,280
Flower after flower.
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00:20:10,120 --> 00:20:12,280
Tree after tree.
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00:20:30,840 --> 00:20:36,560
By the time the petals fall,
two-and-a-half trillion flowers
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00:20:36,680 --> 00:20:38,680
have been
successfully pollinated
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00:20:38,800 --> 00:20:41,160
and will now grow into
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00:20:41,280 --> 00:20:43,160
two-and-a-half trillion almonds.
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00:20:45,440 --> 00:20:49,560
This type of intensive,
streamlined agriculture
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00:20:49,680 --> 00:20:53,080
produces amazingly high yields.
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00:20:57,120 --> 00:20:59,560
But monocultures are fragile.
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00:21:01,200 --> 00:21:03,520
While they can function
effectively
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00:21:03,640 --> 00:21:05,400
when conditions remain stable,
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00:21:05,520 --> 00:21:07,480
it only takes a small change
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00:21:07,600 --> 00:21:10,280
to create catastrophe.
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00:21:23,160 --> 00:21:25,400
Lodgepole pine.
230
00:21:27,320 --> 00:21:29,440
A very valuable timber tree
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00:21:29,560 --> 00:21:32,400
grown extensively
in western Canada.
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00:21:35,280 --> 00:21:37,960
Millions of acres
of the same species,
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00:21:38,080 --> 00:21:40,240
all the same age
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00:21:40,360 --> 00:21:41,800
and the same size.
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00:21:44,800 --> 00:21:47,440
For centuries, lodgepole forests
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00:21:47,560 --> 00:21:50,320
have lived in a natural balance
with their enemies,
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00:21:50,440 --> 00:21:53,200
including this one.
238
00:21:54,360 --> 00:21:56,720
The mountain pine beetle.
239
00:22:00,480 --> 00:22:04,920
In summer, female beetles start
hunting for a suitable nursery
240
00:22:05,040 --> 00:22:07,160
in which to lay their eggs.
241
00:22:14,600 --> 00:22:18,320
The ideal site is a mature
lodgepole pine,
242
00:22:18,440 --> 00:22:22,000
with bark thick enough
to feed a female's brood
243
00:22:22,120 --> 00:22:24,760
and, critically, to protect them
244
00:22:24,880 --> 00:22:27,400
from the bitter cold
of the coming winter.
245
00:22:32,760 --> 00:22:35,280
Once under the bark,
246
00:22:35,400 --> 00:22:37,200
she tunnels upwards...
247
00:22:39,960 --> 00:22:42,360
Laying her eggs as she goes.
248
00:22:47,760 --> 00:22:49,600
A single female beetle
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00:22:49,720 --> 00:22:51,920
can lay 100 eggs in a season.
250
00:23:07,080 --> 00:23:09,400
When the larvae hatch,
251
00:23:09,520 --> 00:23:13,200
they grow by feeding
on the inside of the bark.
252
00:23:14,640 --> 00:23:18,440
As they do,
they damage the channels
253
00:23:18,560 --> 00:23:20,400
that transport water
and nutrients
254
00:23:20,520 --> 00:23:22,120
between the roots and needles.
255
00:23:35,480 --> 00:23:36,800
For centuries,
256
00:23:36,920 --> 00:23:40,280
the freezing northern winters
killed the majority of larvae
257
00:23:40,400 --> 00:23:43,520
so tree and beetle
remained in balance,
258
00:23:43,640 --> 00:23:46,920
but now,
with the climate changing,
259
00:23:47,040 --> 00:23:50,800
the winters aren't cold enough
to control the beetle numbers.
260
00:23:53,200 --> 00:23:55,320
Needles turning red
261
00:23:55,440 --> 00:23:58,720
are a sure sign
that the trees are dying.
262
00:24:07,800 --> 00:24:11,760
The beetle plague spreads like
wildfire across a landscape
263
00:24:11,880 --> 00:24:15,760
covered by a monoculture
of similarly vulnerable trees.
264
00:24:19,200 --> 00:24:22,840
Since the first mass outbreak
40 years ago,
265
00:24:22,960 --> 00:24:25,120
trillions of trees
in North America
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00:24:25,240 --> 00:24:28,120
have been killed
by the mountain pine beetle.
267
00:24:33,840 --> 00:24:37,560
Loss of plant diversity
makes any habitat
268
00:24:37,680 --> 00:24:40,520
more vulnerable
to changing conditions.
269
00:24:42,840 --> 00:24:45,120
Now, with climate changing
so fast,
270
00:24:45,240 --> 00:24:50,280
we 're losing plant diversity
just when we need it the most.
271
00:24:52,120 --> 00:24:55,040
Two out of five plants
272
00:24:55,160 --> 00:24:57,440
are now facing extinction.
273
00:24:57,560 --> 00:25:01,200
Of course,
the loss of any one species
274
00:25:01,320 --> 00:25:03,920
is in itself a tragedy.
275
00:25:04,040 --> 00:25:08,160
But such a loss
erodes the stability
276
00:25:08,280 --> 00:25:10,000
of a whole ecosystem,
277
00:25:10,120 --> 00:25:15,240
and that should be
of great concern for all of us.
278
00:25:17,840 --> 00:25:21,000
We need an insurance policy.
279
00:25:22,400 --> 00:25:25,840
A hedge against extinction.
280
00:25:27,240 --> 00:25:31,200
This is kew's
millennium seed bank.
281
00:25:33,640 --> 00:25:38,680
Packets of seed arrive here
from all over the world.
282
00:25:39,840 --> 00:25:43,440
These are from a relative
of the yucca plant
283
00:25:43,560 --> 00:25:45,640
which grows in central Mexico
284
00:25:45,760 --> 00:25:49,200
on the slopes of volcanos
and nowhere else.
285
00:25:52,560 --> 00:25:58,000
Most of the seeds are from
plants that are threatened.
286
00:25:58,120 --> 00:26:00,520
Some, indeed, have gone extinct
287
00:26:00,640 --> 00:26:02,600
since their seeds arrived here.
288
00:26:02,720 --> 00:26:06,200
But here, at least,
those seeds are safe.
289
00:26:10,120 --> 00:26:12,880
When they arrive,
they're processed
290
00:26:13,000 --> 00:26:17,080
and sealed into airtight jars.
291
00:26:18,880 --> 00:26:20,960
The seeds are then
brought underground
292
00:26:21,080 --> 00:26:23,120
to be stored in a vault,
293
00:26:23,240 --> 00:26:24,600
like this one,
294
00:26:24,720 --> 00:26:27,000
at minus 20 degrees centigrade.
295
00:26:33,080 --> 00:26:35,160
Since the bank was founded,
296
00:26:35,280 --> 00:26:40,240
2 billion seeds,
from 40,000 different species,
297
00:26:40,360 --> 00:26:42,640
have been brought
and stored here.
298
00:26:51,760 --> 00:26:55,160
Because a seed contains
everything it needs
299
00:26:55,280 --> 00:26:57,400
to start a new plant,
300
00:26:57,520 --> 00:26:59,040
each and every one of them
301
00:26:59,160 --> 00:27:02,000
represents
a little grain of hope.
302
00:27:16,520 --> 00:27:20,160
Hope that one day
we will make it possible
303
00:27:20,280 --> 00:27:25,480
for the seeds of these rarities
to grow in the wild once again.
304
00:27:29,400 --> 00:27:32,080
The seed bank
certainly gives us options
305
00:27:32,200 --> 00:27:36,000
when a species becomes rare
or even extinct.
306
00:27:42,240 --> 00:27:45,360
But around the world,
people are trying ways
307
00:27:45,480 --> 00:27:48,320
to keep natural plant
populations healthy
308
00:27:48,440 --> 00:27:49,760
where they should be -
309
00:27:49,880 --> 00:27:52,120
in the wild.
310
00:28:00,560 --> 00:28:02,560
Hawaii.
311
00:28:05,280 --> 00:28:08,520
90% of the plant species here
312
00:28:08,640 --> 00:28:11,800
are found nowhere else
in the world.
313
00:28:16,400 --> 00:28:19,360
Many are threatened
by a plant invader
314
00:28:19,480 --> 00:28:21,800
called miconia.
315
00:28:25,440 --> 00:28:27,920
It was brought
to the island of Maui
316
00:28:28,040 --> 00:28:30,640
in the '70s
as an ornamental plant.
317
00:28:32,000 --> 00:28:33,440
In its native Mexico,
318
00:28:33,560 --> 00:28:34,720
it grows in balance
319
00:28:34,840 --> 00:28:36,520
with a rich variety
of predators,
320
00:28:36,640 --> 00:28:39,040
competitors and diseases.
321
00:28:45,800 --> 00:28:49,360
It grows taller than most
Hawaiian native vegetation,
322
00:28:49,480 --> 00:28:51,680
and little can grow beneath it.
323
00:29:01,200 --> 00:29:02,800
On the island of Maui,
324
00:29:02,920 --> 00:29:04,840
with nothing
to keep it in check,
325
00:29:04,960 --> 00:29:07,840
it creates
a stifling monoculture.
326
00:29:11,040 --> 00:29:13,600
Miconia, it would appear,
327
00:29:13,720 --> 00:29:15,960
is doing very well for itself.
328
00:29:19,560 --> 00:29:23,520
But today, it's under attack.
329
00:29:28,160 --> 00:29:31,400
On level ground,
a single dedicated team
330
00:29:31,520 --> 00:29:34,920
can keep miconia in check.
331
00:29:42,600 --> 00:29:44,320
But, unfortunately,
332
00:29:44,440 --> 00:29:46,080
this plant can spread to places
333
00:29:46,200 --> 00:29:48,960
impossible for people to reach
on foot.
334
00:29:54,960 --> 00:29:57,640
Just one plant can produce
335
00:29:57,760 --> 00:30:00,320
around 10 million seeds a year -
336
00:30:00,440 --> 00:30:03,680
enough to cover
this entire landscape.
337
00:30:06,040 --> 00:30:07,760
With so much at stake,
338
00:30:07,880 --> 00:30:11,680
the team have come up
with an extraordinary plan.
339
00:30:56,040 --> 00:30:58,840
It's too dangerous to land here.
340
00:31:01,400 --> 00:31:03,120
But they don't need to.
341
00:31:10,600 --> 00:31:12,480
A marksman with great skill
342
00:31:12,600 --> 00:31:16,960
can shoot the miconia
with paintballs full...
343
00:31:17,080 --> 00:31:18,840
Of herbicide.
344
00:31:21,720 --> 00:31:25,680
A perfect shot
is one that hits the stem,
345
00:31:25,800 --> 00:31:29,920
so ensuring that the herbicide
spreads throughout the plant.
346
00:31:41,280 --> 00:31:43,400
(Indistinct radio chatter)
347
00:31:43,520 --> 00:31:45,720
The method is so precise
348
00:31:45,840 --> 00:31:48,960
that with careful flying
and accurate aim,
349
00:31:49,080 --> 00:31:50,640
they can kill the intruders...
350
00:31:51,680 --> 00:31:55,160
Without damaging
any wild plants.
351
00:32:26,160 --> 00:32:28,480
Destroying alien invaders
352
00:32:28,600 --> 00:32:31,960
is not the only way to help
the native plants here.
353
00:32:34,360 --> 00:32:35,640
(Birdsong)
354
00:32:40,040 --> 00:32:44,560
This is waikamoi preserve,
the last surviving fragment
355
00:32:44,680 --> 00:32:47,360
of a high-altitude
Hawaiian rainforest...
356
00:32:47,480 --> 00:32:51,320
And home to one of
the world's rarest plants.
357
00:32:55,280 --> 00:32:56,520
Holokea.
358
00:32:59,280 --> 00:33:04,240
There are only 57 fully grown
individuals left in the wild.
359
00:33:08,360 --> 00:33:12,200
Their peculiar flowers evolved
to suit the beak of a bird
360
00:33:12,320 --> 00:33:15,760
found only in Hawaii -
the 'i'iwi.
361
00:33:18,000 --> 00:33:20,320
The bird is now so rare itself
362
00:33:20,440 --> 00:33:24,760
that today these partners
seldom, if ever, meet.
363
00:33:27,280 --> 00:33:30,680
So the chances of holokea
getting pollinated
364
00:33:30,800 --> 00:33:32,200
are very slim.
365
00:33:33,840 --> 00:33:39,240
But a strange new partnership
might just save it.
366
00:33:39,360 --> 00:33:44,960
I look at losing a plant
as flying in a plane
367
00:33:45,080 --> 00:33:46,920
and taking a screw out.
368
00:33:47,040 --> 00:33:49,080
Yeah, the plane will fly,
369
00:33:49,200 --> 00:33:50,720
and you might be able to
370
00:33:50,840 --> 00:33:52,400
take a couple screws out
371
00:33:52,520 --> 00:33:53,920
and keep flying,
372
00:33:54,040 --> 00:33:57,040
but eventually,
you're going to crash.
373
00:34:07,040 --> 00:34:08,960
Hank knows where to find
374
00:34:09,080 --> 00:34:12,280
every one of the last 57 plants.
375
00:34:13,760 --> 00:34:18,160
And he returns every year
to act as their pollinator.
376
00:34:19,200 --> 00:34:23,760
We have to step in
and play that role as...
377
00:34:23,880 --> 00:34:25,680
Pollinator, matchmaker.
378
00:34:34,800 --> 00:34:37,840
Hank collects the pollen
from the male flower
379
00:34:37,960 --> 00:34:42,200
and dusts it onto a female
flower of a different plant.
380
00:34:45,040 --> 00:34:47,320
He's currently
their life support,
381
00:34:47,440 --> 00:34:51,360
but his goal is for holokea
to thrive without him.
382
00:34:52,840 --> 00:34:54,680
So before he leaves,
383
00:34:54,800 --> 00:34:58,200
he plays the call
of the 'i'iwi bird.
384
00:34:58,320 --> 00:35:00,760
(Birds calling)
385
00:35:11,240 --> 00:35:14,320
Hank hopes the sound
will attract the living birds,
386
00:35:14,440 --> 00:35:17,720
and if they come,
that they will reconnect
387
00:35:17,840 --> 00:35:19,280
with the last holokea
388
00:35:19,400 --> 00:35:22,280
and rekindle
their vital relationship.
389
00:35:25,120 --> 00:35:27,560
(Birds calling)
390
00:35:34,880 --> 00:35:38,080
I believe all species
are important.
391
00:35:41,000 --> 00:35:44,160
And I believe
we have a duty to act.
392
00:35:50,480 --> 00:35:54,880
We need to act
not only in the wild places,
393
00:35:55,000 --> 00:35:57,600
but even in those where we live
394
00:35:57,720 --> 00:35:59,200
and where we farm.
395
00:35:59,320 --> 00:36:01,200
(Water running)
396
00:36:05,440 --> 00:36:06,760
Like much of the world,
397
00:36:06,880 --> 00:36:10,400
Kenya is losing thousands
of native trees annually,
398
00:36:10,520 --> 00:36:15,400
ones that local people rely on
for so much, especially fuel.
399
00:36:19,480 --> 00:36:20,960
But here, people have come up
400
00:36:21,080 --> 00:36:23,160
with an ingenious way to reverse
401
00:36:23,280 --> 00:36:26,120
some of that loss around them.
402
00:36:26,240 --> 00:36:28,680
(Machinery whirring)
403
00:36:34,080 --> 00:36:37,120
At a factory
in the outskirts of Nairobi,
404
00:36:37,240 --> 00:36:41,480
workers collect and sort
waste charcoal dust.
405
00:36:45,640 --> 00:36:50,000
Seeds of carefully selected
native trees
406
00:36:50,120 --> 00:36:53,360
are mixed with the dust.
407
00:36:55,560 --> 00:36:59,800
This carbon coat will protect
the seeds from hungry animals
408
00:36:59,920 --> 00:37:02,120
until the rains arrive.
409
00:37:11,520 --> 00:37:15,000
These are seed balls.
410
00:37:29,200 --> 00:37:30,960
In the village of kibwezi,
411
00:37:31,080 --> 00:37:33,600
acacia trees
are becoming scarce,
412
00:37:33,720 --> 00:37:36,200
cut down by previous generations
413
00:37:36,320 --> 00:37:37,680
to make charcoal.
414
00:37:37,800 --> 00:37:40,920
(Children chattering)
415
00:37:58,960 --> 00:38:01,320
But the students at this school
416
00:38:01,440 --> 00:38:05,280
make forest restoration
child's play.
417
00:38:23,240 --> 00:38:26,360
The nutrients
in the dissolving char dust
418
00:38:26,480 --> 00:38:28,800
will give each little seed
a good start.
419
00:38:36,000 --> 00:38:38,440
If only a handful of
these seeds grow into a tree,
420
00:38:38,560 --> 00:38:41,280
the effort has been
well worth it.
421
00:38:42,760 --> 00:38:45,600
Every mature acacia tree
can itself produce
422
00:38:45,720 --> 00:38:48,240
thousands of seeds a year.
423
00:38:53,120 --> 00:38:56,400
13 million seed balls
have been distributed
424
00:38:56,520 --> 00:38:58,280
in Kenya alone.
425
00:39:01,120 --> 00:39:05,200
And the methods
by which they are dispersed...
426
00:39:08,160 --> 00:39:12,480
Are ever more inventive,
to say the least.
427
00:39:25,640 --> 00:39:29,600
This technique is being
repeated around the globe.
428
00:39:29,720 --> 00:39:32,600
A seed-ball-making workshop.
429
00:39:32,720 --> 00:39:37,640
People are choosing seeds
of local native plants,
430
00:39:37,760 --> 00:39:39,600
giving them
a little initial help,
431
00:39:39,720 --> 00:39:42,920
and bringing
some wild plants back
432
00:39:43,040 --> 00:39:44,600
into the world around them.
433
00:39:49,880 --> 00:39:51,720
But is it possible,
434
00:39:51,840 --> 00:39:54,920
even in our most extreme
monocultures,
435
00:39:55,040 --> 00:39:58,040
to invite a bit of wildness in?
436
00:39:59,920 --> 00:40:03,400
And with it,
a bit of resilience?
437
00:40:05,760 --> 00:40:10,520
I have two different kinds of
forage growing in my orchard.
438
00:40:10,640 --> 00:40:13,120
The yellow
that you see behind me
439
00:40:13,240 --> 00:40:15,600
is a variety
of different mustards,
440
00:40:15,720 --> 00:40:17,560
and then after the bloom,
441
00:40:17,680 --> 00:40:20,640
we're going to see
some clover blossom.
442
00:40:22,960 --> 00:40:27,480
This mix of plants
means the bees can feed
443
00:40:27,600 --> 00:40:30,560
before and after
the brief almond bloom.
444
00:40:30,680 --> 00:40:34,360
They also get a more
balanced, healthier diet.
445
00:40:35,440 --> 00:40:38,600
In the meantime,
it's going to provide habitat
446
00:40:38,720 --> 00:40:40,880
for all sorts of insects,
and the bees,
447
00:40:41,000 --> 00:40:42,440
probably some rabbits.
448
00:40:44,680 --> 00:40:47,440
It's a step towards
establishing a better,
449
00:40:47,560 --> 00:40:49,080
more stable system.
450
00:40:50,960 --> 00:40:52,520
It's about finding balance.
451
00:40:52,640 --> 00:40:54,440
That's what we're trying to do
here.
452
00:40:54,560 --> 00:40:56,400
Find a balance.
453
00:40:59,760 --> 00:41:03,320
Can humanity globally find
a new balance
454
00:41:03,440 --> 00:41:04,960
between wild plants
455
00:41:05,080 --> 00:41:07,680
and those we have domesticated?
456
00:41:11,320 --> 00:41:13,720
Around half the usable land
on earth
457
00:41:13,840 --> 00:41:15,760
is taken up by agriculture.
458
00:41:17,200 --> 00:41:19,200
Do we really need that much?
459
00:41:20,600 --> 00:41:21,920
Maybe not.
460
00:41:23,720 --> 00:41:26,200
It's a remarkable fact,
461
00:41:26,320 --> 00:41:31,000
but around 80%
of all cultivated land
462
00:41:31,120 --> 00:41:36,240
is used for raising livestock
for us to eat.
463
00:41:38,080 --> 00:41:40,320
Raising animals can be
a sustainable way
464
00:41:40,440 --> 00:41:43,880
to create food,
but in many places,
465
00:41:44,000 --> 00:41:46,600
plants can produce
the same amount of protein
466
00:41:46,720 --> 00:41:50,040
on a fraction of the land
that animals need.
467
00:41:52,840 --> 00:41:55,200
What could it mean
for wild plants
468
00:41:55,320 --> 00:41:58,120
if the global balance
between plant eating
469
00:41:58,240 --> 00:42:00,080
and meat eating shifted?
470
00:42:02,520 --> 00:42:04,320
It may sound odd,
471
00:42:04,440 --> 00:42:07,240
but the more plants we eat,
472
00:42:07,360 --> 00:42:10,880
the more space there will be
for wild plants.
473
00:42:14,600 --> 00:42:17,640
Remarkably,
it's possible to restock
474
00:42:17,760 --> 00:42:21,400
even highly degraded land
with wild plants.
475
00:42:28,080 --> 00:42:30,800
In Brazil, the needs
of cattle ranching
476
00:42:30,920 --> 00:42:33,440
drive most deforestation.
477
00:42:40,240 --> 00:42:44,120
30 years ago, the owners
of one former cattle ranch
478
00:42:44,240 --> 00:42:48,560
wanted to restore their land
to the Atlantic rainforest
479
00:42:48,680 --> 00:42:50,800
that once covered it.
480
00:42:52,440 --> 00:42:55,800
They had no idea
if it could be done.
481
00:42:57,160 --> 00:42:59,400
The land was so bare and eroded.
482
00:43:01,080 --> 00:43:04,240
But they were determined to try.
483
00:43:06,200 --> 00:43:08,120
First, they cleared
the introduced
484
00:43:08,240 --> 00:43:11,280
African cattle grasses,
invasive plants
485
00:43:11,400 --> 00:43:14,040
that outcompete
most of the native plants.
486
00:43:21,240 --> 00:43:25,040
The grasses were replaced
by seedlings
487
00:43:25,160 --> 00:43:26,760
grown from seeds gathered
488
00:43:26,880 --> 00:43:29,960
in nearby remnants
of Atlantic rainforest.
489
00:43:38,720 --> 00:43:42,000
The earth institute,
or instituto terra,
490
00:43:42,120 --> 00:43:46,000
as the ranch is known now,
was encouraged by early success
491
00:43:46,120 --> 00:43:49,560
and expanded its scope
and ambition.
492
00:44:07,360 --> 00:44:11,200
In five years,
trees covered the land again.
493
00:44:12,960 --> 00:44:14,720
And within ten, it was clear
494
00:44:14,840 --> 00:44:16,920
something remarkable
was happening.
495
00:44:19,360 --> 00:44:21,240
(Birdsong)
496
00:44:21,360 --> 00:44:23,040
(Insects buzzing)
497
00:44:23,160 --> 00:44:25,280
(Animals calling)
498
00:44:37,320 --> 00:44:39,440
When rain falls,
499
00:44:39,560 --> 00:44:42,800
it now no longer
simply runs off the land,
500
00:44:42,920 --> 00:44:44,600
leaving it parched.
501
00:44:48,080 --> 00:44:51,120
Instead,
it clings to the plants,
502
00:44:51,240 --> 00:44:53,960
to every root, stem and leaf...
503
00:44:55,800 --> 00:44:59,600
And then slowly filters
to the forest floor.
504
00:45:02,520 --> 00:45:05,600
And so previously dry streams
505
00:45:05,720 --> 00:45:09,360
burst into life
for the first time in decades.
506
00:45:14,600 --> 00:45:17,800
The institute never introduced
animals or plants
507
00:45:17,920 --> 00:45:19,640
other than the trees.
508
00:45:25,160 --> 00:45:28,480
The animals came back
on their own.
509
00:45:30,800 --> 00:45:33,400
Small ones came first.
510
00:45:50,040 --> 00:45:52,240
And then, very recently,
511
00:45:52,360 --> 00:45:55,600
camera traps left in the forest
512
00:45:55,720 --> 00:46:00,560
captured images beyond
the hopes of everyone involved.
513
00:46:03,560 --> 00:46:05,200
A maned wolf.
514
00:46:06,520 --> 00:46:10,000
An animal that is being driven
from its native habitat
515
00:46:10,120 --> 00:46:14,600
by deforestation,
drawn to its favourite plant,
516
00:46:14,720 --> 00:46:17,080
the wolf fruit tree.
517
00:46:20,600 --> 00:46:22,040
Not only that...
518
00:46:22,160 --> 00:46:24,640
(High-pitched barks)
519
00:46:27,240 --> 00:46:29,000
A puma.
520
00:46:31,560 --> 00:46:33,720
With cubs!
521
00:46:42,840 --> 00:46:47,360
The arrival of these precious
top predators and their young
522
00:46:47,480 --> 00:46:49,800
shows what can happen
523
00:46:49,920 --> 00:46:52,480
when we make space
for wild plants.
524
00:46:58,080 --> 00:47:02,160
We have for centuries
robbed wild plants
525
00:47:02,280 --> 00:47:05,080
of the space and time
they need to thrive.
526
00:47:07,400 --> 00:47:11,440
That has certainly not been
to their benefit.
527
00:47:12,680 --> 00:47:16,240
Nor, ultimately, is it to ours.
528
00:47:21,760 --> 00:47:25,440
Our relationship with plants
has changed throughout history.
529
00:47:25,560 --> 00:47:28,120
And now it must change again.
530
00:47:28,240 --> 00:47:30,760
Whether it's what we eat
and cultivate
531
00:47:30,880 --> 00:47:33,040
or whether it's what we like,
532
00:47:33,160 --> 00:47:35,520
we must now work with plants,
533
00:47:35,640 --> 00:47:38,760
and make the world
a little greener,
534
00:47:38,880 --> 00:47:40,560
a little Wilder.
535
00:47:48,520 --> 00:47:53,480
If we do this,
our future will be healthier,
536
00:47:53,600 --> 00:47:55,960
and safer,
537
00:47:56,080 --> 00:47:59,400
and in my experience,
at any rate, happier.
538
00:47:59,520 --> 00:48:03,360
Plants are, after all,
our most ancient allies,
539
00:48:03,480 --> 00:48:07,760
and, together, we can make this
an even greener planet.
540
00:48:21,720 --> 00:48:24,520
Throughout the human episode,
541
00:48:24,640 --> 00:48:27,640
the green planet crew sought
to capture the lives of plants
542
00:48:27,760 --> 00:48:29,880
confronted with the human world.
543
00:48:31,320 --> 00:48:32,960
But they also heard the stories
544
00:48:33,080 --> 00:48:37,160
of people deeply connected
to the plants around them...
545
00:48:39,240 --> 00:48:41,560
Such as those at the front line
546
00:48:41,680 --> 00:48:43,560
of the battle to save Hawaii's
547
00:48:43,680 --> 00:48:47,880
native endangered plants
from invasive species.
548
00:48:49,000 --> 00:48:51,160
If we don't get a handle
on miconia,
549
00:48:51,280 --> 00:48:53,400
we could lose everything
550
00:48:53,520 --> 00:48:56,080
that makes Hawaii
special and unique.
551
00:48:58,280 --> 00:48:59,960
But before the green planet team
552
00:49:00,080 --> 00:49:02,280
could start work,
they had to undertake
553
00:49:02,400 --> 00:49:04,640
some rigorous preparation.
554
00:49:05,920 --> 00:49:07,120
We're going into somewhere
555
00:49:07,240 --> 00:49:09,400
that has very... it's a very
sensitive ecosystem,
556
00:49:09,520 --> 00:49:11,480
they're trying to protect it
from invasives.
557
00:49:11,600 --> 00:49:16,120
Filming in a place so ravaged
by invasive species
558
00:49:16,240 --> 00:49:20,080
meant they had to be 100% sure
that they were not spreading
559
00:49:20,200 --> 00:49:23,320
any non-native stowaways
themselves.
560
00:49:23,440 --> 00:49:27,600
They had to scrub and disinfect
every item of equipment.
561
00:49:32,040 --> 00:49:35,040
With kit clean, the team
first focus on filming
562
00:49:35,160 --> 00:49:37,240
the rare holokea plant...
563
00:49:41,840 --> 00:49:43,680
Accessible only on foot.
564
00:49:50,440 --> 00:49:53,960
There are few pristine areas
like this left in Hawaii.
565
00:49:55,960 --> 00:50:00,520
Only 40% of the land
still has native vegetation...
566
00:50:01,600 --> 00:50:04,640
Most of it wiped out
by invasive species
567
00:50:04,760 --> 00:50:06,200
like miconia.
568
00:50:10,960 --> 00:50:12,720
Next on the list
569
00:50:12,840 --> 00:50:16,520
was to film the team
waging war on miconia,
570
00:50:16,640 --> 00:50:19,280
known locally
as the purple plague.
571
00:50:21,200 --> 00:50:24,440
For crewmember aja,
the work is not just
572
00:50:24,560 --> 00:50:27,760
a physical battle
against this invasive species -
573
00:50:27,880 --> 00:50:30,280
it's deeply personal.
574
00:50:30,400 --> 00:50:32,000
I've been to the pristine area,
575
00:50:32,120 --> 00:50:35,520
so I know what it looks like
and feels like, you know,
576
00:50:35,640 --> 00:50:37,520
to be in the presence
577
00:50:37,640 --> 00:50:41,240
of all that mana
and spirituality.
578
00:50:44,800 --> 00:50:46,560
Those aren't just plants.
579
00:50:48,600 --> 00:50:51,440
Those are ancestors' spirits,
you know?
580
00:50:51,560 --> 00:50:55,160
Controlling these invasive
plants is a relentless job,
581
00:50:55,280 --> 00:51:00,040
and aja is not just doing this
for native Hawaiian ecosystems,
582
00:51:00,160 --> 00:51:03,080
but also to protect
her ancestral relationship
583
00:51:03,200 --> 00:51:05,760
to this fragile landscape.
584
00:51:05,880 --> 00:51:08,600
So going to do this, it feels
good just to hack them,
585
00:51:08,720 --> 00:51:11,240
and pull them out and be like,
"yeah, ok, take that,"
586
00:51:11,360 --> 00:51:13,640
you know?
We can sort of fight back.
587
00:51:13,760 --> 00:51:17,640
Aja's fierce passion
to protect these native forests
588
00:51:17,760 --> 00:51:19,720
is evident.
589
00:51:19,840 --> 00:51:22,360
But the purple plague has spread
590
00:51:22,480 --> 00:51:25,400
to places aja could never reach
on foot.
591
00:51:26,720 --> 00:51:29,200
Taking to the sky
is the only way
592
00:51:29,320 --> 00:51:33,200
to reach the front line
of this battleground.
593
00:51:35,160 --> 00:51:39,160
With only enough fuel
to stay airborne for two hours,
594
00:51:39,280 --> 00:51:41,000
the window for capturing
this aerial battle
595
00:51:41,120 --> 00:51:43,360
is uncomfortably small.
596
00:51:44,960 --> 00:51:48,080
We have one day of doing
the heli operations.
597
00:51:48,200 --> 00:51:51,160
The weather could
completely mess us up
598
00:51:51,280 --> 00:51:53,560
if we get a system
that comes in.
599
00:51:53,680 --> 00:51:56,080
Heli-to-heli is always
dangerous and difficult.
600
00:51:57,360 --> 00:51:59,720
This flight is not just tense
for lis.
601
00:51:59,840 --> 00:52:02,600
For plant sniper Brooke mahnken,
602
00:52:02,720 --> 00:52:03,920
these short flights
603
00:52:04,040 --> 00:52:07,880
represent his only opportunity
to hold back the invasion.
604
00:52:08,000 --> 00:52:11,760
Brooke: Miconia left unchecked
can be terribly damaging.
605
00:52:11,880 --> 00:52:13,000
The potential for
606
00:52:13,120 --> 00:52:15,320
one seeding plant,
607
00:52:15,440 --> 00:52:17,440
if it were to get far away
from the population,
608
00:52:17,560 --> 00:52:19,880
reach maturity
and put seeds out,
609
00:52:20,000 --> 00:52:23,400
then it's starting
a whole new infestation.
610
00:52:23,520 --> 00:52:25,920
And once it occupies
that entire area,
611
00:52:26,040 --> 00:52:27,960
then it's completely
wiped it out.
612
00:52:32,200 --> 00:52:34,920
The helicopter
is really important
613
00:52:35,040 --> 00:52:37,200
because you can fly
in extreme terrain
614
00:52:37,320 --> 00:52:39,280
with these, like,
1,000-foot cliffs,
615
00:52:39,400 --> 00:52:42,120
and find miconia that
there would be no other way
616
00:52:42,240 --> 00:52:44,480
to get to these plants.
617
00:52:45,920 --> 00:52:49,000
The miconia team are used
to the aerial challenges
618
00:52:49,120 --> 00:52:51,280
of this battle,
but for producer lis,
619
00:52:51,400 --> 00:52:54,560
the pre-flight talk
from the helicopter pilot
620
00:52:54,680 --> 00:52:56,840
brings home the lengths
that this team go to
621
00:52:56,960 --> 00:52:59,960
in order to complete their work.
622
00:53:00,080 --> 00:53:01,800
So you're just going to be
in the back here,
623
00:53:01,920 --> 00:53:04,000
and it's a hurricane
in the back seat.
624
00:53:04,120 --> 00:53:05,560
Literally a hurricane.
625
00:53:05,680 --> 00:53:08,080
So nothing loose, you don't
want to put an arm, a head,
626
00:53:08,200 --> 00:53:09,720
a leg or a hand out.
627
00:53:09,840 --> 00:53:11,480
It's just going to blow
behind you.
628
00:53:11,600 --> 00:53:13,280
You don't want
to stick your head out
629
00:53:13,400 --> 00:53:15,840
because if the headset
comes off,
630
00:53:15,960 --> 00:53:18,600
then it's into the tail rotor
and then it's bye-bye, Maui.
631
00:53:20,240 --> 00:53:21,880
Pre-flight checks completed,
632
00:53:22,000 --> 00:53:24,200
the clock is now ticking
to get into the air.
633
00:53:28,360 --> 00:53:30,600
Lis: This matters so much
to everyone here.
634
00:53:30,720 --> 00:53:32,840
I definitely feel the pressure
to get this right.
635
00:53:39,520 --> 00:53:43,960
The first thing I want to do is
get some close-ups of the hbt,
636
00:53:44,080 --> 00:53:47,120
because that's going to be
the most challenging thing.
637
00:53:47,240 --> 00:53:49,880
Pilot: Let's go find
some plants, please.
638
00:53:51,080 --> 00:53:54,440
To get within shooting distance
of the plants,
639
00:53:54,560 --> 00:53:56,520
the helicopter pilot
must carefully manoeuvre
640
00:53:56,640 --> 00:53:59,080
into one of the area's
deepest canyons.
641
00:54:01,680 --> 00:54:03,080
Pilot:
See this light-coloured rock?
642
00:54:03,160 --> 00:54:04,536
- Brooke: Yep.
- Pilot: Follow that up
643
00:54:04,560 --> 00:54:07,480
to the right to see it.
644
00:54:08,600 --> 00:54:10,480
The target is in sight.
645
00:54:10,600 --> 00:54:12,680
Brooke: Yeah, there he is.
646
00:54:15,480 --> 00:54:18,160
Brooke: Ok, I'm, uh...
I'm live and ready.
647
00:54:18,280 --> 00:54:21,360
With high winds gusting up
from the waterfall,
648
00:54:21,480 --> 00:54:24,360
getting into position is tricky
enough in one helicopter,
649
00:54:24,480 --> 00:54:25,960
let alone two.
650
00:54:27,480 --> 00:54:29,880
To give Brooke the best chance
of hitting the miconia,
651
00:54:30,000 --> 00:54:33,320
the pilot must get him
within 20 metres of the plant,
652
00:54:33,440 --> 00:54:35,560
and ideally at eye level.
653
00:54:35,680 --> 00:54:39,400
Any missed shot threatens
to become friendly fire,
654
00:54:39,520 --> 00:54:42,160
harming the species
he aims to protect.
655
00:54:42,280 --> 00:54:43,480
- Ready?
- Yes.
656
00:54:43,600 --> 00:54:44,840
Here we go.
657
00:54:47,880 --> 00:54:49,840
Brooke must strike
the stem of the plant
658
00:54:49,960 --> 00:54:53,360
to have the best chance
of completely killing it.
659
00:54:55,440 --> 00:54:58,080
- (Cheering)
- Oh, my god! Nice one!
660
00:55:05,880 --> 00:55:08,960
Yeah, it worked really, really
well. Thanks, guys.
661
00:55:09,080 --> 00:55:11,960
This has been
a successful mission
662
00:55:12,080 --> 00:55:13,480
for both teams.
663
00:55:13,600 --> 00:55:16,880
The pilot's skills
and Brooke's sharp-shooting
664
00:55:17,000 --> 00:55:18,840
have saved
another patch of forest,
665
00:55:18,960 --> 00:55:22,240
and lis is relieved that
she has the shots she needs
666
00:55:22,360 --> 00:55:23,920
to do the story justice.
667
00:55:24,040 --> 00:55:25,840
It's over!
668
00:55:25,960 --> 00:55:27,360
It's over.
669
00:55:27,480 --> 00:55:28,960
It just looked amazing.
670
00:55:29,080 --> 00:55:30,400
Lots of...
671
00:55:30,520 --> 00:55:31,640
Yeah, it looks good.
672
00:55:31,760 --> 00:55:33,040
It looks good.
673
00:55:33,800 --> 00:55:37,520
For Brooke and aja, however,
their work doesn't stop.
674
00:55:37,640 --> 00:55:41,320
Just holding back the tide
of invasive species in Hawaii
675
00:55:41,440 --> 00:55:43,680
is more than a lifetime's work.
676
00:55:43,800 --> 00:55:47,600
But aja believes
that her fight is worthwhile.
677
00:55:47,720 --> 00:55:50,320
Everything we do
is for the next generation,
678
00:55:50,440 --> 00:55:52,400
just like our ancestors
and kupunas.
679
00:55:52,520 --> 00:55:55,840
It wasn't for them,
it was for the next generation.
680
00:55:55,960 --> 00:55:58,720
And just to have my kids
going to areas, like,
681
00:55:58,840 --> 00:56:02,160
where they can see
there's still natives,
682
00:56:02,280 --> 00:56:04,240
where we don't have
to go through
683
00:56:04,360 --> 00:56:07,360
all this invasive vegetation.
684
00:56:07,480 --> 00:56:09,200
(Camera shutter clicks)
685
00:56:10,960 --> 00:56:13,800
You know, it's not
just my responsibility,
686
00:56:13,920 --> 00:56:16,000
it's everyone's responsibility.
687
00:56:19,360 --> 00:56:21,880
You know,
the earth takes care of us,
688
00:56:22,000 --> 00:56:25,000
so we have to do the same.
We can't just... let it go by.
689
00:56:28,560 --> 00:56:30,040
We've got to take care, too.
48842
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