Episode details

Radio 4,13 Aug 2026,43 mins
Britain's Lost Species: Should We Resurrect Our Extinct Wildlife? (Derek Gow)
RadicalAvailable for over a year
This week, John Burn-Murdoch speaks with Derek Gow, the British farmer, conservationist, author and rewilding pioneer who has become one of the UK's most outspoken advocates for large-scale species reintroductions. From his farm in Devon, Derek breeds native British animals, including species that have been absent from the UK for centuries. His goal is to demonstrate what is possible when conservation ambition matches the scale of the ecological challenges we face. A passionate supporter of reintroducing beavers across the country, Derek argues that restoring them into the wild can play a crucial role in tackling climate change, reducing flood risk, reviving wetlands and making landscapes more resilient to extreme weather. His views have frequently brought him into conflict with parts of the farming establishment. Yet Derek insists that productive agriculture and ambitious rewilding are not mutually exclusive, and that with the right political leadership, the two can thrive side by side. We’ll be putting your radical questions to Neil for a Q&A episode, so please get in touch. * WhatsApp: 0330 123 9480 * Email: radical@bbc.co.uk Episodes of Radical are released every Thursday and Monday. Series Producer: Rufus Gray Producers: Nathan Gower, Ivana Davidovic Digital Producer: Gabriel Purcell-Davis Technical Producer: Jonny Baker Senior News Editor: Sam Bonham
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