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Chris Packham and his stepdaughter join forces to front new wildlife show from the Highlands

The programme promises to be more outspoken than mainstream shows on environmental and conservation issues.

Christina Sinclair, Chris Packham,  Megan McCubbin and Indy Greene are presenting a new wildlife show at Dundreggan Rewilding Centre near Loch Ness. Image  Jasperimage
Christina Sinclair, Chris Packham, Megan McCubbin and Indy Greene are presenting a new wildlife show at Dundreggan Rewilding Centre near Loch Ness. Image Jasperimage

Wildlife campaigner Chris Packham is urging politicians to take more rapid action to help prevent flooding catastrophes like those during Storm Babet.

The presenter is co-hosting a new wildlife programme being aired on YouTube from the Dundreggan Rewilding Centre near Loch Ness.

It promises to be more outspoken than mainstream shows on environmental and conservation issues.

The show, which runs until Thursday, will highlight the recent devastating floods, as well as the controversial recent approval for the Rosebank oilfield off Shetland, as part of discussions to tackle climate change.

Local and global issues highlighted

Mr Packham is fronting 8 out of 10 Bats with step-daughter and environmental broadcaster Megan McCubbin, alongside Christina Sinclair and Indy Greene.

A ‘soapbox’ feature will see the presenters address both local and global environmental issues.

Tonight it will examine the flooding that has hit many parts of the north and north east during severe storms.

Mr Packham said the scale and regularity of the floods is tied to climate breakdown.

The 8 out of 10 bats show is airing on YouTube. Image Jasperimage

“It’s beginning to hit home a lot this week with people in Scotland and other parts of the UK as their homes are full of water.

“It’s clear we need to address this matter with a lot more urgency and fortitude than our governments are doing at the moment.

“That means we can ask our governments politely and democratically to take robust and rapid action.”

He said part of the solution is to stop oil and gas extraction, like at Rosebank, which he has opposed.

The oilfield, projected to produce 300 million barrels of oil, is opposed by environmentalists.

However it is welcomed by industry which says it will create hundreds of new jobs and generate over £6 billion in the North Sea supply chain.

‘Put money into communities’

The programme will highlight the Stop Rosebank website, set up by campaigners aiming to end all new oil and gas extraction, and Mr Packham’s No New Oil website.

Mr Packham said: “We should keep fossil fuels in the ground. Do not extract any more of them and make a bad problem even worse.

“Start putting money into these communities so they can make that transition away from dependency on those industries and into renewables.”

He said centres like Dundreggan can also play a part. The facility plans to grow and plant hundreds of treees as part of a vast nature recovery project.

Mr Packham said trees planted on uplands can help stop water cascading into rivers and low lying flood areas.

The team will broadcast from a tepee in the grounds in the centre . Image Jasperimage

The new programme is run on a fraction of the budget of the large-scale mainstream programmes and with just a 10-strong team, compared to 70 or more on shows such as Autumwatch.

It has been labelled an “upstart” due to its more hard-hitting approach.

It’s a description welcomed by Mr Packham, a former punk, who says it fits with its “DIY mantra”.

He said it will give a voice to young people who are not often heard in the conservation debate.

“We’ve built a platform to show the things they can do themselves. That energy is something that needs to be harnessed and focused.

“It’s a way for us to invest in our future. You don’t hear enough young peoples’ voices in the mainstream media.

The centre opened six months ago

Conversation