Secret Life of the Forest

Revealing the spectacular beauty of Dalby and Cropton Forests, including a family of beavers introduced in 2019 as part of a trial to see how they would change the forest landscape.

Summer in the forest brings blooming orchids, wildflowers and the buzzing of pollinating insects. At the beaver pond in Cropton Forest, another litter of baby beavers is on the way.

A heatwave strikes Yorkshire that threatens to be deadly for some creatures in the forests. Fortunately, the resident beavers construct their dams in such a way that they have deep ponds of cool water available.

Having successfully built a dam over 70 metres long, the beavers move on to other projects. Meanwhile, young fawns and badger cubs investigate their surroundings, and herons target ponds teeming with life.

During the height of summer, young beavers bond with the family as they learn about grooming and tree chewing. Plus, a look at the women who worked in the forest during the Second World War.

Autumn is on the way, and it may be time for some of the young beavers to leave home. At night, humans document the forest's moth population and gaze up at the stars at the same time as animals are on the hunt.