Countryfile

Leicestershire (30x3)

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Anita Rani joins some budding 'citizen scientists' taking in the New Year Plant Hunt. Leicestershire has more than 300 rare species of plant, but they're being lost at a rapid rate. Anita visits Leicester University's herbarium to investigate the city's plants past, present and future. John Craven is at Rutland Water which is a hotspot for birding, with more hides than any other reserve in the country, where every year at least one hide is rebuilt. John joins in with 'raising' the new building which forms part of the trainee reserve officers training for the year. Steve Brown gets to know some of Rutland Water's winter visitors better and looks forward to the Big Garden Birdwatch, as well as meeting the young birdwatchers taking part and revealing how to take part in this years' event. Tom Heap looks at the problems faced by rural fire services.