The day gave me a series of fascinating insights into the
process of filming (the repetition, the retakes, the soundtrack and so on) and the
important role that everyone behind the scenes has as part of the team to bring
the story to you.
My contribution was to try to sound knowledgeable about the disease
and to help inform the viewer about how the disease was transmitted – perhaps it
may make people think about other potential disease or pest problems, such as Phytophthora or Asian Longhorn Beetle.
I tried to explain the structure of the tree, and that trees
grow because of the division during the growing season of a single layer of cambium
cells just below the bark. The cells toward
the centre become the xylem, transporting water from the soil to the leaves where
the magic of photosynthesis can combine that water with atmospheric carbon
dioxide to form oxygen to be released into the atmosphere and the carbohydrates
(simple and complex) that the tree needs to survive.
I had hoped for a beetle, the vector of the fungal disease,
as a visual aid but I was defeated by the postal service bringing the insect
from Eastbourne; in the end I reverted to Beaver Leader mode and made a model
from different coloured drinking straws, don’t think too badly of me.
Do you know what it is yet?
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