In a bid to preserve and foster European animation, the EBU decided to mount a cofinanced series at the end of the eighties, entitled "The animals of Farthing Wood", comprising 39 episodes of 26 minutes and based on the books by the British author Colin Dann.

The series deals with the peril faced by "The Animals of Farthing Wood". Day by day, men and machines are encroaching upon their woodland habitat. When at last their only source of water is bled dry, they are left with no option but to abandon their homes. But where are Fox, Owl, Mole, the Pheasants, the Rabbits, Weasel, Adder, Kestrel and the rest to go? Toad knows of a place called White Deer Park, a nature reserve where they'll be safe. The assembly of animals swear to an ancient woodland oath - the Oath of Mutual Protection - which forbids them to frighten, bully or eat one another even through it may be a natural instinct, and once bonded, they embark upon their great journey to a new, uncharted, home and habitat...

The 39 episodes of "The Animals of Farthing Wood" was followed by the production of 39 episodes of "Noah's island" by the same production company, Telemagination and was the first of many EBU animation series to come.