This American Land
Season 2
TV-G
A conservation news magazine program reporting on America's landscapes, waters, and wildlife, focusing on the people behind the initiatives that are working to preserve the natural world.
Where to Watch Season 2
13 Episodes
- Critical Colorado, Checkups for Manatees, Appalachian ForestsE1
Critical Colorado, Checkups for Manatees, Appalachian ForestsThe Colorado River brings drinking water, irrigation, recreation and livelihood to millions of people in the West. But it’s clear now that there’s not an unlimited supply of this precious resource. Business owners on and near the river are working to make sure their neighbors, and policy makers in Washington, get a complete picture of how critical this river is. Traveling through Arizona and northern Mexico, Bruce Burkhardt shows us there’s a lot that needs to be done to protect these waters now and for the future. - Wolverines, Desert Wilderness, Military Base MakeoverE2
Wolverines, Desert Wilderness, Military Base MakeoverAmong the most solitary and elusive mammals in North America, wolverines were wiped out decades ago by fur traders and poison in the lower 48 states. Now these mammals with a ferocious reputation are making a slow comeback, migrating south from Canada. It takes rugged and dedicated scientists—and photographers!—to sneak a peek into their world! See how they are working to understand and preserve the wolverine’s habitat. - Ferrets and Prairie Dogs, Hidden Gems, Follow the Water, Island FiresE3
Ferrets and Prairie Dogs, Hidden Gems, Follow the Water, Island FiresFerrets and Prairie Dogs: After being nearly wiped out in the early 20th century, the black- footed ferret is making a comeback. It’s taken a complicated conservation effort and a captive breeding program to restore this species to the Great Plains. The health of the ferret is tied directly to the success of prairie dogs— animals that have also had plenty of run-ins with humans. Keeping these two playful, adorable species in good shape is also helping save 130 unique plants and animals in this North American prairie ecosystem. - Fiddler Crabs, Disappearing Chincoteague, California Desert, Hurricane SleuthE4
Fiddler Crabs, Disappearing Chincoteague, California Desert, Hurricane SleuthFiddler Crabs: Between their digging and mating rituals, fiddler crabs can amuse us endlessly! That big, odd claw on the male can be a weapon or an enticement to a female. But these little crustaceans also have a big impact on their environment. From watching them surround their burrows with mud balls, to viewing a parade of thousands of crabs scurrying across the wetlands, scientists are still trying to understand just where these animals fit into the coastal ecosystem. - Bison Homecoming, Preserving Tribal Languages, Peregrine Protection, Soaring with ParaglidersE5
Bison Homecoming, Preserving Tribal Languages, Peregrine Protection, Soaring with Paraglidershe buffalo are back! One hundred years after Native American Michael Pablo sent his captive bison herd to Canada to help preserve the dwindling species, dozens of their direct descendants were released into the bison herd on the American Prairie Reserve in northern Montana. The World Wildlife Fund has been collaborating with the American Prairie Reserve to help restore the grasslands habitat for the bison, birds, and other important native species that roamed the region when Lewis and Clark arrived in 1805. - Canyon Mysteries, Ailing Alligators, “Lights, Camera, Photosynthesis”, Wild HorsesE6
Canyon Mysteries, Ailing Alligators, “Lights, Camera, Photosynthesis”, Wild HorsesCanyon Mysteries: A canyon can be an inspiring classroom, whether you are eight or 80. The stories behind two Georgia canyons could not be any different: Cloudland Canyon in the north is a natural wonder. But Providence Canyon in the southwest is now a tourist destination, in spite of the way earlier residents abused the land. Both intriguing stories come from Georgia Public Broadcasting. - Beaver Builders, Wrangling Water, Body Electric, Census in the SmokiesE7
Beaver Builders, Wrangling Water, Body Electric, Census in the SmokiesBeaver Builders: Beavers are nature’s engineers. It turns out they are also good at restoring ailing ecosystems. In eastern Oregon, researchers are doing some extreme fieldwork (snorkeling in rivers and streams in the middle of the night, in the middle of winter!) to learn more about how beaver dams are helping create healthier streams and rivers for salmon, trout, songbirds, and for nearby communities. - Digging for Dinosaurs, Sonoran Desert Protection, “Swamp People”E8
Digging for Dinosaurs, Sonoran Desert Protection, “Swamp People”Digging for Dinosaurs: Talk about a special delivery! Co-host Caroline Raville got to witness the recovery of thousands of pounds of dinosaur fossils by helicopter, deep in the Utah desert. Paleontologists from the Bureau of Land Management call Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument one of the best “bone yards” on the planet. Scientists continue to identify new species of dinosaurs and other reptiles in this remote area. Many are 75 million years old! - Arctic White Geese, Veterans in the Great Outdoors, Tracking a Coral KillerE9
Arctic White Geese, Veterans in the Great Outdoors, Tracking a Coral KillerArctic White Geese: Snow geese and Ross’s geese make an almost unimaginable 3,000-mile migration each year. So it’s no wonder they enjoy spending a month or so in eastern Oregon, “bulking up” on tender grasses and nutritious bugs. The folks from Oregon Field Guide have captured the beauty of thousands of these birds on their stopover to the Arctic. Dedicated “citizen scientists” spend time during the birds’ respite to study them. Some say the sky is so filled with geese that it often looks like a snowstorm! - Montana Wilderness, Bald Eagle Recovery, Lionfish DerbyE10
Montana Wilderness, Bald Eagle Recovery, Lionfish DerbyMontana Wilderness: There’s an ambitious plan to protect 700,000 acres of new wilderness in Montana. And after many years of argument, it looks like local residents, loggers, hikers, and conservation groups have put aside their differences so nature is the big winner. You’ll meet one veteran outdoorsman, Smoke Elser, who’s almost as comfortable in this back woods as the elk and the bears are! - Idaho Wilderness, Loggerhead Turtles, Sandfish Lizard, Wrangling WaterE11
Idaho Wilderness, Loggerhead Turtles, Sandfish Lizard, Wrangling WaterIdaho Wilderness: Its wild residents could fill a volume of some of the most iconic American wildlife: From elk and moose to spawning salmon, mountain goats and sheep to black bears and cougars. Efforts are underway to protect central Idaho’s Boulder-White Clouds Mountains, designating 330,000 acres as wilderness. The proposed federal legislation would both protect these lands, and ensure economic sustainability. - Rio Grande Del Norte, Climate Adaptation, Flying Aces of the Insect World, Peel Watershed, Indigo SnakesE12
Rio Grande Del Norte, Climate Adaptation, Flying Aces of the Insect World, Peel Watershed, Indigo SnakesSaving the Upper Rio Grande: In northern New Mexico the Rio Grande runs through a spectacular gorge formed by a rift in the Earth’s crust. This river corridor is a critical flyway for migratory birds, and the arid plateau on either side of it is a major migration habitat for elk and deer. A pending bill in Congress would protect these areas as the Rio Grande del Norte National Conservation Area, in addition to designating two majestic cinder cone mountains east and west of the plateau as protected wilderness. The bill has widespread support among local Hispanic farmers and ranchers because it would allow their traditional hunting, grazing, fishing and wood-gathering to continue, preserving the culture that developed there over hundreds of years. - Future Conservation Leaders, Natural Resources Revival, Fight for FrogsE13
Future Conservation Leaders, Natural Resources Revival, Fight for FrogsFuture Conservation Leaders: Santa Cruz Island, off the coast of California, is home to bald eagles, scrub jays, and the most adorable foxes you may ever see! This summer, the island is also home to high school students from the Los Angeles area, working side by side with scientists. Co-host Caroline Raville spent some time with these young people to learn about LEAF, Leaders in Environmental Action for the Future. This Nature Conservancy program not only gives high school students a chance to enjoy nature, but provides a spark for many of them to pursue careers in science and conservation.