From recent episodes of THIS AMERICAN LAND, these brief summaries of stories highlight major repair and maintenance issues affecting America’s national parks.
A farmer in southwestern Iowa has a mission to develop his farm as an example to others, using no-till seeding, multi-crop and pasture rotation, minimal fertilizing, and runoff filtering to keep the nutrients in his soil and prevent runoff. The backlog of deferred maintenance in national parks is a growing problem that needs Congress to act: we see the need for urgent maintenance and repairs at the Grand Canyon, the National Mall, and the Martin Luther King, Jr. Historic Site in Atlanta. Rafting down the river through the Rio Grande Del Norte National Monument.
With an appreciation for nature as part of their training, high school girls and boys get more speed at a running camp at Steens Mountain in Oregon. Renewed efforts to mine uranium in New Mexico cause concern among residents and former uranium miners.
Smith Island in the Chesapeake Bay is known for its unique culture, but climate change could force all its residents to evacuate by the turn of the century. Mother birds are under increasing pressure from habitat loss, taking a toll on their offspring.
New Uranium Mining in New Mexico
Chesapeake Bay/Smith Island Climate Change
Pronghorn
Make Way for Ducklings
Steen’s Mountain Running Camp
Facing spreading development, how can wildlife habitat be saved in Montana? In Kansas, researchers develop revolutionary ideas for growing perennial food crops that slow the degradation of cropland and offer greater food security in the face of everharsher climates. Is the Colorado National Monument the right place for a Tour de France style bike race? Counting tree rings, scientists solve history’s mysteries and predict our future. Just a few minutes from downtown Washington, D.C., a wildlife preserve is an oasis for hikers, bird watchers and anyone who needs a natural retreat.
Montana’s Wild Legacy
The Land Institute
Lord of the Tree Rings
Dyke Marsh
Friends of Dyke Marsh
Dyke Marsh Wildlife Preserve: An Injured Jewel
