By Doug Alderson, Apalachicola Riverkeeper Outreach & Advocacy Director
The Age of Nature is an international television series to be aired on public television in October that features “the human relationship to nature, and fixing our past mistakes.” It highlights the importance of nature and our relationship to it, along with inspiring stories from around the world of people restoring natural areas and natural processes.
Locally, WFSU is taking part in the project by featuring the Apalachicola Basin. Rob Diaz de Villegas explored the Apalachicola Bluffs and Ravines Preserve with The Nature Conservancy and Florida Native Plant Society. What Rob learned is that “if plants on bluffs high above the river have everything they need to thrive, they send ripples throughout the river system. They help move fresh water into the river and put sand on the beach at St. George Island.”
Rob’s next stop was St. George Island where he interviewed Apalachicola Riverkeeper Georgia Ackerman and me about the importance of barrier islands and Apalachicola Bay and how they are connected to the broader river basin. All segments of our system are interconnected, highlighting not only the need for greater protection, but greater restoration efforts and improved management of the water regime.
A live online preview of the Age of Nature PBS series will occur October 20 at 7 p.m. where Rob will be joined by The Nature Conservancy, Florida Native Plant Society and Apalachicola Riverkeeper. Pre-registration is required. This is your opportunity to join the panel in discussing the future of the Apalachicola River basin and Forgotten Coast and what our past mistakes have taught us.
The Age of Nature episodes will be shown on WFSU October 14, October 21 and October 28, all at 10 p.m. eastern time. Also, on October 6 at 10 a.m., WFSU Public Media and The Nature Conservancy of Florida will have a 30-minute virtual field trip through the Apalachicola Bluffs and Ravines, targeted for grades 6-12. Pre-registration is required for this event.
Note: If you missed the October 20 live Zoom event, you can view the recorded video on YouTube.
