Return of a River; Salmon Farming; Solar Farming; Solar Panels on Gila Reservation -
this american land

Return of a River - A waterway near Tucson, Arizona has been reborn. The Santa Cruz river tributary to the Colorado River was once filled with trash and sewage, dried up because wells were draining the aquifer. Now, the water's back! There's an unlikely source for this newly clean water: Three wastewater treatment plants! Correspondent Brad Hicks shows us how huge upgrades at these facilities are helping save an entire ecosystem. The resurgence in wildlife is beautifully seen through a vast array of dragonflies, and folks of all ages are now reconnecting with the river. Salmon Farming - Aquaculture is the fastest growing form of food production in the world. But these floating farms come with challenges not found in traditional agriculture. Science correspondent Miles O'Brien from the PBS Newshour takes us off the coast of Maine, where a Canadian company is raising endangered Atlantic salmon. There's opposition from traditional fishers and tourists. But with the huge global demand for protein from the sea, efforts to improve this industry continue. Solar Farming - It's a "crop" that's harvested from 93 million miles away!!! A Plainview Minnesota farm that grows corn, soybeans and hay now has another sustainable offering: Sunshine! Solar panels now generate the power used in the fall when harvesting and drying grain. It's good for the bottom line and good for the environment. Solar has become a dependable new revenue stream for those who work the land. Solar Panels on Gila Reservation - South of Phoenix Arizona, one tribal nation is on the cutting edge of addressing climate change. The Gila River Indian community are the innovators, building solar panels over an irrigation canal. This simple construction template could provide a new playbook for irrigation across the thirsty western United States. There's not only the ability to produce power, but crucially, to reduce evaporation. The tribe is now completing 16 miles of this energy efficient system.

Duration: 26 minutes and 48 seconds

Episode Number: 1302

About This American Land:

A unique series of magazine-style episodes hosted by Bruce Burkhardt, a former environmental reporter for CNN, and a fresh new talent, Caroline Raville.

Each episode will link 5 or 6 stories, sometimes in a theme, showing how conservationists, fishermen, hunters and outdoor recreationists are sharing responsibilities for protecting America's natural heritage for future generations.

The focus will be on will be on wild and beautiful places you've never heard about, and on passionate people protecting vital American landscapes, waters, and wildlife.There's nothing quite like this on national television; THIS AMERICAN LAND will be a distinctive approach to covering serious national conservation issues.

We realize that many stations produce quality programming like this for their local markets, and we think there's a national audience for it in a series like ours.

We will showcase stories from participating affiliates, drawing attention to the special natural resources their localities and what people are doing to protect them.

Current participants are Oregon Public Broadcasting and Georgia Public Broadcasting.

Segments will also be featured from local public broadcasting programs such as Outdoor Oklahoma and Exploring North Carolina.

Each episode will also include a segment from the Science Nation series funded by the National Science Foundation.

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