Great Plains: America's Lingering Wild

Up until the mid-19th century, America's heartland was a "sea of grass," nurturing a Native American population and diverse wildlife, including bison, elk, prairie dogs, grizzlies, and sandhill cranes. Following the arrival of the white man, bison were killed by the thousands, land was plowed up for agriculture, and many rivers were dammed. Filmmakers Michael Farrell and Michael Forsberg's two part PBS-aired documentary on the Great Plains examines what was lost and what remains, telling a tale that has often been shaped by ignorance or unintended consequences. Part one, "A Long Hard Struggle" shows that it's not always a simple question of good or bad: the growing of food sometimes led to the loss of precious topsoil and the Dust Bowl droughts; the adoption of clean and efficient wind energy threatens bats and endangered birds; and gas exploration, fracking, and fence building all help fill human needs, but also interfere with wildlife migratory corridors and cause environmental damage. As host, Forsberg hopscotches around the Plains, showing how the area has sustained itself by restorative wildfires and the underground aquifers of southwestern "playas," while also looking at remarkable wildlife survivors, including wild prairie chickens, rare black-footed ferrets, and even colorful fish found in the clear streams of the Kansas Flint Hills. Part two, "We Live with the Land" interviews ranchers, wildlife officials, preservationists, and land stewards who are attempting to protect and restore parts of the Plains for future generations. Some efforts include the "humane" culling of buffalo herds (providing food and employment for Native Americans), the reintroduction of native grasses, the preservation of endangered species, and smart fire management techniques. Although the Plains will never again fully achieve its former glory, the beautiful imagery here makes it clear that there is still much to enjoy. Highly recommended. Aud: H, C, P. (S. Rees)