Islands Of Nature

At one time, our country consisted of islands of civilization surrounded by nature. Today islands of nature are surrounded by civilization. Some islands, our national parks, are threatened by elements outside their boundaries, and the mission of the government to preserve parks for future generations is also in peril. In the course of exploring this issue, we visit four parks: Yellowstone, where the geothermal activity of hot springs, geysers and mud pots is subject to damage from gas and oil developers in other states; Yosemite, where crowding has changed the role of the ranger from naturalist to crime fighter; Olympic, where wild life is affected by logging; and Grand Canyon, where noise pollution from aircraft and emissions from cars in distant cities cause haze and lack of visibility. The film ends on an optimistic note by presenting recommendations for what we can do to preserve our parks if we all work together. Offering beautiful views and an important message, the program is marred by awkward transitions from what must have been the original TV presentation ("when we come back...") that should have been edited out. Recommended for general collections. (J. Reed)