Two experts and one victim talk about the April 27th 2011 Tornadoes that struck Alabama.

Promoting learning that connects the needs of Alabama's human communities to the role of Alabama's Natural communities. Discovering Alabama has joined with a statewide partnership of agencies and organizations to provide added K-12 assistance with hands-on natural science and conservation education.

There's only so much of this magnificent footage we can fit into a regular show. So, for this special addition, pull up your easy chair, get ready for some pleasant music, and kick back and enjoy the unique allure of Alabama.

This program was established at Woodland Forrest Elementary School. This model was initiated when a team of Woodland Forrest teachers visited Discovering Alabama producer, Dr. Doug Phillips, to request assistance in developing year-long curriculum.

Various species of that unique flying mammal, bats, can be found in Alabama. Several, such as the Little Brown Bat (Myotis lucifugus) and the Big Yellow Bat (Lasiurus intermedius) are considered imperiled due to declining populations. This program follows a team of bat scientists on a research expedition into Alabama’s Bankhead National Forest to study the habits and ecological status of bats. Included are expert assessments of the special capabilities of bats and their important role in the...

Alabama is full of beauty from every angle: from high over head… from down amidst the trees… even below our feet. DISCOVERING ALABAMA captures all these scenes to prove once again how special this state is.

In the 1960’s when America undertook its bold initiative to put a man on the moon, a first step was finding a suitable place on Earth to build and test the powerful rockets that would be needed. That place turned out to be Alabama – North Alabama in the Huntsville area to be exact. Here NASA found a unique combination of suitable undeveloped land together with easy access for materials transport via the Tennessee River. The rest is history. This show traces that history, the natural history...

Our nation is rooted in a rich, natural heritage that helped define our national identity. Central to this heritage is the history of our society’s changing relationship with wildlife. This video gives an overview of Alabama’s role as a national leader in wildlife conservation and restoration.

Dr. Phillips takes the viewer through the Sipsey Wilderness and recalls the influence of nineteenth-century romanticism and the emergence of a national movement for the preservation of America’s wilderness regions.

Launch a canoe with Dr. Doug and discover the wild allure of the Sipsey River Swamp. The 100-mile long Sipsey River is one of Alabama’s few remaining unimpounded rivers, much of it surrounded by river-bottom swamp.

This show reflects on Alabama’s native heritage as we learn the importance of the Native American Festival held each year at Moundville Archeological Park. The show features Native Americans as they demonstrate arts and crafts unique to the Indian culture, play games from long ago and listen to stories about primary tribes, tribal territories, and basic lifeways.

This video traces the history, and significance, of the Longleaf pine, Alabama’s official state tree. Experts now believe that the Longleaf ecosystem was at one time the single largest forest ecosystem in the south. This video highlights ongoing efforts to better understand and perpetuate the Longleaf Ecosystem.

Take a journey back in time for a visit to Fort Toulouse/Jackson State Park and the park’s annual Frontier Days Festival. Meet Ailbamous Indians, French soldiers, Davey Crocket, Andrew Jackson’s regiment, and converse with 18th century botanist William Bartram while also learning about the natural appeal of the location.

Alabama’s “Forever Wild” land conservation program is recognized nationally for its effectiveness in protecting significant wildlands. This video reflects on the history of how the “Forever Wild” program was established and tells how Alabamians can participate in promoting such land conservation.

The Dugger Mountain Wilderness contains Alabama’s second highest peak, Dugger Mountain, and is one of several federally designated “wilderness areas” in the state. In this program, Dr. Phillips hikes through the wilderness as he follows the Pinhoti Hiking Trail. Along the way, he encounters many natural wonders while considering the citizens, scientists, and government officials interested in protecting the area.

This video follows a team of research scientists as they go on an actual search for the Red Hills salamander and examine the ecological significance of this threatened species. Private landowners, along with wildlife officials, develop strategies to conserve the salamanders’ habitat.

The Mobile-Tensaw Delta is one of those uniquely special places in Alabama–and on planet earth. Back in the 80s, many voiced concerns that the Delta might not be around for our children to enjoy in the 21st Century. Today the Delta is a living, thriving testament to what collaborative conservation efforts can achieve.