Rescuing a River

This episode of The New Explorers follows environmental scientists as they travel South America's Pantanal, the world's largest wetlands. They are members of the Aquatic Rapid Assessment Program or AquaRap. AquaRap is a multinational, multidisciplinary program, devoted to identifying conservation priorities and sustainable management opportunities in freshwater ecosystems in Latin America. Its mission is to assess the biological and conservation value of tropical freshwater ecosystems, and to report its findings quickly to local policy makers, conservationists, and international funding agencies. Host Bill Kurtis joins AquaRap in its efforts to block the massive Hidrovia water project. Originally planned by five countries -- Brazil, Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay and Uruguay -- the project would open a shipping route through the Pantanal by dredging the Paraguay and Parana rivers, linking northern agricultural regions to the Atlantic Ocean near Buenos Aires. Environmental experts say the plan would be like breaking a natural dam that holds water in these wetlands, rendering the region barren over time.

Rescuing a River would be useful for classes on Science, Biology, marine Biology, Ecology and Geography. It is appropriate for middle school and high school.

• agenda
• bountiful
• conservationist
• discipline
• diversity
• dredge
• frustration
• manipulation
• meandering
• navigate
• organisms
• phosphorous
• plankton
• pristine
• profound
• proponents
• reservoir
• resilient
• rodent
• scrutiny
• speculate
• toxic
• vast
• vegetation

1. The Pantanal is the largest wetlands in the world. What are wetlands? What are some of their characteristics? What are some other wetlands of the world?

2. Scientists are conducting studies in the Pantanal. What are they trying to determine? Why are they doing these studies?

3. What is malaria? How is it spread? What are its symptoms? How is it cured?

4. Discuss the importance of fresh water rivers to the world's ecosystem.

5. What is AquaRap? Why is its expedition so important?

6. AquaRap is trying to save Pantanal from the same fate as the Florida Everglades. What happened to the Everglades?

7. How have views of nature and the world's ecosystem changed with ecological awareness?

8. The Rio Bonita in South America is completely clear. Why? What is the natural process that keeps it crystal clear?

9. Discuss the connection scientists have discovered between forests and fish.

10. What is the importance of a flood plain for a river?

1. Create a poster of the different types of the world's terrain, including wetlands.

2. Research South America's terrain and create a topographical map of the continent.

3. Research wetland conservation programs on the Internet and create a report highlighting some of your findings.

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Air Dates

• July 12, 2004
• December 30, 2004