Discovering Alabama
Discovering Alabama is an ongoing series of educational videos created and hosted by Doug Phillips which covers a range of topics related to Alabama's natural history.
The program grew out of a series of expeditions for teachers that Phillips organized to promote environmental education as part of his work for the University of Alabama. Producer Bill Connell brought a video crew to one of those treks and Phillips warmed to the idea of making a video series, though he did not plan to host it himself. The initial six programs aired in 1985 on Alabama Public Television and were well-received by the public. The University, however, terminated Phillips' employment, telling him that being associated with an environmental program could hurt its standing with the business community.
Phillips was hired at Troy State University and continued to develop the program with grant funding from Mobil Oil and Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. He was eventually invited to return to the University of Alabama under the auspices of the Alabama Museum of Natural History. Currently, the series is jointly produced by the museum and the university, in cooperation with the Alabama Center for Public Television and Radio. Additional sponsors have included the Alabama Wildlife Federation. Roger Reid came on board as a writer and producer.
While enjoyed by general audiences, the series is primarily aimed at supplementing K-12 education. To that end, many episodes are accompanied by lesson plans and other classroom materials. In addition to natural history and geography, the series promotes the appreciation of wilderness and natural systems as resources worthy of protection.
Phillips hosts each show in the role of tour guide, leading viewers on hikes, canoe trips and other excursions into Alabama's natural places. Often individuals working to conserve or manage those resources are interviewed on camera.
The program is regularly broadcast on Alabama Public Television and episodes are available on VHS and DVD by mail order, or on iTunes.
Programs
- Mobile-Tensaw Delta
- Mount Cheaha/Talladega National Forest
- Cahaba River
- Southeast Alabama/Wiregrass Region
- Talladega National Forest/Oakmulgee Division
- Guntersville State Park
- Coastal Alabama I: Natural Diversity
- Coastal Alabama II: Environmental Issues
- Tannehill Historical State Park
- Little River Canyon
- Caves of Alabama
- Oak Mountain State Park
- Locust Fork River
- Mound State Monument
- Alabama Natural Diversity
- Geological History of Alabama
- Red-cockaded woodpecker
- Cahaba River watershed
- A Walk in the Woods
- Alabama Forests
- Dauphin Island
- Black Warrior River
- Sipsey Wilderness
- Village Creek
- Wildlife History
- Red Hills salamander
- Horse Pens 40
- Alabama Adventure
- Longleaf pine
- Longleaf ecosystem
- Wetumpka impact crater
- Alabama trees
- Native American Festival
- Arboretums
- Mobile River Basin
- Fort Morgan
- Fort Toulouse/Jackson
- Sipsey River Swamp
- Forever Wild
- Dugger Mountain Wilderness
- Earth Day
- Tuscaloosa County
- Alabama soils
- Forest history
- Forest issues
- Night hike
- Alabama wetlands
- Alabama rivers
- Bear Creek watershed
- Alabama Black Belt I
- Alabama Black Belt II
- Discovering our heritage
- Lee County
- Covington County
- Wildlife rescuers
- Tracks across time
- National Forests in Alabama
- Little River Canyon National Preserve
- Weeks Bay
- Project Community
- Invasive plants
- Alabama trails
- Flint River
- White-tailed deer
- Delta revisit
- Nature and the arts
- Alabama in space
- Alabama bats
References
- Cobb, Mark Hughes (November 15, 2014) "Doug Phillips, creator and host of "Discovering Alabama," is launching the APT series' 30th season with a three-part series on the state's coast, airing beginning at 8 p.m. Nov. 25." Tuscaloosa News
External links
- Discovering Alabama website
- Discovering Alabama at iTunes