New Season of Award-winning Series on People Making a Positive Difference in Their Environment to be Released for Earth Month, 2006

After a successful debut that resulted in its 13 episodes reaching one third of the television-viewing public through more than 60 PBS affiliate stations, Natural Heroes is returning for a second season, starting this April. The series was created in 2004 to showcase independently produced films that share a common theme: real people making a difference for the environment and enhancing the world around them by getting involved.

“I’m delighted that we have been able to offer this kind of programming to our viewers,” said Stan Marvin, Director of Broadcast Operations at KRCB-TV in Rohnert Park, California, who co-produced the series with GreenTreks Network out of Philadelphia, PA. “And I’m thrilled that other public television stations across the country have responded so well and are airing it. I’m confident there will be an even greater interest in the Telly Award-winning series this year, and look forward to growing carriage into a third season and beyond.”

“After many years of producing films that focus on real people seeking solutions for environmental problems, it’s rewarding to help create an outlet for other filmmakers doing similar work,” remarked Maria Erades from GreenTreks. “Our goal is to share stories that inform, entertain, and show that one person really can make a difference. We have seen great stories inspire others to think in new ways, to take action, to become personally involved.”

The second season line up takes on a broad range of issues from across the country and other parts of the world, and features stories of people working to protect endangered species and fragile ecosystems, preserving water resources, improving local communities, fighting for justice and planning for the future after environmental disasters, and more.

One of the most notable episodes, It’s Not Just Empty Space, with David Suzuki, captures the passion, vision & inspiration of the world renowned scientist and environmentalist as he speaks about interconnectedness, the human animal, and our place in the universe.

With the majority of us living in urban environments, says Suzuki, we have lost our connection with the natural world and with the people around us. Suzuki’s powerful words, mixed with stunning live action and digital images, offer a way of seeing the world that connects us again - to ourselves, each other, and to our precious home, planet Earth. "Insightful, enlightening, and entertaining,” declared Michael Carr, Director of the Telluride IndieFest of Suzuki’s film. “This documentary should be seen by every one on the planet!”

Saving Our Oceans examines the state of the planet’s seas, declining fish stocks, and the implications of the burgeoning aquaculture industry on ecological health. Scientists have estimated that 70% of the world's commercially fished species have already been fished to the point at which their populations can no longer sustain themselves. The film sheds light on what is happening in the industry and why, how scientists and fishermen are working towards solutions, and what individuals can do to halt the decline in fish populations before entire species are pushed over the brink.

Other episodes include Protecting America, which features a climate-change expert’s view on rebuilding New Orleans; Napo Wildlife Center: Para los Futuros, an inside look at an eco-tourism lodge run by indigenous peoples of Amazonian Ecuador; and Justice for Bhopal, an examination of the realities faced by residents of Bhopal, India some 20 years after the disastrous chemical release from a Union Carbide facility contaminated the city.

The full Season Two line up, along with station information, streaming video promos, downloadable images, enhanced content, and archived materials from Season One, is available on the web at www.naturalheroestv.org.

Natural Heroes is a co-production of KRCB-TV and GreenTreks Network, Inc. and is the first nationally distributed series of its kind.

GreenTreks Network Inc.
GreenTreks Network Inc. (GreenTreks) is an Emmy Award-winning nonprofit based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. GreenTreks has shared hundreds of stories about individuals protecting their local environmental and community health with millions of viewers around the country through television, film festivals, community outreach, the Internet, and other forms of media. GreenTreks mission is to make the health of the environment an intrinsic part of everyday life and to inspire individuals to make informed decisions that effect positive environmental change.

KRCB-TV
Rural California Broadcasting Corporation (KRCB), which serves the North Bay and San Francisco Bay area region, was founded in 1981, and first aired on television in 1984. It currently provides both television and radio programming. KRCB was created in order to encourage full participation in society and community, and provides educational, informational and cultural telecommunication services in partnership with its community.