Denver, CO -- (SBWire) -- 08/06/2014 --Our homeland’s natural heritage – its breathtaking landscapes, pristine waters and magnificent wildlife – are often unappreciated, abused and wasted. Conservationists across the nation are dedicated to protecting these resources for future generations, but their dramatic and compelling stories are widely untold. “This American Land”, a fresh and distinctive conservation newsmagazine for television, has brought these stories into viewers’ homes nationwide for four years, and production has now started on season five to be released next spring. As always, “This American Land” will bring serious journalism to conservation issues, reporting with entertaining style on wilderness protection, endangered and threatened species, soil and water pollution, and energy production – the full range of critical conservation challenges that every American should understand.

Airing on more than 200 public television stations covering nearly 70 percent of the U.S. market, the series reaches more viewers with each season, strengthening its role as a major media partner in the conservation community.

“This American Land” is already partially supported by foundation grants, solid partnerships with major conservation organizations, and by a growing network of reporting contributors. An educational advisory board monitors special segments that can be adapted for classroom instruction with curriculum materials downloadable from the series website.

“This American Land” is the flagship production of Environment News Trust, a non-profit production company launched ten years ago by Gary Strieker, the executive producer of the series. Previously, as CNN’s global environmental correspondent, Strieker won the National Press Club's award for environmental reporting in his “Our Planet” series. Earlier, in Nairobi as CNN Bureau Chief, he covered the African continent for 11 years, winning an Emmy award for his role in CNN’s coverage of the crisis in Somalia in 1992.

Crowdfunding
The success of this Kickstarter campaign will help support production of the next season of “This American Land” and its continuing reporting of critical stories on the conservation of America’s natural resources.

Producers of “This American Land” are committed to:

- Assigning reporters to produce segments for season five
- Post-producing six half-hour episodes for the season
- Distributing the full season to public television stations
- Providing all rewards to supporters of the campaign

Crowdsourcing
The Kickstarter campaign’s initial goal of $75,000 is currently active and runs through August 31, 2014 at 11:59 Pacific Time. Full details about the Kickstarter campaign including sponsorship and involvement levels can be found at: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/161348613/this-american-land-conservation-series-for-televis.

Media Contact:
[Gary Strieker]
[strieker@newstrust.org]