Ecoregions

In some tropical forests a bit closer to the U.S., producer John Burnett recently had the good fortune to explore the rich biodiversity of Costa Rica. Along the way, John learned a few do’s and don’ts about visiting rainforests. He sent us this reporter’s notebook.

This year the Everglades is at the center of Florida’s politics with a rhetorical battle over an anticipated Everglades clean-up by sugar companies. President Clinton’s commitment to tax sugar producers for this effort seems to have the popular edge over Bob Dole’s stance of citizen taxation. Sandy Tolan reports on Florida’s expected sweet vote for […]

Reporter Martha Honey takes us to the Galapagos Islands to witness threats to the islands’ fragile ecosystem. Today, commercial fishing, immigration, tourism, and even animal poaching are impacting this once-pristine location made famous by Charles Darwin’s evolution theories.

Alexis Muellner reports from Miami on the impact of Hurricane Andrew on the Everglades and other parts of the South Florida ecosystem. Hurricanes have been part of the region’s natural cycle for millennia, but intensive development in recent decades has eroded the ecosystem’s ability to bounce back from Andrew’s devastation.

The small country Laos wants to pay for development by building dams and selling the power generated by the Mekong River. But many environmental groups fear dams will devastate Laos’ unique biodiversity.