Desert Speaks

Mending Australia's Ancient Forest

Near Albany, in Southwestern Australia, Australians are trying to piece together the remains of fractured habitats that were destroyed beginning right after World War II. From the woodlands of the drier interior to the tall wet forests in the far south-west corner, host David Yetman gets a first hand look at this ambitious project called Gondwana Link. The evolutionary process moves quickly in this environment, and new hybrids and species are discovered almost every week. Here, ecological restoration works hand-in-hand with the cultural restoration of the original owners of the land. Yetman also meets some of the native peoples who work to counteract the displacement of their ancestors by passing on knowledge of their culture to their descendents.