The Living Beach

Humans are transforming Florida's landscape rapidly at the cost of its shorelines--but can they also help preserve and protect its vast biodiversity? Visit three very different beaches to see how this pressing question is being answered.

Every 13 hours, the Bay of Fundy in Nova Scotia performs a record-breaking feat: The sea levels rise to the height of a four-story building! Witness the unstoppable natural cycle of the Atlantic tide and the diverse ecosystems it supports.

The mythology of Ixchel, a protective mother figure.

Hawaiian beaches are created and altered by active volcanoes.

Fraser Island is the largest sand island in the world. Despite this, it boasts an astonishing variety of landscapes, including coastal heathland, open woodlands, and tropical rainforests. Explore a unique Australian paradise where dingos run freely on sand dune-protected terrain.

California beaches conjure up images of tanned surfers, gorgeous blue waters, and carefree summers. But powerful environmental phenomena, some manmade, are causing irreparable stress to the local animal, bird, and fish species. Join as we explore the forces that are threatening this coastal paradise.