South Florida sea rise and swamps focus of documentaries

Two of the state’s most challenging environmental issues — the Everglades and rising seas — are the subjects of documentaries in South Florida.

At 8 p.m. Thursday, WXEL will air “THE UNSEEN EVERGLADES: Inside a Legendary Wilderness,” a one-hour look at the ecosystem that attempts to explain how the Everglades’ eight different ecosystems come together to create a haven for alligators, black bears, wading birds and rare Florida panthers. Filmmakers also explore the Everglades’ role in Florida history and the challenges posed by its restoration.

A documentary on sea rise, a collaboration between Florida International University journalism students and WPBT, has been airing on the station’s YouTube channel. The nine-part series looks at steps taken by Miami-Dade, Monroe and Broward counties to deal with seas expected to rise at least three feet over the next century and includes interviews with area experts like University of Miami geologist Hal Wanless.

This story was originally published February 25, 2015 at 5:05 PM with the headline "South Florida sea rise and swamps focus of documentaries."