New PBS Wisconsin Program Spotlights State Natural Areas And State Parks

MADISON, Wis. – Tune in March 1 to explore Wisconsin’s beautiful public lands in the upcoming “Wisconsin’s Scenic Treasures: Southern Vistas” on PBS Wisconsin.

The new program premieres on PBS Wisconsin 7 p.m. Monday, March 1. Encore broadcasts will air 7 p.m. March 10 and 14. The program will also air on Milwaukee PBS 8 p.m. Thursday, March 11.

“Wisconsin’s Scenic Treasures: Southern Vistas" will also be available to stream on-demand after the premiere at pbswisconsin.org and on the free PBS app on phones, tablets, Roku, other streaming devices and smart TVs.  

Filmed by PBS Wisconsin last summer from the air, land and water, the program showcases state parks, state natural areas, wildlife areas and forests, many of them held in trust and managed by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) for Wisconsinites.

Hundreds of hours of amazing aerial panoramas and ground-level video create this memorable 60-minute adventure. Those who watch will be delighted by the striking visual and ecological diversity of our state’s natural landscapes highlighting Wisconsin’s rich natural and scenic heritage.

Viewers will travel from limestone bluffs rising high above the Mississippi River to a rare hilltop prairie ablaze with wildflowers in Dane County, to the quartzite cliffs of Devil’s Lake State Park to a southeastern Wisconsin bog alive with carnivorous plants.

Along the way, viewers are treated to visual perspectives not often seen, from aerial vistas at the Dells of the Wisconsin River State Natural Area, to up-close scenes of colorful butterflies and flowers at the Pleasant Valley Conservancy State Natural Area.

“We tried to create a more intimate program that really gives you a sense of being in these places,” said Laurie Gorman, the program’s executive producer. “I hope this inspires people to get out and explore them.”

Featured prominently are 15 state natural areas including Ridgeway Pine Relict, Scuppernong Prairie, Lulu Lake, Quincy Bluff, and Beulah Bog; six state parks including Devil’s Lake and Governor Dodge; and Horicon Marsh State Wildlife Area. State natural areas owned by The Prairie Enthusiasts, The Nature Conservancy and Kickapoo Valley Reserve are also among the breathtaking views.

"Wisconsin’s Scenic Treasures: Southern Vistas" premieres March 1 at 7 p.m. on PBS Wisconsin stations and re-airs at 10 p.m. that same night. Encore broadcasts will air 7 p.m. March 10 and March 14. The program also will air on Milwaukee PBS 8 p.m. Thursday, March 11. The full show will be available to stream on-demand after the premiere at pbswisconsin.org and on the free PBS app on phones, tablets, Roku, other streaming devices and smart TVs.