Expeditions With Patrick McMillan

While the island of Avalon is purely mythical, in theory, its essence does indeed exist on the picturesque island of Catalina that is quaintly nestled off of the southern coast of California. Boasting a remarkable plethora of wildlife, Catalina Island is a wildlife sanctuary in every sense of the term. Journey with Patrick as he navigates the breathtaking landscape of this unique island.

Catalina once played host to a native population that utilized Catalina's intricate landscape. The island has faced its share of tribulations, though, mostly due to the introductions of disease and environmental hindrances from various non-native species. Join Patrick as he discovers firsthand just how incredible the success story of Catalina Island and its inhabitants truly is.

One of the most misunderstood regions of North America, the Trans-Pecos, is not a desolate expanse of nothingness like commonly thought. In fact, it is a melting pot of several different biomes. Come along with Patrick as he explores the Trans-Pecos during its peak time of year, monsoon season, and discovers all of the wonders that Texas' natural melting pot has to offer.

On top of being a hotspot for biodiversity, the West Texas region of the Trans-Pecos is a constantly evolving landscape. Boasting a remarkable array of flora and fauna, the Trans-Pecos is home to several species unique to that particular area. Tune in as Patrick draws attention to the spectacular vegetation that calls the Trans-Pecos home.

Life in the alpine is existing on the fringe. It's hard to believe that life could persist here, let alone flourish. From beautiful alpine flowers to mountain goats and the shy pika, life is abundant. Join Patrick as he explores just how life thrives in the Colorado Rockies, the rooftop of America.

When you think of the Rocky Mountains you probably picture a wilderness that is far removed from our influence. It turns out that may not be the case. Life is changing here from the alpine lakes to fragile tundra life to the mighty forests of the mountain slopes. Join Patrick as he explores the challenges and changes that are happening in the Colorado Rockies.

This is a place that few of us will ever visit. It's packed with biodiversity. Many of the plants and animals that are found here can be found no place else in the United States and their future is tied to a connection with Mexico, here on the border. Join Patrick as he explores a land of Green Jays and Plain Chachalacas in South Texas.

How important is the border region to the ebb and flow of life in your backyard? How important is it to our natural heritage? Do the birds you enjoy or the waterfowl you pursue need this place to survive? Join Patrick as he explores the connections to your backyard on the volatile border region of South Texas.

How many youngsters become fascinated with nature by playing in mud puddles catching tadpoles and frogs? I did. Today, all around the globe, these harbingers of spring are disappearing at an alarming rate. Join Patrick in a race across the region, through the seasons, and against time, to uncover the most secretive, strange, and seldom seen frogs in the Southeast.

The Clemson Experimental Forest is over 17,000 acres of woodland and pastoral agricultural land surrounded by a suburban and agricultural landscape in the piedmont of South Carolina. It doesn't boast lofty summits, towering waterfalls or rushing rivers but it does contain a world-class diversity of plants and animals that is difficult to surpass in the highly modified piedmont landscape.

Today, the Clemson Forest is over 17,000 acres of lovely, pristine-looking woodland and pastoral landscape. But seventy years ago this landscape was an ecological disaster. Join Patrick as he explores the unique and rare plants and animals and the changes that led from catastrophe to the restoration of the vibrant world-class ecosystem and working outdoor classroom that is the Clemson Forest.

The once vast Longleaf Pine woodlands once dominated the South with their green, open and grassy expanses. Today this is one of the rarest habitats on the planet reduced to just two percent of its historic extent. Join Patrick as he explores a land filled with some of the strangest plants and animals anywhere in the Appalchicola National Forest, a land kissed by fire.

It seems that no matter where we look we can find evidence of man shaping the world around him. Fire is essential for the existence of the longleaf pine woodland, one of the rarest and most interesting habitats on the planet. Join Patrick as he continues to explore the incredible and strange life that makes its home here in the heart of the longleaf empire in the Francis Marion National Forest.