9pm Thursday THE SWAMP: AMERICAN EXPERIENCE – Documentary/History - The dramatic story of humanity's attempts to conquer the Florida Everglades, one of nature's most mysterious and unique ecosystems.
Home to a profusion of plants and animals found nowhere else on the continent, the Everglades was an immense watershed covering the southern half of the Florida peninsula. In the 19th century, however, most Americans believed swamps were filled with diseases and noxious reptiles and saw them as obstacles to the nation’s progress. The idea of draining the Everglades became the goal of many entrepreneurs, politicians and salesmen who saw great potential in turning the massive wetland into a profitable enterprise. Altering the landscape of the Everglades unleashed a torrent of unintended consequences, from catastrophic floods to brutal droughts. Told through the lives of a handful of colorful and resolute characters, from hucksters to politicians to unlikely activists, The Swamp explores the repeated efforts to transform what was seen as a vast and useless wasteland into an agricultural and urban paradise, ultimately leading to a passionate campaign to preserve America’s greatest wetland.
