Our Changing Planet Returns with Powerful Focus on River Restoration

Images: BBC Press

By Jon Donnis

Our Changing Planet returns with a new focus on one of Earth's most critical resources: rivers. This powerful episode follows large-scale restoration projects on two iconic rivers, the Klamath in northern California and the Seine in Paris, both facing severe environmental challenges due to pollution, dams, and overuse.

In California, presenter Liz Bonnin revisits the Klamath River where local tribes and conservation groups are leading the largest dam removal project in American history. For over a century, massive hydroelectric dams blocked salmon migration and caused ecological collapse along the 254-mile river. The resulting damage affected Indigenous communities, especially the Yurok and Karuk tribes, who relied on the river's salmon for food and cultural heritage.

Now, the dams are being removed. Bonnin joins crews as they demolish structures like Irongate and Copco 1. Conservation teams are racing to plant native vegetation and stabilize the land exposed by drained reservoirs. The goal is to restore natural river flow in time for salmon to return and spawn. Ecologists are also monitoring juvenile fish populations to assess recovery efforts, while aerial mapping helps track the river's evolving landscape. The episode also follows the return of California condors, an endangered species once common in the area, thanks to local reintroduction efforts.

In France, journalist Ade Adepitan investigates the cleanup of the River Seine, long considered one of Europe's most polluted urban waterways. Due to outdated sewer infrastructure, raw sewage regularly flowed into the river, creating hazardous conditions for wildlife and people. With the 2024 Olympics on the horizon, the city launched an ambitious project to make the Seine clean and swimmable again.

Adepitan visits underground sewer upgrades, explores innovations in waste treatment, and even takes a dip in the Seine alongside amateur swimmers. He meets scientists using space-age toilets that recycle human waste into agricultural fertilizer and speaks with local ecologists monitoring fish populations. The results are promising: where only three fish species were once found, over forty now thrive.

These two stories show what can be achieved through collaboration, determination, and respect for nature. If cities like Paris and regions like the Klamath Basin can bring rivers back to life, they offer a blueprint for similar efforts worldwide.