Episode Information

Savanna, pampas, prairie, meadow, even lawn: grassland goes by many names. Seas of green, dominated by one of the most abundant and successful plant species – grass. It’s so hardy and productive that it can survive flooding, drought and fires, managing to feed vast animal communities. What’s more, it’s not just a food source, it’s also a theatre; many of nature’s most dramatic spectacles play out in this breathtaking wilderness. Grass improves air quality and disperses heat, protecting the ground and anchoring soil together. Just a handful of grass-rich soil can contain more organisms than there are people on the planet. And of course grass produces oxygen and locks away carbon, literally enabling us to breathe safely. Whether it’s the great plains, the Asian steppe or just our own backyards, we need this precious resource, and so does wildlife.