Restoration Planet

In this episode, the Restoration Planet team showcases Williams Lake, BC. Mary and Oliver highlight composting in their "Trash Talk Tuesday" series. North in Prince George, Jim Good's nature park features trees and plants from across Canada. The team plants trees with local Indigenous women and holds a smudge ceremony to aid fire-ravaged lands.

The Restoration Planet team visits Newfoundland & Labrador. Local diver Shawn, founder of "Clean Harbours Initiative," cleans local harbors. Robert and Vanessa help remove debris from a cove. A year later, his initiative thrives. They also meet seabird biologists Taylor Brown and Juliana Coffey, studying stranded petrels, and capture stunning images of Vanessa's homeland.

In the Pyrenees Orientale of France, the team explores lush countryside, rich Catalan history, and kind locals. Robert and Vanessa volunteer with MIAM Collectif, a grassroots restaurant tackling food waste. In Nerja, Spain, they team up with Paco, a local teacher, to find the elusive Spanish ibex, which can sometimes be spotted on his favorite beach.

The Albanian people are generous despite a challenging history. The team joins PPNEA, a national conservation group, working with ornithologist Zydjon and wildlife researcher Ilir. They collaborate with local shepherds to reduce illegal poisoning, which threatens the critically endangered Egyptian Vulture, aiming to restore its population in the beautiful Albanian mountains.

In spectacular Montenegro, the team works with Belma, Stefan, and Marina from Wildlife Montenegro. In a huge cave near the Albanian border, they explore thousands of hibernating bats. Marina sets traps to track the invasive mongoose. They also showcase Montenegro's natural beauty, culture, and history.

The team visits a remote Ecuadorian Andes village, spending time on a small organic farm. The local economy thrives on agriculture and small family businesses like shoemakers and bakers. The warm, hardworking locals say anything you plant, grows. A nearby mining operation threatens their centuries-old way of life.

On Ecuador's Pacific coast, the team finds an inspiring sea turtle rescue program. Carry and Davo, a dedicated couple, protect Santa Marianita beach, a nesting site for Olive Ridley sea turtles. They rescue injured birds, clean up trash, and help hatchlings reach the sea, sometimes relocating vulnerable nests. "I found the purpose of my life," Carry says.

In Ecuador's Pacoche Rainforest, the team tracks the endangered Ecuadorian white-fronted capuchin with researchers Tamara, Santiago, and guide Ramone. They aim to capture the elusive primates on camera trap. Later, they join youth-led river cleanup efforts on the Rio Carrizal to combat plastic pollution starting from inland rivers.

In Costa Rica's Osa Peninsula, entomologist Jim Cordoba Alfaro leads the BioSur Foundation, focusing on biodiversity. They educate local students in a forest reserve, highlighting conservation efforts. Jim's passion for preserving the region shines through, especially in his admiration for leaf cutter ants.

In rural Quy Nhon, Vietnam, the team meets Ms. Nga, who runs a Recycle Garden to support people with disabilities. They explore Red Beach in Da Nang, where the first US Marines landed in 1965.

The team visits the Mekong Delta to witness efforts restoring mangrove forests, planting thousands of trees with basic tools. They also highlight a refillery shop in Da Nang, where the owner reduces waste and educates children in her daycare center.