Environmental Heroes series on UNC-TV

Journalism and public health students from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill have partnered with the North Carolina Center for Public Television to produce “Environmental Heroes,” a three-part series that will air this week on UNC-TV’s “North Carolina Now.”

Students in Professor Tom Linden’s “Science Documentary Television” course in the Hussman School of Journalism and Media produced the series.

“The reports are timely and very relevant to residents throughout the state,” said Linden, who directs the school’s science and medical journalism program.

The three pieces will air on separate nights Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday this week on UNC-TV's “North Carolina Now” at 7:30 p.m. Check local cable listings for the channel.

On Tuesday, Dec. 8, the series profiles the owners of Peregrine Farm, Alex and Betsy Hitt, who have turned a small plot of land in Alamance County into successful, sustainable farm that supplies food to the Carrboro Farmers’ Market, Weaver Street Market and other outlets. Facundo del Villar, a journalism exchange student from Argentina, produced the piece. The associate producer was Lauren Poor, a public health master’s student. Courtney Harrington, a senior in the journalism school, wrote the script.

On Wednesday, Dec. 9, the series concludes with the story of a neglected and abused stream in Durham, Ellerbe Creek, which provides part of the drinking water supply for Raleigh. UNC medical student Andy VanDerVeer produced the piece, and Nivi Ravi, a second-year master’s student in the science and medical journalism program, wrote it.

The series began Monday with a story about a tiny insect that is killing hemlocks from Canada to Georgia, including vast stands of hemlocks in North Carolina. The series profiled an arborist from Black Mountain, N.C., Will Blozan, whose mission is to save as many hemlocks as he can with targeted pesticides until a biological control can be found. Emily Brostek, a master’s student in public health, produced the piece. Associate producers were Anna Gieselman, a master’s student in public health, and Hertta Heinonen, a public health student from Finland. The scriptwriter was Jeff Yeo, a master’s student in the science and medical journalism program.

Jim Sander, an independent local filmmake, was the associate producer for the series. UNC-TV videographers included Mike Oniffrey, Mike O'Connell, Peter Bell and Alan Brown. Oniffrey edited the pieces with help from the student teams.

The first installment of “Environmental Heroes” aired this summer during the North Carolina Visions Film Festival on UNC-TV.