Snakes are crucial to the health of Merchants Millpond.

Producers, Anne McDarris & Kate Johnson; scriptwriter & narrator, Riley Davis; videographers, Bob Gunter, Drew Stevens; second camera, Brian Batista, McDarris, Davis; video editor, Sarah Redmond; executive producer, Dr. Tom Linden.

How Lake Waccamaw got rid of the invasive aquatic plant hydrilla.

Producers, Matthew Alexander & Emily Apadula; scriptwriter & narrator, A.J. O’Leary; videographers, Bob Gunter & Drew Stevens; second camera: Alexander, O’Leary; video editor, Haley France; executive producer, Dr. Tom Linden.

More than two years after a large fire, plants at South Mountains State Park are thriving.

Producer, Rob Gourley; associate producer, Kara Kochek; scriptwriter & narrator, Minali Nigam; cameras/video editors, Gourley & Bob Gunter; executive producer, Dr. Tom Linden; photographs courtesy of Amanda D. Lasley; additional video courtesy of Rahima Rahi.

Ginseng grows in the forests of the Appalachian mountains, but poachers are stealing it.

Producer & narrator, Nez Covington; associate producers, Allie Miszewski & Raymond Tu; scriptwriter, Charlotte Harris; camera/video editor, Bob Gunter; additional video editing, Covington; executive producer, Dr. Tom Linden.

Drones help researchers and park officials get an accurate count of the deer population on Pilot Mountain.

Producer, Trent Brown; associate producers, Olivia Corriere & Lauren Glaze;  scriptwriter & narrator, Haley France; camera/video Editor, Bob Gunter; additional cameras, Brown & France; executive producer, Dr. Tom Linden.

Staff at Carvers Creek State Park routinely burn pine forests to return the landscape to its natural state.

Producer, Mikaela Nerea Freundlich; scriptwriter & narrator, Jeremiah Murphy; camera/video editor, Bob Gunter, second camera, Murphy; executive producer, Dr. Tom Linden.

State Park Wildlife biologists are keeping an eye on the interactions between alligators and people who live around Lake Waccamaw, near Wilmington.

Producer: Alex Kellogg; associate producers, Lucy Banny & Emma Karlok; scriptwriter & narrator, Bronwyn Bishop; camera/video editor, Bob Gunter; executive producer, Dr. Tom Linden.

The New River flows north from Watauga County in western North Carolina toward Virginia. The river’s health is threatened by property owners who clear-cut the river’s first line of defense: the trees and shrubs along the banks.

Producer, Aubrey Patti; associate producer, Abbey Vinson; scriptwriter, Rossie Izlar; videographer/editor, Robert Gunter; graphic artist, Heather Dollar;

executive producer, Dr. Tom Linden.

Occoneechee Mountain is the tallest peak in Orange County. The mountain’s cliff faces tell the story of the Occoneechee’s formation.

Producer, Yasmin Bendaas; associate producer, Chrissy Garwood; scriptwriter, Larisa Bennett; videographer/editor, Robert Gunter; graphic artist, Heather Dollar; executive producer, Dr. Tom Linden.