Saving the Bay premiered in two parts on KQED/San Francisco (Channel 9) October 8 and 15 and had the single highest rating of any PBS program in the nation the evening of its initial broadcast, with the audience increasing every 15 minutes until the end. Its first run on KQED’s sister station KTEH/Silicon Valley more than doubled their normal ratings. The series then ran as a “pledge” show for both stations in December and the response in memberships and dollars raised for KQED exceeded expectations. Narrated by Robert Redford, Saving the Bay explores the history of one of America's greatest natural resources -- San Francisco Bay -- with four one-hour episodes tracing the Bay from its geologic origins following the last Ice Age through years of catastrophic exploitation to restoration efforts of today. This spectacular high-definition series takes viewers on an unforgettable journey around the waters of San Francisco Bay and the larger northern California watershed from the Sierra Nevada mountains to the Farallon Islands in the Pacific Ocean. The series also highlights the story of three women who rallied an entire region to save San Francisco Bay from becoming little more than a river. Spearheaded by three women in the East Bay hills, the story of how the Bay was saved is not only compelling in its own right, but offers an invaluable lesson about how ordinary citizens can have an impact on protecting and enhancing our natural environment. Conceived as more than purely a public television series, Saving the Bay is a huge public education endeavor designed to raise awareness of San Francisco Bay -- it's evolution, how we almost lost and then saved the Bay, and how we are planning the future of the Bay including wetland restoration, increased public access and balancing the often competing needs of a fragile ecosystem which is the centerpiece of a major urban area home to over 7 million people. We are still fundraising as the major focus now is on educational outreach, which initially includes 20 downloadable lesson plans for 4th through 12th grades with 26 video segments and an interactive regional map highlighting dozens of agencies and organizations involved with the Bay. We are working on securing funding for a three year education agenda so we can develop the curriculum material for the website, incorporate interactive elements on the web, keep the website updated and our successful Facebook page active plus add new video segments to the web to augment the original series. We are also planning programs with most of the major science and history institutions in the greater Bay Area. Please help by visiting our Donation page. All contributions are tax-deductible and go through KQED, a 501c(3) non-profit.

San Francisco Bay is an irreplaceable gift of nature that man can either abuse and ultimately destroy -– or improve and protect for future generations. San Francisco Bay Plan, 1969