Views from a Woodlot documentary film

Hi Forest Lovers, 

High Cairn Films is currently entering post-production on 'Views from a Woodlot', an 18-minute documentary short that features Bruce Spencer, retired chief forester of the Quabbin Reservoir in central Massachusetts, at work on his 150 acre woodlot, where he practices a forestry philosophy that puts the forest first. 

Pre-production and production phases for the film have been completed with in-kind funding of $24,600. I am seeking post-production and outreach/distribution funding of $8,500. My plan is to complete the film and begin distribution by the end of 2024. Donations in any amount would be greatly appreciated. 

Here is a link to the 'Views from a Woodlot' web page , which includes a two-minute trailer to provide a sense of style, feeling, and production value.

More Background:

The seed for this film grew from a five-year immersion in the timber/logging industries, forestry, and forest ecology during the making and screening of BURNED - Are Trees the New Coal , a feature-length documentary about the controversial biomass industry. During that time, I spent countless hours reading about the actions and rationale of an industry that uses phrases such as “sustainable,” “forest improvement,” and “junk wood” to justify and promote actions that, to many scientists, put forests at risk.

As a culture, we still have much to learn about forests and how best to manage them. It is Spencer's belief that the best management is done when the logging is human, not industrial-scale. When we take what the forest gives. When we understand limits. His plainspoken philosophy hearkens back to an earlier era -- before massive machines were used in the woods -- while pointing us in a direction for the future where the treatment of our forests is critical in combating climate change. 

My hope is that this film will contribute to the conversation about forest management and lead to better understanding of ecological, as opposed to, economic sustainability. This is important at a time when forests are increasingly being seen as an integral part of the solution to a warming planet and chaotic climate.

Please get in touch if you’d like more information about 'Views from a Woodlot.' Please consider contributing to the completion and wide distribution of this film.

Thanks for your interest in the project!

Cheers, Chris

Chris Hardee

Founder & Filmmaker

High Cairn Films