The People Protecting The Oldest Trees In America (Full Documentary)

Thank you to everyone who helped make this film a reality over the last year, and to everyone who sent in public comments in 2023 to get our country to this moment. This is your film to organize and educate others with. We're beyond excited to share this film with you and hope to do more projects like this in the future. -------------------- CHAPTERS 0:00 - Intro: What Should We Do With Our Oldest Trees? WEST VIRGINIA 0:56 - West Virginia: What Is A Clear Cut? 1:38 - Meeting At The Lead Mine Church 2:58 - The Upper Cheat River Project: Public and Private Cuts 4:54 - Property Value, Helicopter Logging and the Economics of Steep Slopes 6:28 - Do Clear Cuts Lead To Flooding? 10:22 - Exploring A Forest Service Clear Cut 11:36 - What Are Mature and Old Growth Forests? 12:23 - How Forests Heal: Mental Health Impacts 15:00 - The Red Oak: Finding One Of The Oldest Trees On The East Coast WISCONSIN 17:19 - Wisconsin: Climate Benefits of Mature & Old Growth Trees 19:04 - Outdoor Recreation: Family Time In The Forest 22:38 - The Sunfish Stand: Exploring A Selective Cut Targeting Mature & Old Growth 24:24 - How To Tell How Old A Tree Is 26:25 - Forest Policy: Afforestation, Reforestation, and Proforestation MENOMINEE NATION 26:46 - Truly Sustainable Forestry: The Menominee Tribe 27:57 - Unmanaged vs Managed Old Growth: Different Types of Old-Growth/GIS Management 30:58 - Chainsaw Timber Team: The Joy of Logging & Logging Equipment 32:46 - Forest Therapy: Veteran Logger Alex Peters, Stolen Indigenous Land 33:25 - The Lumber Mill: Sustainable Timber Management and Family Connection 34:37 - Indigenous Land Stewardship vs. American Timber Management | Can Other Companies Learn From The Menominee? OREGON 37:57 - The North American Temperate Rainforest 38:34 - Wildfire, Indigenous Fire Use and Old Growth Fire Ecology 42:59 - Tish & Eric: Couple Whose House Burned Down In A Wildfire 44:31 - How Forests Clean Water: The McKenzie River and Flat Country Project 46:50 - Activism and Personal Connection to Land 48:35 - How Much Lumber Would Be Affected By This? 49:01 - Does Activism Matter? 50:33 - How We Could Save The Trees: The National Old Growth Amendment (NOGA) 51:16 - Climbing An Old Growth Tree 54:02 - Why Your Voice Matters: Why Save The Trees? 55:25 - Thank You 55:53 - Outro: How You Can Help, Sending Letters Through Protect Our Forests -------------------- CREDITS CROWN JEWELS was Created In Partnership with REI Co-op, With Additional Support from Patagonia. Directed and Produced by Alex Haraus Cinematographers: Aidan Kranz, Elena Jean, Alex Haraus, Michael Clark Editors: Elena Jean, Alex Haraus, Thomas Dajer Assistant Editor: Hunter Velasquez Motion Graphics: Revelation Pictures Colorist: Aidan Kranz Sound Design: Daniel McNamara Music from Epidemic Sound & ALIBI Music Special Thanks To: Menominee Tribal Enterprises and Firefighters United For Safety, Ethics & Ecology for sharing their stories and experience with us Tree Climbing at Silver Falls for bringing us up the 400-600 year-old Douglas fir Ralph Bloemers for sharing his magnificent wildlife trail cam footage with us