Ancient Forests…A Hopeful Future….Longleaf Forever
July 31, 2024
Our work strives to ensure a sustainable future for longleaf pine ecosystems and that’s exactly why The Longleaf Alliance has partnered to bring you Longleaf Forever, a compelling, short documentary film that plunges viewers into one of the most biologically diverse ecosystems on the planet.
Divided into chapters, the film begins with an introduction by a forester, Paul Massey, who has spent his life conserving longleaf ecosystems in Georgia's Red Hills. The focus shifts to the remarkable life cycle of longleaf pines, beginning with seedlings that grow into 100-foot trees.
In South Carolina, Nancy Basket, a Native pine needle basket maker, narrates how the histories of Indigenous peoples and longleaf forests are intertwined. On the Florida Panhandle, we discover the essential role of fire in longleaf forests, where animals, insects, and plants have evolved to thrive with regular fire cycles. Throughout the film, we hear from ecology experts including Mark Melvin, Kevin Heirs, Carol Denhof, Amaad Blade, Shan Cammack, Rick Anderson, Stephanie Heirs, and Erin Cork.
![“Everything is living [...] and when you respect our natural resources as part of your family, you are going to use them differently - you are going to look at them differently.” - Nancy BasketHear more in Longleaf Forever’s Chapter 2: The interwoven history of longleaf forests and Indigenous peoples](https://longleafalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/NancyBasket-1-1024x563.png "NancyBasket")
With more than 1 million acres of longleaf restored, the future of these ancient forests looks more hopeful. Director Laura Albritton explains, “Longleaf forests have faced destruction and exploitation for hundreds of years, but Longleaf Forever is ultimately not a tragic environmental story. One thing that attracted my filmmaking partner, Zickie Allgrove, and me to this subject is the ongoing commitment of conservationists, scientists, and landowners who have made a profound, positive difference.”
Watch now to experience the incredible animals and plants that make longleaf ecosystems home, and meet some of the people who work passionately to conserve and restore these remarkable natural treasures.
Longleaf Forever was directed by Laura Albritton with videography by Zickie Allgrove. Produced by Shan Cammack, Georgia Dept of Natural Resources, Carol Denhof, The Longleaf Alliance, Reese Thompson, and Reese Thompson II. Made with assistance from the Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ Wildlife Division, The Longleaf Alliance, and The Environmental Resources Network (TERN).