Genre: Short Documentary
Duration: 7 minutes
Directed by: Desmond Simon
Produced through the Common Ground Project, a partnership between Community Forests International, Ulnooweg Development Group, and the Family Forest Network of Nova Scotia.
The Borer and the Basket
The ash trees of the Wabanaki Forest bear spiritual, ceremonial, and economic importance to Indigenous people in the area, but the emerald ash borer ― an invasive beetle species ― is currently decimating these trees and threatening a way of life. This film weaves personal stories with the latest research, following the basket makers and experts who are trying to preserve the forest before it’s too late.
Standing Trees (9 minutes)
How do you measure the value of a forest? Enter Robinson Conservation Forest, a naturally diverse Wabanaki forest in the Wolastoq watershed in central New Brunswick, on the east coast of Canada / Turtle Island. This special forest and the people connected to it push us to see beyond the timber value of a forest—to see the forest beyond the trees. From carbon storage to flood mitigation to family connections and cultural traditions, forests like this are vital to the identity and well-being of our communities.
The Muskwi Canoe (10 minutes)
The changing climate affects both the forests and traditions that have relied on the forests for millennia. In this short film, Mi’kmaw Elder Todd G. Labrador and his daughter Melissa Labrador explain the increasing importance of sharing traditional ecological skills and knowledge — and take us on a journey to see the traditional harvest and making of muskwi products.
Npisun (Medicine) in the Wabanaki Forest (8 minutes)
Join Cecelia Brooks from St. Mary’s First Nation, New Brunswick, and her son Anthony Bardwell, as they share their story of finding medicine from and on the land. Watch their traditional medicine harvest, listen to the challenge of accessing lands, and find hope from one settler landowner who passes on the knowledge from his own ancestors.
Windhorse: A Story of Land Back (7 minutes)
Land Back is one of the most tangible actions settlers can take within the process of reconciliation. Through the story of Windhorse Farm, this short film shows the importance of Land Back and the profound beauty this form of healing provides. This story gives an intimate look at reconciliation through the eyes of the people on the ground.
Most importantly, this story is about the forest’s ability to heal and connect Mi’kmaq Peoples to what is rightfully theirs. For too long, the Indigenous people of Canada have been disconnected and disenfranchised from their lands through broken promises and lies. This film aims to share a hopeful vision for the future and invite a meaningful conversation about land-based reconciliation.
Community Forests International (CFI) works in Canada and Zanzibar to help protect and restore forests, support communities adapting to climate change, build economic prosperity, and champion social equality. Community Forests International is committed to centering not only forests but also climate justice in their vision, mission, and actions — understanding that by acting with justice people will be the restorative force that the world needs.
CFI knows that fostering strong relationships between people and forests is critical to ensuring a climate-secure future — whether on the islands of Zanzibar, the coast of Mozambique, or the Canadian Maritimes. While the special regions they work in are home to different ecosystems and unique challenges, their solutions always benefit both forests and the people directly connected to them. READ MORE>
IMPACTS
62K DIRECT BENEFICIARIES – Co-creating solutions for people and the planet.
3,003 ACRES PROTECTED – Protecting endangered Wabanaki forests by holding them in trust.
3.2M TREES PLANTED – Planting back lost forests for future generations.
375 ACRES OF AGROFOREST – Supporting climate-smart innovation.