"War for the Woods provides an inspirational reminder of the value of ancient forests across time and cultures."

David Foster, Director Emeritus of Harvard Forest, Harvard University

War for the Woods

Directed by Sean Stiller & Geoff Morrison

Narrated by Stephanie Kwetásel'wet Wood

44 minutes | English SDH Captions | Scene Selection

Thirty years after historic logging protests on British Columbia's Vancouver Island, the battle to protect old-growth forests is still raging.

War for the Woods follows a new generation’s campaign against logging that once again has captured the attention of Canadians, including Stephanie Kwetásel’wet Wood, a Sḵwx̱wú7mesh journalist living and writing in North Vancouver, who reports on Indigenous rights and the natural world for The Narwhal. The documentary traces Wood’s journey to understand how B.C.’s old-growth forests have all but disappeared in this troubling time of climate change, and how Indigenous communities are trying to protect and honor what remains.

Thirty years after the historic blockades in Clayoquot Sound, Wood travels to Tla-o-qui-aht territory, where the protests took place, meeting with Tribal Park Guardians, community leaders and others to learn more about the ongoing legacy of those historic protest actions.

War for the Woods is now available on DVD with public performance rights and DSL licensing for schools, libraries, and other organizations. Academic streaming can be licensed from Docuseek. Campus and community groups interested in hosting an in-person or online community screening can book now through Bullfrog Communities.

WATCH THE TRAILER

"War for the Woods expertly weaves together the histories of the Clayoquot Sound blockades and today’s continued fight for old-growth protection and efforts that bolster Indigenous-led conservation across the region. As the world desperately seeks solutions to the climate and biodiversity crises, it is always important to remember that Indigenous Nations have held caretaking responsibilities for the lands and waters for millennia, and this film demonstrates why Indigenous rights and authority need to be respected and supported."

Nikolaj Lasbo, Marketing Director, The Nature Conservancy and Nature United

"War for the Woods is a powerful reminder at a critical time of the importance of forests in general and old growth forests in particular to our ecological, cultural, and economic health. Old-growth forests and our relationship to them should not be a relic of the past, but a road map to our future."

Paul Catanzaro, Professor of Environmental Conservation, State Extension Forester, University of Massachusetts-Amherst

"This film beautifully captures the zeitgeist of forest conservation today, combining the urgency of old-growth protection with Indigenous wisdom, reciprocity, sovereignty, and, as Stephanie says at the beginning of the film, the respect that Indigenous Knowledge and lifeways are finally getting from Western institutions. I’ve been in this old-growth conservation game a long time, but I have never before seen a study that so seamlessly connects historical retrospective with current conditions, utilizing Indigenous voices to both critique ongoing practice and signal hope for the future."

Gregory H. Aplet, PhD, Senior Forest Scientist, The Wilderness Society

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Bullfrog Films is the oldest and largest publisher of documentary films about the environment in the United States. We define "environment" broadly, and our catalog includes programs on ecology, energy, agriculture, indigenous peoples, women's studies, environmental justice, international relations, sustainable development, anthropology, economics, ethics, and conflict resolution.