Forests, the illusion of green territories

Romantic representations of verdant woods in fairy-tales fire our imagination and shape our idea of the forest. However, the forest industry is a threat to healthy ecosystems for the sake of wood production. While planting acres of a single tree species might give the illusion of a green territory, the resulting environment is a seemingly dead landscape where biodiversity declines. The documentary by Madeleine Oltra highlights the actions taken by a group of people living in Argentat, central France, to protect local forests. The images display the ongoing dialogue amongst these protagonists about adapting to forest growth and not the other way around. Her documentary supports the power of collective initiative.