For a long, long time, we humans have been harvesting forests for wood products, clearing forests for agriculture and development, and otherwise manipulating forested lands. There's not much left that hasn't been disturbed by us. Does that matter? Well, yes, it does.
Why should we leave any forests alone, where trees will sprout, grow, and eventually die, only to "just go to waste"? Because unmanipulated "old growth" forests are highly evolved and adapted to the long-term conditions where they grow. Trees are long-lived plants; their lives span the typical ups and downs of temporary changes in climate.
Old forests are superior to young forests in providing filtered, clean water and air. With their ability to transpire water vapor via photosynthesis, large, contiguous old forests propagate precipitation across the land, keeping streams and rivers flowing, ground water abundant, and aquifers at optimal levels.
Just as we need "working" forests to supply harvestable timber, we likewise need substantial "wildland" forests around the globe to maintain life-supporting conditions, not only for us, but for wildlife of all kinds as well. This is not an option; it is a requisite for sustaining human, animal, and plant life on this planet. Where humans have eliminated forests, deserts result. Where forests still exist but are over-harvested, the land is likely on a downward spiral toward forest simplification and eventual desertification.
Our latest film, "Proforestation: Letting Forests Grow Old", discusses the need for allowing forests to live to their ecological potential, to provide us with all their benefits.
The film's premiere local screening will be presented as part of Real Art Ways' "Science On Screen" series, on Saturday, April 25, 2026.
Due to ongoing renovations at Real Art Ways, the event will be held at the Connecticut Science Center theater, in Hartford, CT.
The program begins at 3pm, when Professor Susan Masino of Trinity College will give a short talk and slide presentation prior to the film, which begins at 3:30. A Q&A session will follow the film.
Seating will be General Admission; tickets and info are available at the Real Art Ways website.
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| Connecticut Science Center |
