"The Lost Forests of New England" film event

There is increasing awareness these days of just how important intact, nature-managed old forests are to our global ecology. Hopefully it will lead to large areas of second-growth forest being set aside as "hands off", future old-growth.

Simsbury (CT) Land Trust and Simsbury Public Library will co-sponsor a showing of "The Lost Forests of New England" (the first of our old-growth forest films) on January 15, 2025.

 Blackgum trees, ca 500 years old

The film depicts what our primeval central New England forests looked like before European settlement 400 years ago, and what their status is today. Existing remnant old forests are shown.

The agricultural phenomenon known as "sheep fever," which was responsible for rapid wholesale clearing of our original central New England forests, is described by noted ecologist and author Tom Wessels. 

A number of Harvard Forest scientists and old-growth forest experts are also featured in the film, as is Joan Maloof, founder of the Old Growth Forest Network. They discuss the values of natural, old forests.

Following the screening, there will be a Q&A session with Professor Susan Masino of Trinity College (Hartford County Coordinator for the Old Growth Forest Network), and filmmaker Ray Asselin.

The event will be held at the Simsbury Public Library, 725 Hopmeadow St, Simsbury, CT, at 6:30pm. Admission is free and open to the public. More info, and registration, here.

 

Old-growth Yellow Birch