A NEW ADventure is coming up and i'm sure it will be a good one. - SIG OLSON
About The Project
Over the past year, we have been developing a short documentary film centered around protecting the Boundary Waters. The film's focus is on the people who help spread appreciation for the land and carry on, in their own individual ways, the legacy of Sigurd Olson, a writer and conservationist who was responsible for the area's National Forest designation in 1978.
The goal of the film is to reiterate the importance of human interaction with nature and preserving the places on earth that still allow for it. Threats to the Boundary Waters have taken many forms over time, but the dedication to keeping them safe has endured.
Today, more than ever, we must realize what is at stake if we fail to protect these wild lands. We each carry our own ability to protect this place, just as Sig did, and with enough understanding and enthusiasm to share it, the generations we leave this wilderness for will not hesitate in picking up right where we left off.
Who's Involved
Brendan Harris (Director) - Will Mooty (Producer) - John Mooty (Producer)
We are three childhood friends with a shared love for Minnesota and its Boundary Waters. We grew up here, went to school here, work here, and for the past 25 years, have spent every summer on the same lake together.
This Wild Land is produced in association with Northeastern Minnesotans for Wilderness, Save The Boundary Waters, The Listening Point Foundation, Friends of the Boundary Waters, Chesterfield Pictures, and Capture Films.
Northeastern Minnesotans for Wilderness
Northeastern Minnesotans for Wilderness is the region based wilderness advocacy group created by area residents to protect the BWCAW and other wild places. NMW was formed in 1996 to continue the local tradition of working to protect our wild places against ever increasing public and commercial pressures so that the natural features and processes that exist in the area will remain intact for future generations.
Save The Boundary Waters
The Campaign to Save The Boundary Waters is leading the efforts to protect the Boundary Waters Wilderness from sulfide-ore copper mining.
The Campaign, led by Northeastern Minnesotans for Wilderness, was organized by local residents in and around Ely, Minnesota, who are dedicated to creating a national movement to protect the clean water, clean air and forest landscape of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness and its watershed from toxic pollution caused by mining copper, nickel and other metals from sulfide-bearing ore.
The Listening Point Foundation
The Listening Point Foundation, Inc., a nonprofit 501(c)3 educational organization, was established in 1998 and is dedicated to preserving Listening Point and furthering Sigurd Olson’s legacy of wilderness education.
The Listening Point Foundation owns and cares for Listening Point, the rugged northern Minnesota lake shore property and his cabin, along with Sig’s home and “writing shack” in Ely. They conduct tours for the interested public, publish wilderness education materials, and sponsor wilderness educational programs.
Friends of the Boundary Waters
The Boundary Waters region has rich and complex history that weaves together the lives and experiences of Native American communities, industry, cherished family businesses and passionate wilderness advocates. Its story is marked by controversy, sacrifice and the bold vision for long-term protection of a beloved landscape – a place where individuals can experience wild lakes and rivers and seek adventure, beauty, rejuvenation and solitude.
The Friend of the Boundary Waters Wilderness has been a part of this history since 1976, when the organization was established to help bring full wilderness protection to the Boundary Waters, culminating in the passing of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness Act in 1978.
Following the 1978 wilderness designation, the Friends emerged as a leading voice for the ongoing protection, preservation and restoration of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW). In recent years, the Friends’ core work has focused on defending the BWCAW against activities that erode its wilderness character and working to ensure that the BWCAW, Superior National Forest and Quetico-Superior ecosystem are managed according to sound ecological principles.
Currently, a major focus of the organization is to prevent proposed sulfide mining projects from negatively impacting area waters, cultural resources, and human use and enjoyment of the region. The Friends also dedicates time and resources to preserving recreation resources within the wilderness, building conservation capacity in communities surrounding the BWCAW and fostering the next generation of wilderness enthusiasts through volunteer and youth engagement programs.