Yann Arthus-Bertrand has made a film 'Of forests and men' with his production company Good Planet for the launch of the United Nations International year of the forests.
What first appeared on the earth 380 million years ago? What is home to more than half the planet's species? What still covers almost one third of the planet's total land area? Forests and woodland, in 2011.
The UN intends to encourage sustainable management. So the French photographer and environmentalist Yann Arthus-Bertrand has been asked to make a film to launch the event which happened on February 2nd 2011.
His previous film "Home" of 2009 was shot from the air in over fifty countries and was freely released to 181 countries in 14 languages. The english version on youtube has had over 14 million viewings.
Yves Arthus Bertrand shoots aerial images using hot air balloons and helicopters. In 'Of forests and men' he takes footage from other films to explain the present situation. The rate of deforestation is blamed in part on mass consumption and mono crop industries which feed demand, whether oil palms in Indonesia or soy beans fields in the Brazilian Amazon forest.
Eucalyptus groves are also causes of deforestation being grown to to make paper pulp. While paper demand has increased five fold in fifty years the earth's population has tripled.
The images speak for themselves without the commentary, showing the range of lands from the exotic steaming beds to the clear felled logged areas.
The United Nations mandate of Yves Arthus-Bertrand is an action that forms a part of what so many organisations small and large across the world are doing to halt the erosion of the forests and woodlands. As the film commentary says:
"Other choices do exist, through understanding, education and information we are finding that forests can continue to provide a livelihood if only we alter our mindsets."
With each doing their part, these gestures are connecting globally to support, encourage and build a force to confront those with the power to do something.
The United Nations website wants to accept information, films or stories about how forests are being celebrated to encourage the spread of sustainable ideas.
Back to the photographer Yves Arthus Bertrand who spoke about the universality of images to reach millioins of people, he said to the Guardian in 2007:
"There is nothing more universal than photography".
What could be more appropriate than the launch of a photography competition? One a photography competition on the "Forests and Men" will be announced this February, a collaboration between the Good Planet and Photo magazine.
Also coinciding with the film's release, there are free downloadable posters for schools, and a list of links to international organisations to encourage people to take action.
Comments