New Film to Explore the Southern Sierra’s Living Legacy
A $15,000 grant will help tell the stories connecting Indigenous stewardship, fire and the future of the region’s forests.
The landscapes of the Southern Sierra hold generations of stories about the people who care for them. A new documentary will explore those connections, bringing Indigenous stewardship, cultural traditions and present-day forest restoration into a shared story about the region’s future.
The Yosemite/Sequoia Resource Conservation and Development Council has received a $15,000 grant from the Temper of the Times Foundation to develop and produce the film. The project will examine the relationships among people, fire, culture and the land throughout California’s Southern Sierra Nevada.
For mountain communities, those subjects are closely connected to the places residents call home. The documentary plans to explore how knowledge passed across generations intersects with current efforts to care for forests and watersheds.
“The Southern Sierra contains some of California’s most recognizable landscapes, but there are important stories behind these places that many people never have an opportunity to hear,” said Erin Capuchino, the council’s executive director.
“This project gives us an opportunity to connect the history of stewardship on these lands with the work happening today to create healthier forests, watersheds, ecosystems, and communities.”
Indigenous voices will help shape that exploration. As the project enters pre-production, the council plans to build relationships with tribal participants and cultural knowledge holders, along with archaeologists, conservation practitioners, land managers and other regional experts.
A portion of the grant is dedicated to compensating tribal participants and cultural advisors for their time and expertise. The council says collaboration is central to developing the film and telling stories about Indigenous stewardship.
Planned subjects include living Indigenous culture, archaeology, cultural landscapes, cultural and prescribed fire, and forest resilience. Together, those themes will explore how people have cared for the Southern Sierra across generations and how that work continues today.
J. Matthews Creative will provide filmmaking and post-production services. Principal photography is anticipated to begin in early 2027, with completion expected in spring 2027.
The project is also expected to produce shorter digital videos for conservation outreach and education. Potential ways to share the finished work include community screenings, educational programs, digital platforms and film festivals.
The council works with partners throughout the Southern Sierra on natural-resource conservation, forest and watershed resilience, wildfire preparedness and economic development tied to the region’s resources.
The Temper of the Times Foundation supports efforts to increase public awareness of conservation and restoration, including media projects that bring those subjects to wider audiences.
For more information about the documentary project, contact Erin Capuchino at 559-308-1767 or ecapuchino@ysrcandd.org.