Last Stand: The Vanishing Caribou Rainforest Film Premiere and Panel

Age: 19+

Tickets

Cost: $15.00
Find tickets: here

In the summer of 2015, a team of outdoor adventurers and naturalists began a journey to learn about the beautiful and imperiled world of the mountain caribou in Washington, Idaho, and British Columbia – the southernmost population of caribou found anywhere on earth. The team set out to explore the collapse of this magnificent species. What they quickly realized is that this story encompasses a much larger and more complex conservation conundrum involving the decline of the largest remaining inland temperate rainforest on the planet.

Last Stand is a cinematic journey into the tragically threatened world of endangered mountain caribou, their home in the world’s largest remaining inland temperate rainforest, and the critical human choices that will ultimately decide the fate of this stunning ecosystem. With the failure of agencies in the U.S. and Canada to regulate industrial resource extraction effectively, honor the treaty rights of indigenous peoples, and protect the integrity of the natural systems of this region, this film gives voice to First Nations, scientists, foresters, conservationists, and recreationists attempting to chart a new path forward before it is too late.

Why is this film so timely?
Mountain caribou have long-depended on the rugged and remote habitat that humans now use for lumber, hydropower, energy extraction, and winter recreation. While these creatures are resilient, they are also highly vulnerable to these human-caused stressors. Currently, less than 15 caribou remain in the last herd that crosses back and forth between the United States and Canada. The total population of mountain caribou is estimated at less than 1500 across all of British Columbia. Caribou numbers continue to decline despite numerous ongoing efforts to conserve these animals, including controversial restrictions on logging and winter recreation, and predator control.

While these complex challenges are daunting, and while our destructive capacity as a species can seem overwhelming, we also have the amazing capacity to create systems of living that can contribute to the living world and not just deplete it. As writer and University of British Columbia professor Wade Davis says in the film, “To me, this idea that we continue to be a resource extractive economy is not a dearth of economic options, it’s a dearth of imagination.”

The evening will include:
- The Canadian premiere of the film
- A question and answer with the team after the film
- Other guest speakers working on important conservation efforts in British Columbia
- A Raffle featuring gear and other goods from our sponsors

We hope you can join us for this engaging evening of conversation.
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