Wild & Scenic

Our video can be viewed at this link: https://vimeo.com/61809860 or above this post.

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Please share it with your friends and get involved in promoting the Wild & Scenic Act. 
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THE PRODUCERS:
This short video was shot in August of 2012 by Daniel Lombardi & Joel Harris; two MSUB Graduate students. Here’s our opinion:

We made the video as an argument for more protection on the most amazing 1% of Montana’s rivers.
We believe that the reasons to protect the water source of a continent are nearly infinite. Headwater streams are where the USA gets all of its drinking and irrigation water. It would be dangerous to our national security to allow these streams to become damaged. Furthermore, the value to our natural ecosystems provided by these steams is, in our opinion, incalculably high. There is no rational argument not to protect the best of our rivers. 
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THE FACTS:

The Wild and Scenic Rivers Act was inspired in Montana by John and Frank Craighead in the late 1960s.

Montana has not designated any streams Wild & Scenic since 1976 despite there being streams eligible.

Montana last designated the 3 forks of the Flathead River and a portion of the Missouri River.

Only ~.6% of Montana’s stream miles are eligible for Wild & Scenic designation today.

A Wild & Scenic designation doesn’t prevent any recreation on the water.

The designation is designed to enhance whatever is deemed most valuable about that stream. For example; if a river that has world class fishing is designated then fishing accesses might be improved (new boat ramps perhaps) and development that hurts the fishing wouldn’t be allowed.

In the US today there are over 80,000 dams and only about 3% have hydroelectric producing capabilities. 
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THE RESOURCES:

wildandscenicfilm.com - our W&S blog with media and stories concerning this project

saveeastrosebud.com - the website for Friends of East Rosebud Inc. with information about the issues surrounding East Rosebud Creek as well as a petition for you to sign

rivers.gov/rivers/wsr-act.php - everything you could want to know about the W&S Rivers Act

Here’s an article by the co-producer of this video, Joel Harris: 
montanamagazine.com/online/index.php?sIssue=2013_03-04&sArticle=20130306141848
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Contact your senators and tell them to designate more Montana rivers as Wild & Scenic!
tester.senate.gov/?p=email_senator
baucus.senate.gov/?p=contact
and your representatives!
daines.house.gov/email-me
and your Governor! 
govelect.mt.gov/contact.aspx
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THE CREDITS:

Ben Cosgrove made our entire original soundtrack and his talented work can be found at bencosgrove.com

This film was made possible by the activism of Frank and Annette: 
woodandironworks.com

americanrivers.org - thanks to Scott and Mike

craigheadresearch.org/ - thanks to Lance and John and the rest of their families

Lastly, we would be even more broke college kids if it wasn’t for Patagonia Inc and the grant they provided us. 
patagonia.com/us/environmentalism

I would like to let everyone know that the W&S film was made possible by the talent of musician Ben Cosgrove who wrote the entire original soundtrack to our little movie. 

I highly encourage you to check out his work at:

www.bencosgrove.com

The Wild and Scenic Rivers act of 1968 is a national conservation status specifically for streams and rivers. 

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Less than 1% of Montana’s stream miles are even eligible for Wild and Scenic status. This 1% is truly the most beautiful of Montana’s streams.

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Our film, titled Wild & Scenic, takes the position that we should protect the best 1% of Montana’s water. 

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For more information visit: 
http://www.rivers.gov/rivers/

http://www.saveeastrosebud.org

And check back on this site for frequent updates. 

In May of 2012 I somehow stumbled across the Friends of East Rosebud Facebook page and learned of the issues facing East Rosebud Creek.

Over the next few weeks I learned about the Wild & Scenic Rivers Act. Joel and I began to discuss writing an article and/or making a promotional video for the East Rosebud cause. 

Joel & I began emailing around and asking questions, doing preliminary research on Google and trying to ‘read the lay of the land.’ 

By the end of the month we were much more strongly committed, but still not sure what our final goals were. We both began reading Gordan Sullivan’s book, Saving Montana’s Homewaters. (An excellent book chronicling the history of river conservation in Montana.) 

One day in early June I worked an overtime ‘security’ shift: for 8 hours straight I sat in one spot outside a building and acted as a security guard. That day I read, highlighted and noted, Gordan’s book all day. By the end of the day I was pretty sure what I needed to do. 

By the end of June Joel had written a rough draft article in excess of 5 pages detailing the history and significance of the Wild and Scenic Rivers act to the context to Montana River Conservation today and throughout history. 

Shortly thereafter, through a random series of events, I spent 4 days holed up in a Pocatello hotel room writing and planning how to make a short film about the Wild & Scenic Rivers act using Joel’s rough draft article as a guide. 

During the last weekend in June I drove from Jackson, Wyoming to East Rosebud where I first met Frank and Annette and learned first hand about the issues facing East Rosebud Creek. Joel and our friend Tyler met me there and we began filming and scoping out what needed to be done.

I worked through July in Grand Teton National Park, ending each of my days at the shared work computer writing and reading emails planning the film with Joel. Meanwhile, Joel was building motivation for the project by working in the Bakken oil fields. 

On the first few days of August, Joel, Whitney, and myself all quit our jobs and began driving from where we were to Rock Creek near Missoula, MT. 

We spent the middle 15 days of August driving from Missoula to Glacier, to Libby, to Yaak, to Hart Butte, to Great Falls, To Helena, to Deer Lodge, to Bozeman, to East Rosebud, to Billings, and everywhere in between. Filming, interview and learning as we went. 

We got back to Billings and spent a few days sorting and watching video footage, nearly 250GB, while trying to find a place to live. 

About this time I felt like we had finally become qualified to go make a film about the Wild & Scenic Rivers Act- sadly we’d already done it. ;) 

School started in September and I spent the next several months just doing small editing jobs when I had the time, which was rarely. 

Joel laboriously sorted and transcribed hours of interview footage so that when December arrived and I finished the semester we were able to quickly dive into editing the movie. 

By the end of January the movie was 98% complete and we were starting to think about the next step: writing a time-line blog about making the film! 

Its been a fun project and we’ve been honored to meet so many amazing people along the way. 

Hey Wild & Scenic fans, 

The film is 99.9% DONE! Exciting yes? 

In the coming weeks Joel and myself will be reaching out to our supporters and rallying them to this blog to see the new video content we’ll be posting. So be ready to share this page with everyone you know. 

We’re not naive enough to think that everyone is going to love this film, in fact, most people will probably be bored with it. Its a nature film about rivers, and don’t get me wrong we’re very proud of it, but I don’t think you’ll be on the edge of your seat!

Joel and I are, however, convinced that there is a large group of people in Montana who already care about this issue and we think they will love our video. 

Furthermore, we think there are a lot of people who are concerned about river conservation but who don’t know much about the Wild & Scenic Rivers Act. This short movie is really for those people. 

So, if you know those kind of people, tell them about this project, and tell them to tell others. :) Thanks for all you’re support!

-Daniel