Documentaries build case for public lands

A growing cache of documentaries, films, and videos is reinforcing the value of the outdoors and public lands in America.

Last month at the 2026 Public Lands Alliance (PLA) Annual Convention and Trade Show, documentaries were in abundance. During several conference sessions, mentions of films and videos about outdoor experiences cropped up in presentations. At both opening and closing keynote addresses, speakers interspersed clips of projects they’d worked on: conservationist and explorer Mallory Dimmitt discussed films that helped establish the Florida Wildlife Corridor (see film summaries below), and photographer Dudley Edmondson previewed interview segments from his latest book, People the Planet Needs Now. His work is still in production.

“The bigger, the bolder the vision” the more successful the project, Dimmitt said.

Filmmaker Brendan Hall, who led a PLA session “Stories that Stay with Us,” shared two films specifically about national parks. He and a friend took a cross-country road trip to national parks, determined along the way to find out why people cherished them. In wide-ranging interviews, he unearths the appeal and specialness of public lands. Hall compiled the stories in Out There: A National Parks Story, a documentary that took seven years to complete. Screenings are underway.

Another film shot by Hall, How the Land Remembers Us, documents an initiative in Yellowstone National Park called “Yellowstone Revealed,” which raised the profile of Native people and their historic roots to the land now designated a national park. Indigenous artists collaborated to share in the park several demonstrations of art and ceremony steeped in traditional knowledge. Released in 2024, it is directed by Jared Wahkinney.

Documentaries feature locations, explain issues

PLA organizers also scheduled a film fest on the last day of the conference for the 300-plus attendees from across the country who came to learn and network.

These documentaries take viewers to remote places and often increase public knowledge of environmental and social issues and their intersection. Whether for advocacy or inspiration, documentaries are imparting new knowledge. Fortunately, many of these documentaries can be watched for free.

Here’s a summary of several films or videos that aired or were mentioned at 2026 PLA in Daytona Beach, Florida, along with their availability:

Florida Wildlife Corridor Expedition: 1000 Miles in 100 Days. Three explorers launched a 2012 journey from the Everglades to Georgia’s Okefenokee, mapping the Florida Wildlife Corridor to raise awareness of its existence and the dire need to permanently connect, protect, and restore it. Along the way, director and producer Elam Stoltzfus documents habitats, watersheds, and working lands vital to conservation. Documentary website. Watch on YouTube (56 minutes).

The Wild Divide: Connecting to Keep Florida Wild. This follow-up expedition to the 2012 film about the Florida Wildlife Corridor (above) showcases the “living patchwork” of working cattle ranches and agricultural fields that, along with protected lands, are vital for Florida’s wildlife connectivity. Three friends traverse the state’s ancient backbone by horseback, foot, and paddleboard while encountering both the threats facing this wild landscape and the passionate stewards working to bridge its divide. Produced by Eric Bendick and Danny Schmidt with Grizzly Creek Films. Documentary website. Catch this on YouTube (18 minutes).

Garden of the Glades: A Week at Conservation Ranger Camp. Directed by Vincent Marcucci, Garden of the Glades follows the first cohort of teen campers at a 2024 summer “ranger camp” at Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge in Palm Beach County, Florida, who participated in the StandFirm Outreach program. Many of the students in the program are seen spending their first immersive experiences in nature—fishing, hiking, and participating in sports or outdoor activities while learning about career paths. The program, headed into its third season this summer, provides young people16–20 with a free week-long experience. The documentary has aired on PBS channels in Florida. Documentary website. Watch the trailer on YouTube. Watch on PBS (26 minutes).

What the River Knows. The documentary explores the reemergence of Glen Canyon from the receding waters of Lake Powell reservoir, which straddles the southeastern corner of Utah and northern Arizona. A collaboration between Glen Canyon Institute (GCI) and directors Will Buckley and Diego Riley with Good Intentions Paving Co., the film explores how over-consumption and climate change are forcing a reckoning of Colorado River policy. The film advocates for an examination of this point in history, weaving together past and present to reveal a new way forward for the Colorado River. It is currently in circulation at film festivals and on a GCI roadshow. Watch the trailer.

Ferryman at the Wall. Big Bend National Park is the backdrop of this documentary and the stomping ground of Mike Davidson, who had been ferrying tourists across the Rio Grande for decades to give visitors a little taste of Mexican life. Then the proposal for a border wall surfaced. Directed by David Freid. Documentary website. Watch on Vimeo (15 minutes).

Wood Hood. DeVaughn, a 15-year-old skateboarder, craves a “quiet place” to escape the chaos of his life in New York City. The film follows DeVaughn on a weekend-long camping trip with Camping to Connect, an outdoor mentorship program for young men of color. The film weaves between scenes of the city and the woods, a place that is unfamiliar and historically inaccessible to urban youths. It shows the joy and growth possible in nature. Winner Best Short Film, 2022 Banff Mountain Film Festival. Directed by Alex Cullen and produced by Manny Almont and Andy Isaacson. Documentary website, also here. Watch on YouTube. (16 minutes)

Several of these titles have been screened at film festivals.