Bonesteel Films 'First in Forestry' premieres in WNC

I got a little preview of this new film earlier this summer at the Cradle of Forestry down in Pisgah National Forest, and it looked delicious. I can't wait to see the full film. And if you've ever seen one of Paul Bonesteel's films, you know how high-quality they are, and you'll want to check this out.

The Cradle of Forestry in America Interpretive Association will premiere "First in Forestry: Carl Schenck and the Biltmore Forest School" at 4 p.m. this Sunday, Aug. 30.

This new documentary film tells how Dr. Carl Schenck, a German forester, came to America in 1895 to manage the forests at the Biltmore Estate and helped lay the foundation for the nation's first environmental movement. The one-hour film has been produced for the Forest History Society by Bonesteel Films.

The film will premiere at Brevard College on Sunday and at 4 p.m. Sept. 27 at the Biltmore Estate. RSVP tickets are required and can be purchased online at www.firstinforestry.org.

The ticket price includes a reception at 4 p.m. with heavy hors d'oeuvres and refreshments and a chance to meet representatives from the Forest History Society and Bonesteel Films. The screenings will begin at 5:15 p.m. Students are welcome to attend the 5:15 p.m. screening at Brevard College for $5 cash at the door with valid ID.

The film introduces the viewer to the influence of George Vanderbilt, Frederick Law Olmsted, Gifford Pinchot, and Carl Schenck on the American conservation movement, focusing in on how Dr. Schenck established the country's first forestry school and worked to restore the land in western North Carolina.

All proceeds from the premieres will be used to promote the debut of the full-length film on UNC-TV and a shorter version for viewing at the Cradle of Forestry Historic Site in early 2016.

The Cradle of Forestry in America Interpretive Association is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit based in Pisgah National Forest, near Brevard, N.C., with a mission to promote educational, recreational, and interpretive opportunities about forest and water resources and natural history.

The Forest History Society is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit educational institution located in Durham, NC, that links the past to the future by identifying, collecting, preserving, interpreting, and disseminating information on the history of interactions between people, forests, and their related resources.

Bonesteel Films, based in Asheville, N.C., is a team of video craftspeople committed to the art of documentary filmmaking, producing films and commercial content rooted in real stores and real people.