The Appalachian Independent continued its One Vision, Many Voices Film Series on Monday, February 25^th with a screening of the film HOME on the campus of Allegany College of Maryland. More than 100 people came together to watch the film, with nearly half of those staying for the post film discussion. Mark Beals, Manager of Green Ridge State Forest, and Dr. Natalia Buta, Assistant Professor of Frostburg State University’s Department of Parks and Recreation, served as panelists, helping to localize the issues introduced in the film and provide attendees with suggestions for further engagement. Using aerial photography to document contemporary environmental issues, the film’s sweeping images captured both the majesty of the natural world and the sweeping changes it’s witnessed over the last decade. With FSU students enrolled in Sociology of the Environment facilitating the post film discussion, Beals and Buta both focused on the positive, concentrating on efforts in sustainable forestry, ecotourism and education which have the potential to address some of the issues featured in the film. The Appalachian Independent invites attendees to continue the post-film discussion by commenting to this story on this site or through Facebook. And we encourage our readers to attend the two remaining segments in the series, both of which will take place at Frostburg State University.

Dirt! The Movie, will be shown Monday, March 4^th at 7 pm in FSU’s Compton Science Center Room 226. The film will be followed by a discussion by Dr. Francis Precht, Professor of Geography at FSU, and Ben Yoder, of Savage River Farms CSA. This timely film takes a humorous but substantial look into the history and current state of the under-appreciated living organic matter under our feet. The film was inspired by author William Bryant Logan’s acclaimed book “Dirt: The Ecstatic Skin of the Earth.

Getting to the Point: Appalachia-Big Issues, Short Films will be show Monday, March 11^th at 7 pm in FSU’s Compton Science Center Room 226. Food, water, energy, the economy and the environment -- subjects with deep impact -- are examined in short but eye-opening films that explore some of the biggest concerns of our time from a local perspective. The post film discussion will feature Rob and Dawn Custer, with Goodness Grows CSA and Paul Roberts with CitizenShale.