Film: The Trees with Orange Rings

Set in Montana’s Bridger Mountains, The Trees with Orange Rings (Kyle Dudgeon Creative Films), beautifully documents the lives of great grey owls—and the fragile old-growth Douglas-fir forests they depend on. After encountering a great grey in 2020, filmmaker Kyle began observing these owls, whose habitat eventually intersected with the North Bridger Forest Health Project. While studies on great grey owls aren’t required before logging, Kyle advocated for a protective buffer to salvage a small portion of their home. Without vilifying forest or wildfire management, the film makes a case for the importance of planning around owl habitat—and other species—to help ensure their long-term survival. The visual contrast before and after logging serves as a reminder of how disruptive it can be for wildlife and encourages reflection on the various meanings of a healthy forest.