Southbound 1996
Distributed by Bullfrog Films, PO Box 149, Oley, PA 19547; 800-543-FROG (3764)
Produced by Doug Hawes-Davis for Ecology Center Productions
Directed by Doug Hawes-Davis
VHS, color, 47 min.
Adult
Environmental Studies
Date Entered: 11/09/2018
Reviewed by Barb Butler, University of Oregon Institute of Marine BiologySouthbound documents the increased logging of private forests in the southeastern United States. Many of us are familiar with logging in the Pacific Northwest, which takes place primarily on public lands. In contrast, the majority of the logging in the southeastern United States takes place on private lands and may be subject to fewer restrictions than logging on public lands. Southbound pieces together interviews with environmentalists and foresters. Environmentalists oppose logging because it causes erosion, habitat loss and ultimately threatens biodiversity. Foresters counter that timber is a renewable resource and logging will have no long-term effects. This video focuses on interview footage, but also includes some very moving images of logging equipment in action. Southbound shows that modern logging is a very machine intensive and mechanized process.
Another concern addressed by Southbound is the growing number of chip mills. Chip mills convert logs into wood fiber and exports of raw wood fiber are on the rise as the global demand for lumber products and paper pulp continues to grow. Unfortunately, the export of raw wood fiber also means the loss of jobs as well.
Southbound was acknowledged at the West Virginia International Documentary Film Festival, obtained an Honorable Mention at the Best of Northwest Video Festival and received a Merit Award at the International Wildlife Film Festival, Missoula. In his 1997 review (Booklist), Jeff Dick assigned this video a grade of "B". While the film did a good job of weaving together interview footage and highlighting the very polarized issues surrounding logging, it will not hold the attention of a 10th grad audience and I think it deserves a somewhat lower grade.
Southbound would have been a stronger film had it included more interpretive material. An analysis of logging economics and a discussion of conservation, recycling and alternative paper sources would have been appropriate. This film does highlight a little known shift in the logging industry and it would be appropriate for adult audiences. Literature cited: Dick, Jeff. 1997. Southbound. Booklist 93(11):954.