The sagebrush sea is a landscape of stark beauty and captivating wildlife, yet rapid desertification and extractive industries threaten this vast basin. But at Hart Mountain National Antelope Refuge in Southeastern Oregon, a different story unfolds. New aspen explode alongside thriving creeks, migratory birds travel thousands of miles to nest in willow branches, and even the endangered sage grouse seem to be recovering in the uplands. Rewilding a Mountain unravels an unsettling controversy that challenged the core identity of the West and follows a team of scientists who ask the question: what happened here? At a moment when public lands are under attack, fresh water is becoming increasingly scarce, and climate change demands severe action, Hart Mountain may serve as a lesson deeply needed, if we’re willing to listen.

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  • francis mangels

    As a retired USFS grazing Mgr, been there. Very similar all over the PNW Rockies, here in N. CA. The only true action is habitat preservation, stop global warming, and stop human population increase. However, I see amazing rancher/conservative/right wing resistance. This must be confronted with next elections, or else... it will be the end of our living and the beginning of survival.

  • Judy Noddin

    Bless all of the people who fought and worked so hard to provide the conditions for rewinding to over in this beautiful place. Thank you to the filmmakers who made this story available to all of us. We must not just listen to the lessons from this grand experiment, we must act. One place to start: supply follows demand. Stop eating beef and milk products.

  • Freda Karpf

    so grateful for all the work that went into showing this part of the world - the hope it shares is important and should be widely and wildly distributed. thank you.

  • Glen

    We have been to this refuge and found it quite interesting, and a beautiful place to its own. We were here in the early spring, the snow just left and the nights were cool and the hot springs were awesome. Roamed the hills and had the place to ourselves. No cattle and a lot of Antelope. Charles Schlagel, I don't understand your comment, climate change does not spare the deep forest or the sagebrush ecosystem. The sagebrush does take much longer to recover.

  • Charles Schlagel

    There is another word for a Sea of Sagebrush...KINDLING. Wait until a forest fire meets a sea of sagebrush. BOOM!!!

  • Claudia

    Passive rewilding. gives a breath of life to degraded ecosystems. Loose the cattle restore diversity: sanity nature knows better than we do.

  • Diane Hong

    This gives me such hope that we can protect and bring back nature so that Animal and plant populations can once again thrive. Thank you for sharing.

  • Amy

    The recovery of the ecosystem is evidence of purpose, patience and perseverance! It is a model of what can be done elsewhere and offers a common sense approach to problem solving.. When humans get out of the way, the planet has a chance to heal itself and in turn, us. Thank you

  • Treva Olson

    I was deeply moved as well as held in awe by nature re wilding herself. I live on the prairie in central Alberta and there are several movements to re wild nature albeit in incremental amounts. My wish as a grandmother of four boys, may we be mindful of the interconnectedness of all of life and live with respect moment to moment.

  • Margaret Thompson

    Seeing is believing. The courageous work done at Hart Mountain is proof positive that we can repair the damage done by humans in denuding the landscape. We live in a society obsessed with speed and instant gratification. Nature teaches us that time and patience can bring us much greater satisfaction. We need to shift our belief that nature is something to be conquered to nature as the source of great wisdom.

  • Nate

    It took great dedication and an unshakable belief in scientific land management to restore the refuge. Kudos to all the individuals involved in that and the film makers as well.

  • Patrick Watters

    Wherever man has stepped into nature, he has been a source of destruction and devastation! Attitudes of greed and power, of entitlement, drive a total disregard for the natural environment that brings humanity true life. The destruction can be reversed, but it requires a paradigm shift in the minds of men, a transformation of hearts hardened by being away from nature. This has been my life and passion, and that of many others too. But until corporate interests and those behind them begin again to appreciate the sacred treasure of the wild it will remain a decidedly uphill battle. As a Celtic Lakota Christian I cannot ignore the Truth of our collective lack of stewardship, our failure to love God (Creator) and all They have created. Lord have mercy, transform our hearts, save us the sinners and Your Creation. Amené. Mitákuye oyàsin, hozho naasha doo, beannacht. }:- a.m.

  • Patrick Watters

    Our family home as Irish Lakota Watters— it has been essential to keep cattle grazing and the wildlife refuge separate. The grazing practices have decimated much of the natural habitat I knew as we walked and rode (horseback) in my childhood. Charles Russell National Wildlife Refuge in northeastern Montana

  • Shadakshary

    For me Nature is God.

  • Don MacWatt

    Given the chance, nature has the ability to recover and heal from deep wounds.

  • Page 1

  • Read more about the film and the filmmakers.
  • Learn about different types of rewilding, including the most common - trophic rewilding.
  • Experiment with rewilding in your own, small way. What might happen if you didn't pull that "weed?"

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