"Saltspring Island...close to a city, but full of magical, almost untouched
places. A small town with a Saturday market. And in the middle of the
island... trees, lots of trees." When the roar of chainsaws shatters
the quiet of this idyllic setting, director Mort Ransen and other residents
awake to an unexpected intrusion. A logging operation is underway in
a pristine central valley. When islanders rally to oppose the cutting,
they discover that land developers have purchased one of the largest
expanses of undeveloped wilderness in the Southern Gulf Islands. Concerned
about its potentially devastating impact, the residents set out to stop
the logging. The award-winning director of Margaret's Museum, Mort Ransen
documents a lively and provocative-and often amusing-debate. On one
side, the developers-who defend their rights as private landowners.
On the other, Saltspring residents-who blockade roads and chain themselves
to logging to protect their island, its natural habitat, and their way
of life.