Ohio Landscape

A Forest Returns is a documentary that can be useful across disciplines listed below. Its narrator, Ora E.Anderson, was 93 years old when the documentary was filmed. He spent more then 30 years as a journalist, editor and lobbyist for dairy and banking trade associations before retiring in 1972. He spent much of his life writing about the reforestation of Southeast Ohio and for five decades he attended public meetings helping to reshape the ongoing management of the Wayne National Forest. Anderson serves as a witness to the changes that occurred in the region over the past 100 years. “We look out now and we see woods everywhere, everywhere!” Anderson says in A Forest Returns,“But back just 50 years ago, that wasn’t true, so I’m almost ecstatic about what has happened just on my watch, because I planted over 30 thousand trees and old mother nature planted 300,000 trees on my farm. Now I fight to keep open areas. That’s nature – and it’s hard for young people to realize this enormous change that has taken place in just 50 years.”

In A Forest Returns, Anderson touches on a variety of subjects, some of which include:

Reforestation – Anderson highlights government plans to purchase more than 1 million acres of land in Southeast Ohio from poverty-ridden farmers in an attempt to rebuild a forest destroyed by logging and farming. He highlights particular efforts by the government, and the “Three C Boys” (Civilian Conservation Corps) as well as the efforts of the local citizens to re-landscape the “old bare hills” over a 50-year time period.

The Wayne National Forest – The success story of Ohio’s only National Forest is told from a first-person perspective. Anderson explains the condition of the land before, during and after the reforestation efforts as well as the changes that occurred because of the efforts. According to Anderson, the government developed a relief program to create jobs and began purchasing land from area farmers with the intention of establishing the forest. The farmers were told that they could live in their houses free of cost and have a garden, but to “let the rest of the land be, allowing it to go back to nature.” The idea was that it would eventually return to tree-covered land, thus creating the Wayne National Forest.

The Great Depression – Anderson provides a personal account of what it was like to live in Appalachian Ohio during the Great Depression. He also discusses the government’s relief efforts to create jobs for citizens while also establishing a national forest in Ohio. He discusses the price of living and of land before and after the Great Depression, its effect on the creation of the Wayne National Forest and the evolution that the forest has had on the region.

New Deal Politics – Anderson touches on New Deal politics as he discusses governmental efforts to help poverty-stricken citizens find employment during the Great Depression. According to Anderson, “all these programs” – such as the Civilian Conservation Corps –began to appear, with the intention of creating jobs. One of the efforts of “New Deal politics” by the government was to start a national forest in Ohio – the Wayne National Forest – which Anderson effortlessly discusses, having taken a personal interest to it during his lifetime.

Ohio and Southeast Ohio history – Anderson discusses the evolution of the region’s land from cornfields and bare hills to the tree-covered Wayne National Forest. He highlights the changes that the forest caused in the region, as well the politics behind the changes.

Appalachian Studies – As a personal witness to the changes in Appalachia during the past 100 years, Anderson serves as a doorway into Appalachian history. He discusses the evolution of the region from farm fields and bare hills to the Wayne National Forest and the changes that took place because of the reforestation efforts. Anderson also discusses iron furnaces and coal mining in Southeast Ohio and the “scars” left on the region after a mining company leaves. He touches upon poverty in the Southeast Ohio region and governmental efforts during the Great Depression to increase jobs.

Environmental Studies – As a man who worked tirelessly to help with the management of the Wayne National Forest and as a witness of the reforestation process, Anderson gives a first-hand account of Appalachian environmental history. He addresses the uses, impacts and demise of coal mines and iron furnaces in the region and the natural resources used by coal mining companies to produce a profit. He also mentions the “scars” left on a region after the mining companies leave and the changes that occur in communities because of it. Anderson also details the success of the reforestation that became Ohio’s only national forest.

Oral Histories – The documentary is an oral history of Anderson and his life experiences and accomplishments. Creators Jean Andrews and Steve Fetsch carefully selected the material in a way that portrays the personality of Anderson while also telling his story accurately and eloquently.

Documentary and Independent Filmmaking – The documentary was created by Jean Andrews and independent filmmaker Steve Fetsch as a supplement to Andrews' graduate thesis in Environmental Studies. The production won multiple awards, including “Best Documentary” at the 2005 Appalachian Film Festival and “Best Non-Broadcast” at the Montana-CINE Environmental Film Festival. The video serves as an example of high-quality documentary filmmaking and the possibilities that come with creativity.