Every forest tells a story. The ponderosa pine forest at Vermejo, a 550,000-acre property of Ted Turner Reserves, tells a story of resilience. Spanning approximately 300,000 acres, this forest has been shaped by natural processes, a history of human influence, and decades of careful restoration and management.

After European colonial settlement, a century of fire suppression, logging, and grazing altered the ponderosa pine ecosystem. The forest became homogeneous, with trees growing to the same height, age, and density, leading to insect mortality, higher rates of disease, and devastating fires.

Since Ted Turner purchased Vermejo in 1997, over 45,000 acres of the ponderosa pine forest have been treated to restore the ecosystem to its historical condition. Forestry professionals have worked to recreate a healthy mosaic of tree ages and densities, using mechanical treatments that mimic natural fires and continuing to reintroduce fire through prescribed burns. Diversifying the forest to build resilience is key to the ecosystem’s health. Foresters at Vermejo say they are striving to help restore the conditions that allow this forest community to continue to grow, recover, and thrive for centuries to come.

Watch the full story by clicking on the video above!

Editor’s Note: This series was made possible with the generous support of Turner Reserves and contributions by the Turner family. All editorial content is published independently. 

Planet Forward’s Environmental Media Lab led this expedition to teach the power of visual storytelling in wild spaces to convey the beauty and bounty of our planet.