This 2024 short documentary by Finn Royer, a local high school student with a talent for film, captures the deep, often emotional connection that Governor Dick Park produces in those who frequent those acres. For some, it is sacred ground—a place where nature, memory, and meaning converge. Interviews with original and new members of the Friends of Governor Dick speak here with clarity and conviction about what’s at stake. The Friends have long challenged the park’s board of directors over decisions to conduct large-scale logging and apply herbicides—actions that have left behind disturbed earth and invasive species.
Fortunately, this is not just a story of conflict. As this film shows, the relationship between the Friends and the park management evolved as we each listened carefully to what is being said. This allows the Friends to broaden membership from advocates to include educators and park users, shift from protest to partnership, while still advocating for the best management practices. Our goal is to support a future where the park is managed with transparency, ecological care, and the public interest at heart. This is a call on all sides to not only to protect the forest—but to thoughtfully plan for its future.