Empires of Industry: Timber! (DVD)

America is a nation defined by natural resources. The image of the inexhaustible bounty of the land has survived to the present day, despite countless examples of our dwindling natural wealth. Perhaps more than any other industry, logging embodies this dichotomy. TIMBER! is a definitive portrait of one of America's longest lasting industries. Sawmills were among the very first industrial buildings built in America, and today we process millions of board feet a day. Yet there is a price for this bounty; the seemingly endless forests are threatened, and controversy has sprung up around the ongoing practice of old growth logging. Here, industry insiders detail how they are responding to the challenges they now face, from advanced use of previously scrapped materials to aggressive re-planting that will ensure the survival of logging into the next millennium. And explore the stories of pioneers like Frederick Weyerhauser and Owen Cheatham, as well as legendary characters like Paul Bunyan. Filled with rare footage and expert interviews, TIMBER! is a riveting look at one of the nation's oldest industries and how it is preparing for the future.