MOUNTAIN HOME, Idaho — Nearly 70% of Idaho is public land, and one Mountain Home filmmaker is working to protect it through the power of storytelling.
Director Andy Anderson and his team are creating a documentary dedicated to preserving public lands, a project born from his deep connection to Idaho's outdoors.
"This film started just because of my love for the outdoors and the public lands that surround us here in Idaho," Anderson said.
WATCH: How one local filmmaker is turning his passion into a push to protect public lands
The team began filming in June, around the time Utah Senator Mike Lee introduced a proposal in the "Big Beautiful Bill" that would have required the federal government to sell off millions of acres of public land across 11 western states, including Idaho, to boost housing and development.
"I don't think we have any intentions in the state of keeping [public lands] in the hands of the public, and that's scary for me," said Anderson. "That's super scary, and people should pay attention to that."
The proposal has since been pulled from the bill after facing widespread pushback. Some lawmakers say they expect revisions or smaller proposals to resurface in the future, but nothing formal has been introduced.
In an effort to spread awareness, Anderson and his crew have traveled across Idaho, Montana, and Minnesota, documenting local voices and stories about conservation.
"I wanted to talk to some of the obscure folks that never really get to tell their story and why they love and want to protect public lands," Anderson explained.
Anderson says the film's message reaches far beyond the West.
"We need to talk to the people on the East Coast because they don't really understand why we have the abundance of this land. We wanna show them why we love and we care about it," Anderson added.
Anderson hopes this love story turns into action and permanent preservation.
"Our biggest goal for this film is to build a coalition of advocates for public lands. You know public lands are our connective tissue. That's what connects us all," Anderson said.
Anderson and his team are still finishing up the film. You can watch the teaser on the We The Public website.
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