PRESERVED

Description

Preserved unveils Vermejo—a 558,000-acre living laboratory where rarely seen wildlife behaviors unfold: bears stealing mountain lion kills, microscopic life thriving in seasonal potholes, and animals adapting to a rapidly changing world. In this feature-length documentary, scientists, ranchers, and conservationists reveal how the seemingly impossible has been achieved here, from North America's largest native trout restoration to the return of beaver, elk, and bison. Rich in discovery and layered with human history, Vermejo stands as the pinnacle of conservation in the U.S.—and a bellwether for what’s possible elsewhere. 

In 1996, media mogul Ted Turner purchased this vast expanse in northern New Mexico and launched an ambitious conservation vision. Vermejo’s iconic Park Plateau has been home to Indigenous communities, homesteaders, and roaming herds of bison and elk. In the 19th century, mining stripped the land, leaving scars that would take generations to heal.

Shot over more than 130 days, Preserved takes viewers deep into this breathtaking landscape, following the passionate stewards working to restore this thriving ecosystem. In an era of wildfires, drought, and species collapse across the American Southwest, Vermejo is living proof that restoration is not only possible—it’s happening. And it’s a blueprint for what comes next.

Featuring insights from leading conservationist Kris Tompkins, wildlife ecologist Sophie Gilbert, beloved author Craig Childs, and Vermejo’s on-the-ground experts Gus Holm, Lance Bernal, and scene-stealer Roy Pillmore.

Friday, June 19 @7pm doors open @6pm no guest speaker, just the film

 

Tuesday, June 23 @6pm, doors open at 5:30, guest speaker Ben Clark will have a discussion and Q & A

Guest Speaker Ben Clark will do an audience Q&A.

A little about our guest: 

Director Ben Clark is a seasoned explorer and adventure filmmaker dedicated to stories of human resilience and environmental stewardship. His latest feature documentary, Preserved, offers a hopeful look at ecosystem restoration at the landscape level, focusing on a 558,000-acre expanse in Northern New Mexico. The film is currently screening across the country, so far in more than 50 markets with more than 55 featured nonprofits.

His previous work includes the acclaimed documentary The Snowman Trek, which chronicled the collaboration between Bhutanese locals and world-class ultrarunners to set the country's first speed record on the world's hardest trail. The film reached a wide audience with screenings in over 400 theaters.

A former Himalayan ski mountaineering pioneer—and still the youngest person to lead a successful Everest expedition on the North Side—Ben’s perspective is shaped by decades of observation in high altitudes—and how they have changed. A native of Tennessee, Ben is a member of the Protect Our Winters Creative Alliance.

 

Date & Time

Jun 19 - 23, 2026

Venue Details

Liberty Theatre: Pagosa Springs

418 Pagosa Street
Pagosa Springs, Colorado 81147

Liberty Theater