A new IMAX film is showcasing Ohio’s environmental recovery, highlighting the state’s top-ranked park system and wildlife conservation efforts. Titled 'Ohio: Wild at Heart,' the documentary was filmed over more than a year and cost $2.5 million, funded by information and education budgets.
Ohio Department of Natural Resources Director Mary Mertz described the film as 'a love letter to the mission of protecting our natural resources and expanding opportunities to explore.' Narrated by Ohio State football legend Archie Griffin, it captures the state’s landscapes from Lake Erie’s shores to the Hocking Hills’ limestone formations.
The film’s significance is underscored by Ohio’s environmental history: the Cuyahoga River in Cleveland caught fire in 1969, sparking the modern environmental movement and the creation of the US Environmental Protection Agency. Six years ago, just before the 50th anniversary of the fire, the river’s fish were declared safe to eat again.
'Ohio: Wild at Heart' also features other success stories, including a former Blackhawk pilot’s efforts to relocate rare trumpeter swans to Ohio marshlands and a programme to repopulate once-endangered bald eagles. Governor Mike DeWine and his wife Fran showcase family-friendly 'storybook trails' lined with pages from children’s stories.
'People feel like you have to go far away to experience nature,' a naturalist says in the film. 'We restore nature, nature restores us,' adds a volunteer. The documentary credits recreational activities such as hiking, kayaking, birding, ice fishing and dog-sledding with improving mental health, combating loneliness and boosting self-esteem.
