Justin and Alex take a photo 80 feet up in a pine tree.
Getting footage of wildlife from unique perspectives and vantage points is essential in telling noval wildlife stories. Co-founders Justin Grubb and Alex Goetz traveled down to Georgia to work with Tree Trek to learn how to double rope and single rope climb trees in order to film stories in one of the most under-explored regions on earth - the canopy. Thousands of incredible species call this ecosystem home, including birds, insects, mammals, reptiles, plants, fungi, and more. Some of these species live their entire lives without ever touching the ground. Additionally, plants, called epiphytes, live on the branches of tall trees in the rainforest to allow them to get sunlight that would otherwise be impossible to receive on the ground.
Training consisted of three days of learning knot techniques, safety systems, rescue training, techniques for setting lines, and lots and lots of climbing. We are excited to begin working in this incredible ecosystem and hoist really expensive camera equipment hundreds of feet in the air to film delicate moments in the lives of a multitude of tree-dwelling species. One of our first projects is to collaborate with Planet Indonesia and film the helmeted hornbill in the Bornean rainforest. Check back for more updates as we continue to practice and explore the treetops.