Finding Our Way: The Hangman Creek Watershed

A Documentary Film
by Ira Gardner
After more than a century of environmental damage, an unlikely partnership of indigenous tribes, farmers, and conservation groups comes together to return Salmon and Redband Trout to their ancestral waters.

I have lived behind the lens for over 35 years, capturing the intersection of human stories and the landscapes they inhabit. To me, a camera is more than a tool for documentation; it is an instrument of empathy and community building.

In bringing Finding Our Way: The Hangman Creek Watershed to life, I am trying to help viewers fall in love with the watershed and recognize that while the historical impact is salient, there is a path forward through shared stewardship.