PRESERVED

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, roaming herds of bison and elk, and has witnessed civilizations rise and fall. 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, biodiverse 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.