Educational Videos
The videos displayed below were commissioned by Carrie and extend the work of Tree Lovers School beyond the classroom and the trail.
Through stories rooted in real places, they explore the relationship between plants, people, history, and stewardship — showing how careful attention to the landscape can lead to meaningful restoration and long-term care.
Together, these films highlight Carrie's ongoing commitment to public education, native plant restoration, and protection of the places we share.
Why These Videos Matter
Learning plants isn’t only about identification - it’s also a catalyst for understanding what’s happening to the land around us, including the proliferation of invasive plants. When invasive species spread unchecked, they can smother native vegetation, reduce biodiversity, weaken tree health, alter habitat, increase management challenges, and diminish the beauty and resilience of places people care about. In many cases, they also threaten the ecological and cultural value of parks, historic sites, roadsides, and other public spaces.
These videos help make those issues visible. They also show that restoration is possible — and that through informed action, community effort, and long-term stewardship, damaged landscapes can recover.
Silvermont Plant "ReVision"
This short film tells the story of invasive plant removal and native plant restoration at one of Brevard’s most treasured public places. Set on the grounds of the historic Silvermont mansion, the video explores how aggressive non-native invasive plants such as English ivy, oriental bittersweet, privet, and other species can overrun a landscape, reduce biodiversity, damage trees, and diminish the health and beauty of a place that belongs to the whole community.
The video also highlights the hopeful side of the story: when invasive plants are removed, native wildflowers, shrubs, and trees are given room to return. Birds, pollinators, and people all benefit. This project serves as a model for how thoughtful restoration can improve public spaces and renew appreciation for the living landscape.
Allison Deaver Plant “ReVision”
This video documents restoration work at one of the oldest surviving timber-frame homes in western North Carolina. Here, the story is not only ecological, but historical. The remnant forest surrounding the house offers a glimpse into an older plant community and helps visitors imagine the landscape encountered by early settlers. Protecting that setting means protecting both natural and cultural history.
The film shows how invasive plant removal can help preserve the health of the woods, support native biodiversity, and maintain the integrity of an important historic site. It also emphasizes that restoration depends on shared responsibility — on people choosing to learn, to notice problems early, and to contribute through volunteering, donating, or supporting organizations doing this work.
The message is clear: these problems are real, but they are not beyond our ability to address.
Themes You’ll See in These Films
Across both videos, several ideas come into focus:
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How invasive plants outcompete native species and reduce biodiversity
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Why native plants matter for birds, insects, pollinators, and overall ecosystem health
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The relationship between land stewardship and community well-being
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How restoration work can protect parks, historic landscapes, and public spaces
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Why education, vigilance, and early action matter
These are not abstract issues. They affect the places where people walk, learn, gather, and live.
From Awareness
to Action
Carrie’s hope is not only that people will learn to identify invasive plants, but that they will begin to see their own role in caring for the land.
That may mean:
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Learning which plants are growing on a property
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Supporting conservation or restoration groups
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Volunteering on invasive removal projects
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Making more thoughtful choices in home landscapes
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Helping protect native habitats for future generations
These videos are an invitation to look more closely, understand more deeply, and take part in that work.