The Appalachian Rainforest

Stories about a special landscape close to home.
🎧 Sound effects I use for my videos: bit.ly/2WI2aJ7
🎥 Stock footage I use for my videos (additional two months free): bit.ly/307JPqG
Bear footage shot by Jared Kreiss: / j_kreiss
Become a channel member to access raw footage and extended tutorials: / @aidinrobbins
📧 Contact Me: [e-mail]
📸 Instagram: / aidinrobbins
Further Reading:
Britannica - Appalachian Mountains: www.britannica.com/place/Appa...
Scott Weidensaul - Mountains of the Heart: www.scottweidensaul.com/mounta...
Paul B. Alaback - Comparative ecology of temperate rainforests of the Americas along analogous climatic gradients: rchn.biologiachile.cl/pdfs/19...
Gaffin, David & Hotz, David. (2000). A Precipitation and Flood Climatology with Synoptic Features of Heavy Rainfall across the Southern Appalachian Mountains. 24. 3-15: www.weather.gov/mrx/heavyrain...
Jenkins, M. A. (2007). Vegetation Communities of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Southeastern Naturalist, 6, 35-56: www.jstor.org/stable/4540998
WCU - Biodiversity of Highlands: highlandsbiological.org/biodi...
FWS - Endangered Ecosystems: ecos.fws.gov/ServCat/download...
NPS: www.nps.gov/grsm/learn/nature...
www.nps.gov/parkhistory/onlin...
www.nps.gov/grsm/learn/nature...
www.nps.gov/grsm/learn/nature...
Elisha Mitchell: www.ncpedia.org/anchor/elisha...
Mount Mitchell State Park: bit.ly/45KeeeX
Brown, M. L. (1992). Captains of Tourism: Selling a National Park in the Great Smoky Mountains. Journal of the Appalachian Studies Association, 4, 42-49: www.jstor.org/stable/41445620
Pierce, D. (1998). The Barbarism of the Huns: Family and Community Remoal in the Establishment of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Tennessee Historical Quarterly, 57(1), 62-79: www.jstor.org/stable/42627398
Audubon - George Masa: bit.ly/4cjmMf9
Robert Moor - On Trails: bit.ly/3VFS2hj
French, L., & Hornbuckle, J. (Eds.). (1981). The Cherokees-Then And Now. In The Cherokee Perspective: Written by Eastern Cherokees (pp. 3-43). Appalachian State University: doi.org/10.2307/j.ctt1xp3kws.7
Wild South - Cherokee Trails: bit.ly/4cjlvoi
James Mooney - Myths of the Cherokee: www.gutenberg.org/files/45634...
Manen, Frank. (1994). Black bear habitat use in Great Smoky Mountains National Park: bit.ly/4cIma2J
Gloria Dickie - Eight Bears: www.gloriadickie.com/eight-bears
Maureen Enns: charlierussellbears.com/1997/...
Maps/Graphics:
LOC - Southern States: www.loc.gov/item/99447122/
Ice Age Migration: bit.ly/4cghbWY
Red Spruce range: bit.ly/45HPdkp
LOC - McConnell's historical maps of the United States: www.loc.gov/item/2009581130/
LOC - Proposed Park Boundary: www.loc.gov/item/99446149/
LOC - Great Smoky Map: www.loc.gov/item/81692179/
LOC - Indigenous Groups Map: www.loc.gov/item/2002622260/
Indian Land Cessions: bit.ly/3RLjyZU
Photos:
George Masa: georgemasaphotodatabase.com/
NPS: bit.ly/4cHen4T
Swannanoa Valley Museum & History Center
Newspapers:
Clingman's Peak: www.newspapers.com/article/fa...
Elisha Mitchell: www.newspapers.com/article/se...
Stock Market Crash: www.newspapers.com/article/mo...
Mount Mitchell State Park: www.newspapers.com/article/as...
www.newspapers.com/article/th...
www.newspapers.com/article/th...
Great Smoky Park Establishment: www.newspapers.com/article/th...
www.newspapers.com/article/th...
www.newspapers.com/article/na...
www.newspapers.com/article/ch...
www.newspapers.com/article/th...
Bears: www.newspapers.com/article/wi...
www.newspapers.com/article/te...
bit.ly/3xoRuVe
0:00 - Intro
2:31 - The Forest
4:57 - The Trees
8:10 - The Park
12:02 - The Trails
15:18 - The Bears
17:55 - Outro
The links above are affiliate links, from which I gain a small monetary compensation when purchases are made. They help keep the lights on ;)e

[@forestkane_]

This channel could just be about the study of rain forest for the rest of Aidins career and I'm here for it

[@AidinRobbins]

Don't tempt me

[@forestkane_]

@@AidinRobbins Aidin we need you to be the modern george mosa! haha

[@A--_--M]

Your username checks out

[@Greaterbing52]

Please rewatch around minute 08:32. Looks creepy to me

[@Centerpieceofmind]

​@@Greaterbing52saw that too, wtf?!

[@Plain_Pixel]

It's also worth mentioning that large areas of the Appalachia's were originally dominated by giant American chestnut trees that reached sizes similar to the Redwoods on the west coast, until chestnut blight was introduced from Asia in the early 1900's and wiped them out, leaving only small saplings surviving in the wild today. That and Chinese chestnuts which are adapted to resist the blight. You can find pictures of the old giant American chestnuts on google, they're amazing.

[@learndesignwithdev]

I always wonder, did no original Chestnut trees DNA survive? Can't scientists revive a modified chestnut tree which has majority American Chestnut DNA? I have seen those Old trees in pictures. Also I read somewhere that having Chestnut trees was an ecosystem in itself. Farmers will get nuts from them, it would be used to feed hogs. Wood will be used for construction, and so on.

[@KeR00H]

@@learndesignwithdevyes there are still isolated individual trees. Also there is currently an effort to cross breed the American Chestnut with other blight resistant variants so it can be reintroduced back into the forests in greater numbers.

[@bloodstoppin]

they were a big part of our culture too. we would trade chestnuts for goods like shoes.

[@bloodstoppin]

@@learndesignwithdev there are some small groves that persist as root systems, but can never grow up to the point that they can reproduce. eventually those will die out, too. there are some attempts to create hybrids with chestnuts from other parts of the world, and also genetically modified chestnut that has a resistance to the blight. we also used chestnuts as currency. we were and still are very poor in Southern Appalachia, and they became a way to afford goods like shoes.

[@jessejayphotography]

There are two programs to revive the American Chestnut. One involves cross breeding and intercrossing American chestnut and Chinese chestnut and then selective breeding trees with desired properties. They have had limited success. The other program is taking a direct approach and has genetically modified American chestnut with the blight resistance genes from wheat. They have had limited success. We are still a long ways off of having an 99% American chestnut that will be blight resistant. We may NEVER have an American chestnut that will grow to the size and grandeur of those old trees.

[@saintgall6329]

i genuinely believe unless someone has lived around this region of appalachia or visited it, they couldn't even begin to comprehend the beauty that is this region of the world.

[@braedynhoward3644]

100% agree. As someone who has lived in Japan, the Redwoods, and many other beautiful places, the Appalachians are truly unique and hold a special place in my heart as an American.

[@fuyuotolyx]

if i could like this 5 times i would

[@jordancobb7553]

Lived here all my life and I wanna see the world and all but I'll die in these mountains

[@spyder6423]

Native Appalachian. We don't even realize it until we venture out of the mountains and it becomes GLARINGLY apparent that once you leave the Cumberland plateau, the scenery is radically different.

[@joshelguapo5563]

I moved here from CO, it's pretty mid compared to the Rockies. I might just be biased because I miss home

[@gaboratoria]

Man those forest shots are so deeply green, a calming tone of it, with the sense of solitude and all the fog? This is one hell of a vibe, I could watch and rewatch this video a thousand times for the visuals alone!

[@darlsbarkley3493]

There's definitely something very comforting about being in those woods. We don't have the tall peaks you see out west but the experience of being deep in the forest of southern Appalachia is unmatched.

[@gardeniagorgeous4232]

Same! I can almost smell the glorious negative ions coming from that rich luscious forest! I would love to be there and breathe deeply.

[@starslayer8390]

@@gardeniagorgeous4232 I used to live near Boone NC and the air really does have a refreshing quality to it. That is, when it isn't 80% bugs by volume during the summer.

[@meengla]

I live in the Upstate part of South Carolina and the regions in this video are not far from my home. I have been to Cherokee, NC and the Great Smokeys numerous times as well as driving on the Blue Ridge Parkway. It is a beautiful and peaceful drive. Not much traffic especially during the shoulder seasons. The BL Parkway could be closed a chunk of the year due to snow, so better check. Here in SC, we too glimpses of such beauty: Waterfalls, untold number of trees, ferns on the ground, black bear. It is paradise here and only the good 'yankees' are welcomed here!

[@MTBManiac_]

@@darlsbarkley3493So true. Always get crap for not having “mountains” over here but man there is something magical in these forests I swear

[@reidsmith9011]

As a North Carolinian, I really appreciate you taking the time to cover the cultural, ecological, and geological history of Western NC. It truly is a special place with so many fascinating stories to tell, and I'm glad to see someone depict it with such passion. Keep up the great work!

[@thedovahk9398]

As a fellow North Carolinian, it's my favorite place in the world. I'm glad Aidin made such a high quality video covering it!

[@kevinmahaley4916]

Same

[@KebabDonor]

There's going to be a million more people moving to Asheville because of this video.

[@DominoHank]

i live on grandfather mountain, best place possible

[@HardTimesFamilyPride]

Raised in Ashe County, then moved to Boone, now Asheville. SO grateful to have spent my whole life here

[@NOTLIKEUS]

everything this man makes is an absolute masterpiece

[@solssun]

genuine poetry

[@caseyhamm4292]

the thing that blows my mind the most is that not only are the mountains (obviously) older than the trees, the mountains are literally older than any trees that ever existed on the planet. the appalachian mountains are older than the idea of trees

[@haldouglas4773]

they're older than bones and older than life on land

[@Panzer_the_Merganser]

That was always a huge draw for me living near them. Everything had a different feel, ancient yet also timeless. If you look up the geological history of Mount Mitchell and the surrounding Black Mountains, their original heights surpassed the Himalayas. They are for the most part rolling and pastoral now only because of time wearing them down to what we see today. Plus wherever you see the side of the mountains cut into for roads, you see rock that could not have any fossils, as it predates a lot of life.

[@charleshulsey3103]

Along the foothill area in GA you can find prehistoric marine fossils. Super cool.

[@williammorgan7769]

The Appalachian mountains date back to the last ice age. They were created by the last glaciers. Trees existed tens of millions of years before that.

[@Panzer_the_Merganser]

@@charleshulsey3103 That’s right, grew up in that area and sometimes we’d get lucky enough to split open a stone to find small fossilized shells.

[@MarkLambertMusic]

I was born and raised in the heart of the Appalachians. I spent my childhood running through the hills and valleys, often ranging miles from my home, drinking from streams and carrying my trusty .22 pistol and snakebite kit. One of my favorite things to do was climb to the top of the highest hemlock tree I could find on a windy day, and sit at the top while the tree swayed back and forth, enjoying the view. It's funny how, when you've lived in a place your entire life, you don't appreciate the beauty of it as you should. A video like this where the landscape is framed by the loving eye of another helps me appreciate it more in retrospect.

[@user-el1mi3zb4m]

Well said, I agree whole heartedly

[@billyboys7693]

The last bit of this video honestly made me emotional. I've lived in the Appalachian Mountains my entire life, I love it here, absolutely love it here. But I constantly have to battle with the fact that, it seems no one else really does. It seems almost consistently that I am the only person in my area that cares about these mountains, and maintaining the wild nature of them. Even in my own family, they constantly talk of wanting to level ground, and bring down trees older then the coal mines buried under these mountains, and its deeply upsetting. Thank you for this video, and hopefully bringing attention to the absolute beauty of our mountains, and *how worth it, it is, to protect and preserve them.

[@johnnyharris]

I loved this story. I'm from Oregon but live in Virginia and am always trying to understand and decode the quieter beauty of the nature out here.

[@rohitprajapati9720]

when i see johnnyharris comment here and i knew im in right place.

[@r22gamer54]

Fr

[@novusregnum]

Have you done the appalachian trail?

[@Namelessfornow34]

I'm British, but your videos have made me fall in love with Appalachia. I really want to visit the USA just to hike the AT.

[@scottjs5207]

You could literally make a month's long trip out of it! ..or more. There's so many places along the range to visit seeing as it crosses all the way from Georgia to Maine.

[@flightlessbirdjr9163]

You should hike it, it’s awesome

[@justin8865]

It's goregous!. If you want a more tourist friendly place (everyone's pretty nice along the mountains but for amenities and infrastructure) look up the Delaware water gap, also jim thrope in PA. It's stunning and I'm absolutely in love with this state.

[@tommymozier3663]

Gotta be used to the rain to do it, so I think Brits will do well.

[@togian755]

Safety is an issue on the appalacchian trail. If you do go take extra security precautions.

[@uhqgames940]

There's something haunting about a cemetery reclaimed by mother nature. It feels like it symbolizes that even in death there will always be a chance for new life, a chance to regrow.

[@--AE--]

Makes me think about us as humans. Those in that graveyard laughed and cried, loved and hated. They experienced triumphs and defeats; had families… Who remembers their names now? Who will remember us? Someday that will be us: forgotten to time. Only the Lord will remember our names.

[@ultraviolettas]

that’s beautiful

[@tylermaney6551]

I grew up in a holler in these mountains and cried while watching. Thank you for making this.

[@FloopyNupers]

It is a big feel being in the oldest mountain range on the planet. Such a beautiful land

[@scottjs5207]

*Oldest observable mountain range*... Not trying to be nitpicky... More so just some interesting geography trivia. The Oldest known mountain range is actually in Australia.... But what remains is buried underground so they can't even be called mountains anymore yet are still very much there... It's fascinating to think that someday the Appalachian Mountains will do the same and be reclaimed by the Earth's crust.

[@charlesrobinson4244]

The Ozarks are the oldest mountain range in the US. The Appalachians are beautiful, though.

[@starofdabloc]

@@scottjs5207ok so technically their point still stands. 😒 who’s going to talk about something that’s not there above ground anymore?

[@leegggg]

@@scottjs5207 Oldest Range visible is still in Australia, their called the Hamersley Ranges

[@BLAndrew575-]

A KZbinr going hard core with 4k video quality showing the stunning beauty of my backyard and unparalleled research on their videos. Truly you are a rare breed and your videos show that. Love everything about them because they are so well made, but also because the Appalachians are where I grew up and watching your videos make me feel like I am in the woods/mountains as a kid again experiencing them for the first time. Thank you for these trips!

[@ianmoats2527]

When my family moved to Charlotte, NC, from the North Shore of Oahu, HI as a middle schooler... I felt I'd lose the connection to nature I felt on the reef. The Appalachian mountains changed my mind and shaped my adolescence. Your videos capture the history, beauty, and awe that I hold dear. Thank you. And if you want a trail buddy in Pisgah or elsewhere one day, let me know!

[@apple.salad.]

You make some of the best content on KZbin, the audio, the script, the cinematography, and the B-roll, just beautiful.

[@jsiqueblue4948]

I couldn't agree more, high quality all the way

[@Toastybear1]

These videos on old rainforests are so important. Thank you so much for making them. I selfishly would love you to please visit more of the ones in Western Europe!

[@maxzeyyy]

hes done a few videos on some ones in ireland and scotland and madeira

[@Toastybear1]

@@maxzeyyy I recall the Scotland one, and the Madeira one was excellent, I hadn’t forgotten that one :) (hence my phrasing of “more”) :) but I don’t recall any in Ireland and I personally am in the south west uk so am interested in that too.

[@maxzeyyy]

@@Toastybear1 yeah I always get Scotland and Ireland confused so I just put both dont mind me

[@forrestmcclure5016]

He should do Western France/Brittany next!

[@austins9742]

As a geologist I love this channels content, and color editing is always top notch, kind of creates a cozy vibe for every video.

[@user-tp8ut7cs6j]

I once went to a music festival in an area called Deerfields, just outside of Asheville. It had a deciduous rainforest microclimate. It rained constantly and it maintained a comfy temperature in the mid 70 degree Fahrenheit range, despite it being late July. Walking through the trails was like walking through a dreamscape. I've never seen so many different shades of green, Everything was covered in moss and dripping with different types of ferns and multi-colored lichens. The ground was so deeply covered in moss that it felt like a carpet that you could comfortably fall asleep on if it wasn't so wet. Everything looked like some illustration out of a book of fairytales. It looked like the type of place where you would see fairies and gnomes hiding in the trees. Seeing so much life layered upon more life almost gave the whole area a feeling of sentience. I really want to go back there again sometime because it was truly a magical experience.

[@weedian710]

Was it Equinox by chance? Deerfields is incredible.

[@user-tp8ut7cs6j]

@@weedian710 It was!

[@decrox13]

"Deciduous rainforest" doesn't make sense. It's a Warm Temperate Moist Forest in the Holdridge zone.

[@user-tp8ut7cs6j]

@@decrox13 Oh ok, thanks Mr. Trebek. I should have said Temperate Rainforest. Thank you for deeming me worthy enough to bestow me with a bit of your vest well of knowledge.

[@iSaidNo666]

You are currently feeling a little bit frisky atm

[@Velakowitz]

In North Georgia, the Cohutta wilderness has huge hemlocks completely covered in Moss. The area where the Conasauga river headwaters are (the most diverse river in North America), it’s literally a jungle. I’ve never seen so many ferns in my life. Literally growing on trees.

[@nelliesfarm8473]

I'm in rural st Clair county Alabama on 55 acres...same here !!!

[@Quantrills.Raiders]

the first 50 miles of the AT trail in north georgia were my favorite, i felt like i was in a lord of the rings movie

[@Velakowitz]

@@Quantrills.Raiders If you like the AT in North Georgia, check out the BMT trail, it goes through the Cohutttas on the east side of them. You can add an extra trail and go to Jack's River falls, the largest waterfall by water volume in North Georgia.

[@pughuky5018]

its insane growing up in appalachia and living here my whole life and seeing more and more people become enamored by it. definitely doesn't have the same charm it used to but im glad people love my home

[@namuhtsuj4025]

My family comes from the Cataloochee Valley in GSMNP. My great great grandfather, W.G.B. Messer, helped settle Little Cataloochee. There are graves of my ancestors in those mountains. Those rainforests are a long lost home to me. Granddaddy Messer sold his land for pennies on the dollar to the federal government and moved out of the park to Haywood county, NC (Maggie Valley). He always said that the federal government should’ve paid mountain folk more than they did for the land inside the park. Amazing history to me, this video brings makes me feel like I remember things I never experienced.

[@jsiqueblue4948]

Thank you for sharing your story

[@dini5894]

Cataloochee js incredible. Very cool

[@briansaring9946]

So he was a sell out to the goverment?

[@rogerstafford-wakeinc.2088]

Would never call it that sir. I grew up along that while mountain range Pa. WV. And NC but ain’t never heard anyone say rainforest.

[@The_MaskedMenace]

Hiking through the Appalachian Trail right now, it’s a breathtaking experience

[@nelliesfarm8473]

I'm surprised you have internet! I'm at the far end , in rural northeast Alabama on 55 acres. I'd love to do what you are. Stay safe. ❤

[@rogerstafford-wakeinc.2088]

And no one says it’s a rainforest. Best of luck it’s definitely beautiful.

[@ArsenioDev]

Truly a love letter to the incredible environments on the east coast. Not as immediately dramatic as the new mountains out west but still absolutely incredible

[@Skidouche]

in the least suggestive way possible, your videos make me feel things I didn't know I had in me

[@jsiqueblue4948]

Omg yes, I mean of course there are cemeteries in these woods but that's something I never thought of and to see it reclaimed by nature was just breathtaking and sad because they have been forgotten.

[@Amish_Robot101]

THANK YOU FOR PRONOUNCING APPALACHIAN CORRECTLY

[@KreativityFields]

Same. It's refreshing to hear someone pronounce it so easily. Really shows how much of a native he is XD

[@TheTicktockman321]

Both pronunciations are correct.

[@alwaysflushinpublic]

@@TheTicktockman321 Sounded sigogglin. They law! Fixin' to be daylight and I still has 4 pokes of beans to put up. Tap 3x if y'all sees any revenuers

[@JimmyMatis-h9y]

there's more than one way to pronounce it? never heard anything but how he said it

[@alastor8091]

I love this country. Such beauty, such history. I'm a North Carolinian myself, so I'll look into taking a trip out that way some time.

[@MusketeerTed]

Please do a video on irelands rainforests! 🙏 🇮🇪

[@AidinRobbins]

Looks beautiful out there!

[@MusketeerTed]

@@AidinRobbins it really is! Come to the Beara peninsula!

[@scottjs5207]

@@MusketeerTed I swear I saw someone cover it recently... Maybe Mossy Earth or one of the ecological reclamation groups?

[@starofdabloc]

There’s already a video about it look it up, just not from him

[@huski1]

If you are on KZbin long enough you'd know when you find one of them gems. This is channel surely one of them. Please never stop making videos Aidin.

[@timothyeustacechan3853]

I have never stepped foot into Continental North America, but Aidan's videos are really inspiring and educational over the wilderness of the eastern US, as well as temperate rainforests. The history and landscape reminds me of the German Black Forest - though less wild, once full of settlements spreading far and wide (it still is), underwent a cycle of deforestation for agriculture and logging, and is since reforested - though plagued with monocultures.

[@EmilieDoylePinho14]

As a Person who lives next to mount Mitchel in the temperate rainforest thank you for making this vid! 🔥 people don’t get to see how beautiful this place is much so thanks for sharing it! These mountains are older then Saturns rings and need some respect 😔✊

[@StewCrew66]

Your videos are so special to me, I almost can’t quite describe it but it’s almost nostalgic and makes me want to explore. Thanks Aiden for making such high quality videos.

[@EmberMusic000]

The Appalachian people are just as wonderful as the Appalachian mountains

[@Nippleless_Cage]

I'm...not so sure about that.

[@Velociraith1]

Chills man, chills. I love how alive your video feels, the sounds of the wind blowing, the water flowing, and the simple and beautiful sounds of nature. It really compliments the message you're trying to send and I love it.

[@Sillymonkey-or1zo]

Mount Mitchel on a misty morning looks like something straight out of a fairy tale.

[@BruinsPastaSauce]

caught the upload just in time with my bowl of cinnamon toast crunch. gonna be a good day!

[@AidinRobbins]

You've got it dialed 🤌

[@johnadams3038]

You should eat healthier

[@inaudibletune5934]

@@johnadams3038 I don't think a bowl of cinnamon toast crunch is gonna kill him, people eat a lot worse, relax.

[@johnadams3038]

@@inaudibletune5934 It kills with time

[@inaudibletune5934]

@@johnadams3038 So does breathing air.

[@s_t_r_a_y_e_d]

climbed Mt Le Conte in Tenneesee this spring.. rained non stop the entire hike. gave up on the rain jacket after 3 hours and just let myself get soaked. showering and laying down at the cabin after felt like HEAVEN.

[@manygaga1]

I can totally feel what your attraction is to water, green, trees, mountains, ... It speaks to me in a deep peacegiving way

[@baileyammons4437]

Anyone else see that shadow/dark thing float across the screen at like 8:34? I love Appalachian lore too much to not question it!

[@fancishmanci]

Yes! I got on the comments to see if anyone else did. Curious what it could have been.

[@calmarsden8692]

Found this channel through the Scottish rainforest vid (as I imagine many did) and I feel so blessed, like I’ve found content made specifically for me. Adored this video and can’t wait to see what comes next ❤

[@whoops487]

There is a black shadowy thing that passed in front of the camera at 8:35 holy crap man they weren't playing when they said it was weird in the Appalachians lmao

[@jsiqueblue4948]

Omg I seen it , you're right. That is so creepy

[@HBC423]

Yeah these mountains are spooky

[@KrisstySchooler]

I was hoping someone else noticed, too! So I'm not crazy! 8:33

[@Jedixand]

I had to make sure I’m not crazy and I’m not the only one that caught that!

[@TeslerUSMC]

I saw it too. Went straight to the comments to make sure I’m sane.

[@spiinniing]

I come from the north. Over a thousand miles from these gorgeous stands of forest and rainy peaks. But I love someone who was born and raised in the foothills of this gorgeous, ancient mountain range, and I've developed such a love for it and its history. Thank you for making this truly beautiful little documentary.

[@ginraw]

I just wanted to share that I was incredibly touched by your video. Appalachia is such a unique environment and you perfectly captured the beauty of it in your film and the way you danced about the subject with your words. I love it. Your whole video gives me the wholesome, cozy vibe of an educational video in a classroom or local museum. Thank you!

[@eduardo_gama]

So crazy watching something like this for free.

[@Messeroarica581]

Yesterday I returned from a vacation in Pennsylvania and after visiting towns, seeing Fallingwater, and hiking up mountains that are way taller than they look. I can confident say Appalachia is really beautiful and one day I hope I can visit these amazing rainforests as well.

[@billyschannel997]

These “Islands” have always been interesting to me. You can’t find spruce forests for hundreds of miles from the Appalachian mountains. At one point the entire northern US was covered in boreal forests(which are my favorite), this time capsule holds the history of our land.

[@Gorlim_the_Unhappy]

Fantastic video. I am enamored with the Appalachian mountains, they are my home, which I share with millions of vibrant and wonderful people. Thank you for showing the beauty that you see! It's so great to know that other people see it too. This world is magical, and these mountains are full of wonders! ❣️

[@danielbrown1724]

You do such a great job of capturing the essence and ambience of the rainforests and other wooded areas. The camera work, the distant birds, the sounds of rain hitting the leaves. It is definitely my happy place......and I'm not just saying that because I had a recent journey with Mother Ayehausca 😀

[@lozogax]

Been supporting you for a while and your growth is insane man, you always inspire me!

[@v78981]

I grew up in southern Appalachia and it's been so long since I've gotten to see those mountains Thank you for giving me a small taste of home, I can't tell you how much it means to me right now

[@shady473gamingcm3]

Grew up in East Tennessee for most of my pre 18 life. Those mountains and these adjacent ones, bring a lot of feelings. I'm glad you can appreciate them and share that with others as well.

[@joshsatterwhite1571]

Finally got the free time to actually watch and enjoy this piece of art. Had no idea you were from this area too, though to be fair I've only had a chance to watch a couple of your vids prior to this. Phenomenal work, my dude. I'm 40 as of this year, and have spent about 36 of those years in the area, mostly between Buncombe, Haywood, Transylvania and Henderson Counties. I grew up running the rigelines of the Pisgah National Forest, walking the old logging roads on the slopes of Pisgah itself, rockhopping the many forks of streams and rivers that run down roads like 276, 215, and my home of 151. My family has been in various parts of NC since 1696. I celebrated my 21st birthday on the top of Mt. Mitchell, wrecked my first car on The Blue Ridge Parkway, scattered my father's ashes on Pisgah, watched the 2017 solar eclipse from the top of Devil's Courthouse, camped deep in the Yellow Gap area for a month when covid hit, dodging park rangers and the virus both. I've left twice, and come back in less than 2 years each time due to homesickness. The only negative emotions I ever feel about this area are either due to some of the modern people here being so stuck behind the social/political times, and the remorse of knowing that my own blood ancestors more than likely played their part in pushing the natives out. All that is just to say that you've done a phenomenal job capturing the beauty, the history, the connection between the land and the people that appreciate it. And I truly love this vid essay for that. I'm really glad the algorithm finally introduced me to your content just in time to catch this. Thank you again. After a pretty lousy couple of weeks, I needed a calming voice to remind me why I keep going at my age with nothing else to show for it. It's the beauty of the forest, of my home. Plain and simple. I'm not a religious or spiritual man, but it's hard not to feel something mystical in these woods, especially when you get off the beaten path and find somewhere that signs of human activity are scarce. I think it's getting close to time to take another month off from my societal duties, tie some traps, and disappear deep into the forest once more time, just to feel again.

[@jsiqueblue4948]

I too am always busy and always have something to do but I like to play these videos in the background of whatever I'm doing just to hear his voice is so calming and then when I do get a glimpse it's absolutely stunning video

[@shaggywilliams6072]

As a Tennessean i love every chance i get to see those mountains. Fascinates me too that it existed before the triassic period!? Flippin wild.

[@Andrewbert109]

I used to go camping here every summer towards the beginning of fall once it starts to cool down a bit. I randomly happened upon this video and the footage brings back so many happy memories for me. I love it up there.

[@arcies9286]

Having just recently visited the redwoods for my first time, I love how similar the fern carpet in this video of the Appalachians is to there. It reminds me of that foggy mossy serene place. The trees might be bigger out west, but this video shows no less beauty than what I saw. How could anyone stumble into such a place and want to cut it down? I’ll never understand…

[@bca_4321]

As the person who wrote a lot of the wikipedia article the first minutes were based on, and made one of the maps featured in this video, I am SO HAPPY this region is getting more appreciation and visibility!

[@yogeshsalve9405]

8:35 a dark figure can be seen floating in front of the camera going From left to right 😮

[@eliepley12]

I go hiking in the Smokies a couple times a year. Each hike will have a new fascination and appreciation. Thank you!

[@domcoughlin3965]

This video is incredible. I’m from Appalachia and I thoroughly enjoyed watching this. Showed it to my brother and he loved it too.

[@tonylovesmusic6806]

sorry i was late you've given me the urge to explore the wilderness love your videos ❤

[@dhruvthakur23]

because of this channel, I love rain forest and rain now. I have learned A lot from Aidin :)

[@pavelkurochkin2915]

The fact that this level of documentary is available for people to see for free is truly a great gift. The way you narrate the story and the visuals just make it feel like watching a movie. And those shots are unbelievable. Thanks for your hard work! Keep doing what you are doing 🙏

[@Qyuinx]

You have such a brilliant way with words! I'm hooked onto your channel now, especially with how respectful you treat the earth and her children's cultures. Proud watcher from West Virginia

[@SnugSnowSnail9977]

Aidin if you haven't been to Cumberland Island off the coast of St. Mary's GA then you totally should! It's like you're in a completely different country! There's ruins of a mansion called Dungeness, Wild horses from an old Spanish ship, dolphins that swim in the marshes, sea turtles, etc. The list goes on and on. The history is insane! Plus it rains a lot...

[@ericrollins4607]

The forests around here today are nowhere near as dark as they appear in this video. Loss of Eastern Hemlock changed a lot of that.

[@EraX52]

This man needs an award for his storytelling, facts, and especially his photography. I never thought there was a rainforest in the Appalachian mountains

[@calliehester7165]

im from bryson city, nc and this made me CRY ! i love my backyard.... i love bears.... i love wandering around the woods and knowing its growing and changing all the time...

[@AudaciousAmber]

Stay safe because there's all kinds of things in the deep woods and some of them that ain't supposed to be but are..💯

[@sway_onthetrail]

It's completely safe in the Appalachian mountains so long as you prepare yourself for the elements. We don't even have wildlife that is exceptionally dangerous like you'd see on the west coast (black bear vs grizzly bear as an example.) The biggest thing you're battling every time you go on a trail, the elements.

[@jz295491]

@@sway_onthetrail r u sating there are no bears or wolves there ?

[@sway_onthetrail]

@@jz295491 I quite literally stated black bear in my response lol. They really aren't that big of a threat. Less than 1 person a year die from black bears in the US. As for wolves, there have only been 21 confirmed fatal wolf attacks in recorded history. Not really a concern either.

[@nelliesfarm8473]

​@@sway_onthetrailI believe this person was referring to the unspoken creatures that are here ....I know exactly what they are talking about...we've seen them ... species one wishes was only in horror films or nightmares....I live on 55 acres in rural Alabama...they really ARE here.

[@thewizrd772]

​😂😂

[@cainanneedham9022]

This is my first video from this channel, but I’m blown away at the writing and production value. The aesthetic choices are wonderful and the audio is perfect. Personal and intimate shots of the fern stand and moss carpets in the understory and along riparian areas, drone footage of fog-laden overstory canopies, cycling through grainy projector slides and that simple, but perfect red sharpie underling pertinent text in scanned/printed documents and delineating key areas on old maps… It’s all absolutely great.

[@evank.5135]

This is my absolute favorite channel rn. I binged all of your videos and I look forward to every upload. You do such an incredible job with everything.

[@JpCarEdits]

Everything about this video from the storytelling to the cinematography to the actual rainforest is absolutely beautiful

[@cameroonkendrick6312]

You should check out the Florida hammocks, it’s basically a tropical forest with bromeliads, orchids, butterflies, one cycad species, and strangler figs, a tree from the Amazon. I also think they deserve some more awareness because of how most of it has been cleared away.

[@RoccoGermani]

They may not be the tallest or most visually impressive mountains in the world, but they are my favorite mountains for good reasons, and you have showed that excellently here in this beautiful video! Fantastic job as always, Aidin!

[@darlsbarkley3493]

Those taller mountains are just big rocks. The Appalachian mountains are so full of life and weird history. I generally prefer the endless sea of green you get in panoramic views of southern Appalachia.

[@RoccoGermani]

@@darlsbarkley3493 I agree. I've been out west for the past few weeks on a trip, and while it has been beautiful, I can't wait to get back to those beautiful green mountains that I call home.

[@Kaagrant]

Visually impressive? These forests on 6000+ foot hills are incredibly impressive. You want high desert? Go out west. You want trees, trees, trees green? It’s here.

[@aspiringschizo]

This makes me miss home so bad. I'm from the Smoky Mountains, and my family had been there for so long. My grandpa used to take me hiking to old Civil War cemeteries in the mountains where we had ancestors buried. They were just like you described, untouched, grown over. One had a tattered confederate flag still flying in the wind and we couldn't help but wonder just how long it had been there.

[@sweetteaboizthicc2424]

I work in the tourist areas inside this rainforest, I always love showing new people around and telling them about what I know, cool places to see and hike, so cool to see a video about our special forest. I encourage anyone who wants to see this forest to come and visit. Thanks for making this!

[@Arcade_Ghost]

love the ending and all of the acknowledgment towards native Americans! Bears seeing beauty seems like a wild idea until you see the evidence haha

[@jsiqueblue4948]

Right! I want to believe that bears appreciate the scenery😅

[@AaronGeo]

Do a video on the El Yunque Rainforest in Puerto Rico, as a Puerto rican

[@AidinRobbins]

Definitely interested in heading out there!

[@McDonaldsCalifornia]

This does such a great job of bringing home the central thesis that this region and ecosystem is special and precious. It also demonstrates how no matter what some people might think nowadays, humanity is not and never has been seperate from nature. The constant crossovers between ecology, sociology, ethnology, etc in this video really show this deep interconnectednes. And visually, I mean do i even have to say it? Breathtaking

[@flow5718]

8:35 to 8:39 you can see a ghost passing from the left to right. Spooky 👻

[@decker8ers]

it is a fly that is out of focus

[@flow5718]

@@decker8ers What if the fly is the physical manifestation of the ghost? 🤔

[@Dysgalt]

@@flow5718what if it’s the ghost of a fly

[@flow5718]

@@Dysgalt Ghosts cannot be larger than their physical counterparts silly. For example, a person can choose to be a smaller ghost but a fly cannot choose to be a person sized ghost.

[@alwaysflushinpublic]

That is the ghost of Popcorn. y'all debate it while I fetch more mason jars and copper. *no revenuers were injured during filming*

[@EDDIETRUJILLO-p6e]

On minute 8:36 a dark round shadow figure pass onfront of the camera idk if u notice

[@MegaTheRollingStones]

it was me, sry i'm little shy

[@shredder.mp4]

yup saw this

[@alwaysflushinpublic]

Popcorn's ghost? Was the ghost wearing overalls, dancing a bit sigogglin while sippin fumes from mason jar? They law! Twernt no ghost, that there's my cousin runnin' from more dadgum revenuers.

[@evanlucas8914]

I wish i had the same videography and narration skills that you do. I grew up in the foothills of Appalachia in Pennsylvania. As i go out hiking and photographing what i see, i find myself wishing i could share my love with more people. from the hollows of West Virginia to the endless mountains of northern Pennsylvania it all speaks to me and i wish i could translate what i hear.

[@pyroslev]

I've been in and out of the Carolina mountains so many times in my life. Yeah, some places are more spectacular but these mountains are old. They're the older of the mountains in the world. I camped by a creek last fall and listened to the mountains. It was nothing less than amazing, spectacular to listen to the creek as if it were a voice.

[@Jetsetlemming]

As an Indian historian I'm impressed by the quality of that section of this video! Most discussions of east coast Indians just either pretend everyone disappeared from "disease" or ignores that and jumps straight to accusations of race faking and that whole topic. Speaking specifically on how Indian populations did not "shrink" but were pushed back by expansion from colonizers is a refreshingly accurate description compared to the norm of describing white settlers as expanding into a void left behind by Indians who died on their own, and I thank you for it. There's basically no actual historical evidence for communicable disease playing any significant role in the destruction of east coast Indian communities. Indian communities were forced out or destroyed by settler violence, either directly or indirectly (such as killing off all the game in an area, deforesting, poisoning water supplies with industrial runoff and sewage, etc). They even tried germ warfare with the smallpox blankets on multiple occasions, although it always resulted in failure (Indian medical standards tended to be superior to the European standards of the 18th century thanks to having better ideas of how to safely treat the sick compared to people who still believed in miasma theory). There's like one diary of some white guy claiming to have come across an empty Indian town and going "oh I guess they all died of smallpox!", and that's it. There's a ton of documentation about Indians dying from infected wounds caused by settler violence though, going back to Columbus's genocide of the Taino.

[@Jetsetlemming]

oh I should probably mention: These regions are almost certainly much more wild now than they were 400 years ago. Indian communities practiced forestry management and cultivation, along with maintaining the trails mentioned in the video. It's why there's early settler reports claiming America looked like a "park" (while falsely attributing that to God preparing a gift for them lol). There's also almost certainly fewer people living in Appalachia today than there were pre-colonization.

[@xthral]

@@Jetsetlemming this is really interesting. after some quick google anywhere i can hear/read about this old forest cultivation?

[@nelliesfarm8473]

Thank you . Our native American anestors are not forgotten ❤

[@shesh32]

Yes, as expected in the community post, it was about Appalachian forests. Yay...

[@michymoo839]

Wonderful video and story, Aidin. Bravo! I live close to the Smoky Mountains and always have a sense of “I’m home” whenever I get to visit. It’s a sense of relief and joy. I hope we, as a collective, never let anyone attempt to destroy it again.

[@joepeckjr.8133]

My wife and I spent a few years exploring the Appalachian Mountains around the Asheville area. We have many stories and found memories of our adventures. Your eloquent story telling and cinematic prowess was very emotional for me….thank you!!

[@00i0ii0]

I'm sorry, was there some other kind of settlers in America that I haven't heard of? Why do you keep saying they're white 😂

[@own4801]

There have been many kinds of settlers in America.

[@00i0ii0]

@own4801 no, not really

[@own4801]

@@00i0ii0 Yes, really.

[@00i0ii0]

@@own4801 who else?

[@own4801]

@@00i0ii0 The term “white settlers” is used in historical contexts to refer to European colonists who migrated to what is now the United States. These were not the only people who came to settle in America. Before the arrival of Europeans, the Americas were already inhabited by diverse groups of Native Americans. The prevailing theory proposes that these indigenous people from Eurasia followed game across Beringia, a land bridge that connected Siberia to present-day Alaska during the Ice Age, and then spread southward throughout the Americas. The European colonization of the Americas began in the early 16th century. Settlers came from a variety of social and religious groups, including adventurers, farmers, indentured servants, tradesmen, and a very few from the aristocracy. These settlers included the Dutch of New Netherland, the Swedes and Finns of New Sweden, the English Quakers of the Province of Pennsylvania, the English Puritans of New England, the Virginian Cavaliers, the English Catholics and Protestant Nonconformists of the Province of Maryland, the “worthy poor” of the Province of Georgia, the Germans who settled the mid-Atlantic colonies, and the Ulster Scots of the Appalachian Mountains. The term “white settlers” is used to distinguish these European settlers from the indigenous populations and from other non-European groups that also came to America, such as enslaved Africans. The first enslaved African arrived in Virginia in 16193. So, while European settlers played a significant role in the history of the United States, they were not the only people who came to settle in America.

[@EnricoUniverse]

No offense meant from this new viewer who works a lot with color, but every location you showcase looks exactly the same thanks to your aggressive color grading. You could walk through a city and it would still be this deep green/blue forest color. Even the pure white paper is slightly green. Maybe showcase some natural color? This is like the orange mexico filters in TV shows.

[@AidinRobbins]

Haha fair enough. I grade these to my taste- that won't be for everyone :)

[@jamescornwell9502]

It’s my favorite color and this is quite possibly my favorite color grading so I ain’t going to complain.

[@jontomassi]

to be fair, if you ever visit the Appalachians, the color grading is spot on. in spring/summer, green permeates everything.

[@ThaboAndRayy]

I think it looks nice and has a unique style. Why don’t you make your own videos and grade them the way you like and not police others? No offense

[@ThaboAndRayy]

@@AidinRobbinsthat’s a dumbass comment that person left on your video. They don’t understand style and originality, hence why you are the creator and they’re a viewer on the other side of the screen. Dope style and dope videos, keep it up 👍

[@lucyboyd3065]

this video is extremely well done. literal chills. history, ecology, empathy, poetry, call to action. bravo!

[@zachhaus8488]

Trust me I know how special this mountain range is. I live on it

[@michaeldemko8522]

What is up with with all the "white settler stuff" .People were not referenced as white when they were settling. They were people such as the Scotch-Irish, English, German, Polish, Swiss, Portuguese, Spanish, French. As well as ,Italians, Hungarians, Austrians, Russians, Poles and peoples of African decent . All peoples of European decent are not white and were never considered "white" alone in those days. Some may have been fair skinned but were proud people of their homelands , where they left from and came to.

[@Couffee]

White man bad!!!!!! Gotta make sure your politically correct

[@user-nv5sn3tb4e]

so proud that they threw it all in the trash and assimilated into what we now know of as “whiteness”

[@Clit_Collector]

How can you tell this was a documentary filmed in 2024 and not the 90's? the narrator says "White people" when introducing who the early European explorers and settlers were. Alexander Spotswood was a British Army Officer, explorer, and lieutenant governor of Colonial Virginia; he is regarded as one of the most significant historical figures in British North American colonial history. Was that so hard to do? I ripped that from his Wiki page. I suggest you change your passive-aggressive tone and show a little respect to the greats.

[@vectorshaman338]

I live in Scandinavia now, but I will always cherish my time in Asheville and the Blue Ridge Mountains.

[@peterlecraw8301]

I couldn't dream of a better ambassador for the mountains I call home. Thank you man, this was beautiful.

[@kjcerebdhjd996]

I don't know why but I always get goosebumbs watching your videos. Not only is the quality of the video contributing to that, but also the stories that I often resonate with. Please keep up these amazing videos, you're doing really nicely!!!

[@eaglescout1984]

I call the Appalachians home, though I'm not in the rainforest zone. The beauty of the region has always captivated me. The creeks and waterfalls in spring, the lush green of summer, and the explosion of golds and reds during the fall. The Appalachians aren't the tallest mountains, but in my opinion they're more beautiful than any tall snowy peak because they are so full of life.

[@pars5027]

Great video! Thanks. At 62 years old I made a move from Middle TN to East TN. I did not make it all the way to the Appalachian Mts, but I did make it to the Cumberland Plateau. I'm only at 1300 feet elevation, but my 1st spring and summer here has been amazing. The green forest looks wonderful in the rain.

[@CharlamagneWhiteman]

Dude the end message with the bears and all at the end was beautiful.

[@marketakmunickova1684]

I love how your love for the forest shines through every video you create. Thank you for making these fantastic documentaries! 🙂