HERON PROJECTS
BOX FIRES
David Goede
Film photography
2025
© David Goede
2025
© David Goede
Shot in a tree planting camp in northern Alberta, these photos capture the cyclical night-off ritual of burning leftover tree boxes that takes place after each work week. The Canadian government mandates the replanting of every tree that is harvested for lumber, and these camps are where that re-planting occurs, often by young, university age students. One season prior to these photos being taken, the planters at this camp planted through heavy smoke and against evacuation orders during the Jasper wildfire. Working every day under harsh conditions in areas of mass deforestation and habitat destruction, these workers still find time for lighthearted revelry and the routine of a bonfire after a hard days work. Set against a landscape recently marked by mass wildfire, these scenes underscore a cycle of loss and regeneration in which fire, labour, and community are inextricably linked.