The Alberta Forest Products Association has launched an online forest tour that features one of the province’s most famous faces: Nathan Fillion.
Fillion got his start in Edmonton as part of the Rapid Fire Theatre and Die-Nasty improv groups. He rose to fame after his role in TV series Firefly.
The AFPA launched the Virtual Forest Tour featuring Fillion in hopes of drawing audiences in by combining comedy with education.
“Oh look Alberta, I can see your house from here,” Fillion says in the intro. “Not that I know where you live. To start exploring, select one of the three orange circles. Each one will take you to a different glorious stage within the forest life cycle.
Jason Krips, president of the AFPA, said that the agency wanted a way to make the virtual tours stand out.
“It’s a lot of fun to be able to land Nathan Fillion, local-born actor,” Krips said. “You really got a global name to walk us through.
“It’s super fun and it’s very educational.”
Fillion certainly adds some spice along with the education in his narration.
The tour starts with a pick between young, growing, or mature — but “choose wisely,” Fillion says.
“New forest. Who dis?” is the first thing Fillion says to the tourists in the young forest section.
“Dis looks like a good spot to set up camp. Did you bring the tent… you didn’t,” Fillion says. “Well, that’s going to be an issue. Without a cover that an older forest’s tree canopy provides we’ll have to snuggle up close to maintain body heat.