THREE OAKS — Nature is filled with mutualistic relationships, where two species interact in ways that benefit both, like bees and flowers.

Fernwood Botanical Garden and Nature Preserve, in Buchanan Township, and Chikaming Open Lands, in Chikaming Township, have a mutualistic relationship of their own. They are co-hosting the environmentally focused Green Screens Film Festival in Three Oaks’ Vickers Theatre at 7 p.m. today and on Aug. 14.

“It’s been really great,” said Jen Thompson, development and marketing manager of Chikaming Open Lands. “It’s just a great way for both our organizations to get in front of different audiences — we’re geographically in different areas — and spread the word about our mission.”

This is the fifth year the land conservancy and the garden and nature preserve have put on Green Screens.

Like Fernwood and Chikaming Open Lands, the films and their viewers will be mutualistic to one another, too. The documentaries’ creators will get more name recognition. Meanwhile, area residents will leave entertained and more knowledgeable on environmental topics, Thompson said.

“One of the things we’re looking to do with this is to spark discussion and help educate our community on various environmental issues,” said Elaine Rowland, director of development and external relations at Fernwood.

Today’s film will be “One Big Home,” released in 2016. It follows a carpenter on the island of Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts, who felt that the island’s large homes were threatening his home. So, he documented himself working with the community to limit house sizes.

The themes of development in “One Big Home” are pertinent to Berrien County, Thompson said.

Rural areas tend to have the most space to develop out instead of up, which can lead to threatened natural areas.

She said that the county, like Martha’s Vineyard, is a vacation community, and while Martha’s Vineyard’s development is different than Berrien, its message of mindful development is relevant.

“We just need to be smart about the way we’re developing our area,” she said. “If we turn it into highways and concrete, no one’s going to want to come here anymore.”

The film will be introduced by the film’s director and star, Thomas Bena, via a Skype call.

Aug. 14’s film is “Landscape Film: Roberto Burle Marx,” a 2018 documentary on the art and life of the renowned Brazilian landscape architect, artist and environmental activist.

“He was really focused on using native plants in his landscape design — native to Brazil, of course, not here,” Thompson said. “That’s also a really, really important thing, and it’s important to us. It’s something we’re trying to educate people to do.”

Thompson said Chikaming Open Lands tries to educate people on the importance of using native plants in yard and garden landscapes. Native plants are easier to take care of. They also fight back against invasive plant species that can move past the controlled landscapes and into natural environments.

Fernwood visitors may be familiar with Marx and his native plant designs already.

His name is among other prominent landscape architects at the walls of Fernwood’s Sims Education Center. A 2017 poster promoting an exhibit featuring his work at the Chicago Botanic Garden hangs nearby.

The showing of “Landscape Film” is timely, too, Rowland said. The New York Botanical Garden has a property-wide exhibition of his gardens, paints, drawings and textiles on display until Sept. 29.

Rowland and Thompson said the festival’s two to three shows each year tend to sell out, and they recommend buying tickets online ahead of the screenings at fernwoodbotanical.org. 

An array of people tends to come to the event, they said. Some people come from the Chikaming area. Some come from Buchanan. Others walk in off the street.

Not only does Rowland appreciate that Vickers Theatre is between Fernwood and Chikaming Open Lands, she said she loves venue.

“We’re so happy to use that space for these films, and they’re gracious to open it up to our attendees,” she said.

Overall, the two co-hosts hope people will leave educated, entertained and interested in their nonprofits’ efforts, they said.