TREASURES OF THE CHESAPEAKE
ABOUT
Directed and Produced by Christopher Lapinski
Director of Photography Christopher Lapinski
Narrated by Christie Crossley
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**Best of Show at the 2021 Docs Without Borders Film Festival**
**Best Cinematography at the 2021 Richmond Virginia Environmental Film Festival**
**Best Newcomer Film at the 2020 Wildlife Conservation Film Festival**
**Best Documentary at the 2020 American Student Film Festival**
**Award Nominee at the International Science Film Festival of India (part of the world’s largest science festival; India International Science Festival 2020)**
**Outstanding Excellence in Cinematography and Voice Over Talent at the Fall 2020 Nature Without Borders International Film Festival**
**Honorable Mention at the 2020 Toronto Film Magazine Fest**
Official Selection at the International Nature Film Festival GödölÅ‘, Kalakari Film Fest, Vesuvius International Film Festival, and Liftoff Global Network Film Festival.
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Spanning more than 64,000 square miles, the Chesapeake Bay Watershed is one of the most biologically productive estuaries on the planet. In spite of its environmental degradation from nutrient pollution, human development, sea level rise, and climate change, the Chesapeake Bay Watershed is timing with life. Nevertheless, these issues will continue to be a pressing factor contributing to the bay’s declining health if serious action is not taken.
Treasures of the Chesapeake takes a look at some of the organisms in their habitats, and how they adapt to the problems the watershed faces. In the forest that remain, the fragmentation of wilderness areas poses threats to the wildlife as it brings them in closer contact with humans. With the expansion of human development in wetland areas, the ecosystem service benefits provided by wetlands are diminished. As the first line of defense against floods, storm surges, hurricanes, and sea level rise, the loss of wetlands in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed is having already visible impacts.
For over thirty years, the efforts of environmental cleanups and restoration efforts have been underway to help restore this national treasure. With the regulations in place, the bay is starting to recover. This does not mean the bay is safe. With the disastrous environmental track record of the current administration, all of the advancements in improving environmental quality could be undone in the blink of an eye.
The fight is on to save the Chesapeake!
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