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Two years in the making, this groundbreaking documentary explores the issue of protecting Oregon’s marine environment. Interviews with Oregon fishermen, leading scientists, and program host, Russell Sadler, helps viewers understand the current condition of our ocean ecosystems. The program reveals the timely opportunity we have to protect Oregon’s ocean by establishing a network of marine reserves.
Based in Oregon, Green Fire Productions has been creating documentaries on the environment and social justice issues since 1989. They’ve produced more than 20 award-winning programs that are screened both worldwide and throughout the United States. Karen Meyer, executive director of Green Fire explained, “We produced Common Ground so that Oregonians could see first hand our underwater world and learn about ocean ecosystems, environmental problems and solutions – and get involved in this issue.”
The documentary film Common Ground has struck a nerve across Oregon. From Charleston to Astoria and from Portland to Newport, hundreds are filling theaters to capacity to watch this film and discuss threats to marine life and potential benefits for our ocean by designating marine reserves.
“The marine ecosystem off the coast of Oregon is in trouble,” says film producer Karen Meyer. “Over-fishing, pollution and coastal development are depleting fish species to perilously low levels. Marine reserves are key to the recovery of fish populations and the ecosystem as a whole.”
In 2002, Oregon’s Ocean Policy Advisory Council (OPAC) recommended testing a limited number of marine reserves but a bitter battle ensued between industry, state government and conservationists and the process stalled. Unlike the Western states of California and Washington, the state of Oregon has no marine reserves – i.e. areas free of any commercial activity. (States have the authority to establish marine reserves in coastal waters up to three miles beyond their shores).
Karen and Ralf Meyer of Green Fire Productions created the film to get people talking about marine reserves - and it has done just that. Panel discussions following screenings consistently include both conservationists and industry representatives who have been public skeptics about reserves. This has broadened the audience for the film and led to real dialogue. More than 900 people attended two premiere screenings in Portland and Newport.
In the small fishing town of Port Orford – population 600 – more than 200 people attended the local screening. In the days that followed, Port Orford fishermen began discussing the possibility of marine reserve in the ocean waters that they fish. Leesa Cobb of the Port Orford Ocean Resource Team said: “The Common Ground event was the catalyst for the fishermen to move forward.”
To date, more than 4,500 people have attended screenings of the film: 3,300 policymakers, fishermen, elected officials, business owners, marine scientists and concerned citizens have attended 20 public screenings around the state; another 1,200 individuals have attended smaller screenings for ocean stakeholders.
According to state natural resource agency staff, the film has sparked “true dialogue” among individuals and organizations “that were not talking or listening to each other before the project. Now they are. This is no mean feat given the emotional nature of the issue, and is certainly something that none of the parties or a government entity could have established.”
By creating a film and screening events that respect differing points of view, this film has enabled one-time adversaries to find common ground. “This project has provided an unprecedented forum for open communication among groups that otherwise rarely meet face-to-face,” says Mark Hixon, a marine biologist at Oregon State University. “It is encouraging mutual understanding and generating trust.”
At the recent Salem screening, Secretary of State Bill Bradbury who moderated the Q & A session remarked, "I was struck by the large number of citizens who came last night because they are obviously concerned about the health of our oceans."
Since the film’s launch, in June 2005, the OPAC process resumed and in June 2007, Gov. Ted Kulongoski directed the State to establish a network of marine reserves in state waters to protect ocean habitat for fish, wildlife and people by November 2008. A public nomination process will begin in summer 2008. Common Ground screenings and events for key stakeholders continue.
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