PROTECTING NEW ORLEANS,  SAVING VENICE

 

On July 23, 2005, at the Watermark Wingspread Conference, Dr. John Day of Louisiana State University gave a presentation featuring a computer simulation of a catastrophic hurricane event in NOLA,  based on a levee protection level of category 4.    He related how healthy wetlands could mitigate the effects of such storms.  

 
Buy the Protecting New Orleans, Saving Venice DVDBuy_the_DVD.html


The filmmakers accompanied Dr. John Day into the eroding wetlands, which have been the focus of his life's research.  Louisiana's wetlands are the victim of global warming-induced level rise and low sedimentation due to the diking of the Mississippi River.    Dr. Day:  “Over the twentieth century,  almost 4000 square miles eroded away.   An enormous area.   Some people compare it to the size of Rhode Island or New Jersey.    I mean, it's an enormous area of natural habitat that's been lost.”



In NOLA, the Bongiornos interviewed hurricane victims and photographed the flood devastated parishes of New Orleans.  "Protecting New Orleans" and "NOLA" are 2 in their series of short films documenting this experience.   "Protecting New Orleans" premiered on the Emmy-winning national PBS series "Natural Heroes," and both films are screening internationally.  The Bongiornos' NOLA video installations and photographs are being exhibited in galleries.
 

Dr. John Day and Marylou Tibaldo-Bongiorno

in the Louisiana wetlands

Satellite photo of hurricane Katrina, 2005

In November of 2006, the filmmakers visited Venice, Italy.  Similar to New Orleans, the city of Venice and its marshes are drowning under global warming-induced sea level rise. The wetland’s inability to keep up with the sea level is due principally to low sedimentation from surrounding rivers and sedimentation loss to the Adriatic.  Scientific surveys show that Venice salt marshes and mudflats are down to a third of their extent at the end of the 19th century.   Approximately 20% of the Venice lagoon’s plants and 50% of bird species have been lost since 1930. The expanded short film "Protecting New Orleans, Saving Venice" presents the plight and solutions proposed to save both cities.  

SAVING VENICE

See the Protecting New Orleans, Saving Venice trailerhttp://www.brightcove.tv/title.jsp?title=1351374913
Read the Smithsonian Article & See the Venice pixhttp://www.smithsonianmag.com/specialsections/ecocenter/venice.html

On August 29, 2005 Hurricane Katrina, at category 3 strength,  hit the Louisiana coast.   Due to substandard levee construction,  80% of New Orleans suffered severe flooding.   To date, 1,836 people lost their lives in the storm, 1,577 in Louisiana alone.  705 are missing. 

17th Street Canal Levee Breach,

NOLA 2005

In November of 2005, the filmmakers Marylou and Jerome Bongiorno visited New Orleans, to witness and document the deteriorating wetlands and the devastation which resulted from the failure of the levees to protect the city from flooding.

photo, courtesy of Dr. John Day

Photos courtesy of NOAA

Season Premiere for the national PBS, Emmy-winning NATURAL HEROES

Venice, Italy - dying wetlands

Dr. John Day