A LOCAL GOVERNMENT GUIDE TO THE CHESAPEAKE BAY.

[Opening shot zooms in on a stream.]

This is the Chesapeake Bay

[Shot of a waterman sorting fresh-caught oysters; shot of great egrets in a marsh; shot of people picking steamed blue crabs.]

and this is also the Chesapeake Bay.

[Aerial shot of a green cornfield; shot of cows eating hay; aerial shot of a bustling city skyline.]

It's more than a body of water.

[Shot of horses eating grass in a green pasture.]

It's where we work, live, learn, play, and eat.

[Shot of someone paddling a canoe; shot of a car driving through a suburban street.]

The Chesapeake Bay economy is made of many different sectors,

[Shot of an angler on a fishing boat taking a photo of his fellow fisherman, who is holding a freshly caught rockfish.]

including tourism, seafood industries, agriculture, real estate, and much more.

[Shot of a hunter using a duck call from a blind; shot of a chef in a commercial kitchen preparing a fish.]

What’s the common thread?

[Shot of fish swimming in murky waters.]

Industries need a healthy watershed, the economic engine of the region, to earn billions each year.

[Aerial shot of a farm surrounded by forests.]

Working to protect and restore the Chesapeake Bay supports job growth

[Aerial shot of whitewater rafters paddling through river rapids.]

and countless livelihoods depend on the Bay and local waterways.

[Aerial shot of a fisherman in a small boat collecting his catch.]

A healthy watershed is vital to our quality of life, our homes, and our health.

[Shot of a clear stream; shot of the green roof of a commercial building; shot of a father carrying his young daughter on his shoulders and a fly fishing pole in his hand as he wades through a stream.]

As local officials, the decisions you make not only affect your communities,

[Shot of a young man paddling a kayak.]

but the entire Chesapeake Bay watershed.

[Shot of a dam; aerial shot of mountains with fall foliage.]

The long-term success of the Chesapeake Bay restoration effort depends on local leadership.

[Shot of a woman looking through binoculars, bird watching.]

When you support your community, you support the Bay.

[Shot of an adult helping a child drive a support stake for a newly planted tree into the ground; shot of several young children patting the soil around a newly planted shrub.]

As a local leader, your decisions set the course for your community.

[Black screen.]

Your actions determine the health and vitality of your jurisdiction, as well as that of local waterways and the Chesapeake Bay. You can achieve win-win outcomes by prioritizing local economic development, infrastructure resiliency, public health, and education while also protecting your environment. Video clips courtesy of the Chesapeake Bay Program and Green Fin Studio. For more information, visit chesapeakebay.net.