The Last Stand needs our help!

[Fred Chambers]

Hi fellow San Diego people!

I would like to urge you to send a brief note to KPBS-TV re: The Last
Stand.  They didn't air it before, but perhaps they will this year.  It's
been revised, and includes Joy Zedler (formerly of SDSU) adding her vast
wetlands knowledge.  

Thanks,
Fred

KPBS can be reached at <letters at kpbs.org>

The following is FYI:

Wetlands need your help - a phone call, fax or letter BEFORE February 7/8.

A NEW UPDATED VERSION of "The Last Stand - the Struggle for Ballona
Wetlands" has been released, telling of DreamWorks' pulling out of the
highly-controversial project, protests in New York against remaining
Wall Street bankers/developers Morgan Stanley & Goldman Sachs and HOPE
for saving & restoring ALL of the remaining Ballona Wetlands in Los
Angeles, as $25 million has been placed in California March ballot
Proposition 12 to help buy back the land for the public. 

This is also a remarkable opportunity to convey the importance of
wetlands to the public through an award winning film hosted
by Edward Asner, as reknowned wetland scientist Dr. Joy Zedler of the
University of Wisconsin, a spokesperson for the fishing industry and
others convey the importance of protecting wetlands, the challenges of
restoring them and the dramatic losses this country has faced over this
important ecosystem.

This program has been updated and is ready in time for PBS stations
ACROSS ThE COUNTRY to pick it up for EARTH DAY 2000.   PLEASE contact
your local PBS stations and encourage them to pick up the program via
satellite on Feb. 13  AND please pass this on to others around the
country who might be sympathetic to this story being told, as well.

The individual stations then record the program, review it and, if they
think it will be of interest to their viewers, schedule it in their
programming -
If you encourage them to air it around the 30th Anniversary 
of Earth Day (April 22) so it will attract more interest.  
(Perhaps between April 14 and April 30).

More than 300 stations can offer the program to their viewers 
so we'd be most grateful if you can take a few minutes and 
contact your local station - either by email,FAX, snail mail (if time)
or phone call
to the Program Director, best to do this by Feb. 7 or 8th!

Below is the info:

WHAT:   PBS Express Uplink of
        THE LAST STAND
        THE STRUGGLE FOR BALLONA WETLANDS
        (Sequel 2000)

        An award winning film hosted by Edward Asner
        produced by Sheila Laffey
        with music by Joni Mitchell, Kenny Loggins and Joe Walsh

WHEN: Sunday, February 13, 2000, Time: 2000 – 2100/513

WHERE:  PBS Express Uplink 

    Share the importance of Earth Day 2000, April 22 
    (the 30th Anniversary of Earth Day) with your viewers 

The Last Stand is an award winning spirited film which covers the debate
between preservation and development in one the largest environmental
battles in recent years – a debate raging in communities across the
country.  

The film features the views of environmentalists, Hollywood filmmakers and
actors, scientists, politicians,development advocates, native Americans and
"NBC Nightly News."It follows the actions of grassroots activists such as
actor Martin Sheen and covers issues such as corporate welfare and Wall St.
real estate investments. 

A wetlands scientist, who is filmed paddling through a marsh, shows the
little known functions of wetlands, 50% of which have been lost nationwide
and 90% lost in California. The program concludes with inspiring examples
of citizen actions which have made a difference in saving other areas,
such as Bolsa Chica Wetlands in Huntington Beach, Pt. Reyes National
Seashore and Famosa Slough in San Diego.


PAST TV BROADCASTS
The original film was broadcast on three California PBS stations in April,
1999: 
KOCE, KTEH and KCET, the latter enjoying a very high rating of 1.7, 
especially impressive given an 11 PM, Sunday broadcast. 

FILM FESTIVALS
A Cine Golden Eagle will be awarded in February, 2000 in DC.
· Gold Star Award at Worldfest Houston where judges said it was "a must-see
film." 
·Special Jury Award at the Big Muddy Festival 
·Best Documentary at the Santa Monica Film Festival 
·Best Documentary at San Luis Obispo Film Festival. 
·Best Documentary (water) at the Santa Cruz Environmental Film Festival 
·Screened at the Tahoe International Film Festival 
 Hawaii International Film Festival.

SAMPLE PRESS COVERAGE 

The Last Stand is "a fast-moving, comprehensive report  captivating
production... stirringly beautiful scenes of the marshland areas.."
 "The Hollywood Reporter", April 23-5, 1999

"So I went to see that documentary on the Ballona Wetlands....as an
agnostic and came away convinced that this whole enterprise needs to be
re-examined"
Bob Scheer, "The Los Angeles Times, " 1/14/99

"The Last Stand makes its proposal clear,  but while the film constructs a
solidly convincing argument for leaving the wetlands be, it also
presents a
clear-eyed and even-tempered account of the many factions battling over
Ballona's fate.. .The Last Stand proves that just as the wetlands are a
small but integral part of the entire area's environmental weave, so is
this conflict bound up by issues that reach far beyond California and into
our ever-tenuous relationship with the earth." Hazel Dawn Dumpert, "The LA
Weekly", 1/7/99

"...the docu centers on the possibility of saving one of Southern
California's last wetlands ecosystems and Los Angeles' largest remaining
open space." "Daily Variety", 1/7/99

The Last Stand is "fast moving, balanced" "Honolulu Advertiser," 11/9/98

"...poignant...memorable...remarkable shots," "Honolulu Star Bulletin",
11/11/98

"Los Angeles Times" coverage:  article and review on 4/24/99; letters to
the editor on 5/1;
·········


This film is also screening at the Environmental Film Festival in
Washington, D.C. on March 22 - sponsored by the Clean Water Network and
Sierra Club.

contatct: Clean Water Network: Amy Grace
Sierra Club National Wetlands Committee, Robin Mann 

For info on film: 
Sheila Laffey
Echo Mountain Productions, Inc., Santa Monica, CA.
Ph/fx (310) 453-4272  email: echoprod at compuserve.com 
Website: ballona.com

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<regenerative at earthlink.net>		Agricultural Sciences
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The Black Walnut Alliance is one of many campus and local groups
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