Emmy Winner Jeff Corwin Joins Expedition Chesapeake

COOPERSTOWN, N.Y., Aug. 22, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Jeff Corwin has tangled with wildlife in every corner of the world, from horned vipers in Morocco to red pandas in the Himalayas throughout a globetrotting career that has seen him build an audience of more than 13 million viewers worldwide.

Now, he will focus his talent and energy on the Chesapeake Bay watershed, a singular natural resource that is home to 17 million people.

Corwin today announced that he has joined Expedition Chesapeake, a $10 million multi-media educational and entertainment experience anchored by an IMAX film.  

He made the announcement at the SUNY College at Oneonta Biological Field Station on Lake Otsego, the starting point for the headwaters of the Susquehanna River and the entire Bay watershed.

"This is going to be an incredible journey and it starts right here, in Cooperstown and on this beautiful lake. The Chesapeake Bay watershed is home to a staggering 17 million people and we want to educate and inspire those citizens to better understand and appreciate this incredible treasure," Corwin said after kayaking on the lake with members of the Expedition Chesapeake team. "IMAX is ideal for telling the story of the Bay and the entire watershed."

"You really can't find anyone else better qualified or more suited to this role and this challenge. Jeff Corwin has traveled around the world and now he is going to focus his talent and his energy right here in our backyard," said Michael L. Hanes, President & CEO of Whitaker Center.

"We reached out to Jeff and told him what we were building and he jumped at the opportunity. He understands the significance of the Chesapeake Bay watershed and he understands our mission -- to educate 17 million residents of the watershed to act to preserve this treasure," Hanes added.

Expedition Chesapeake is a sweeping initiative that includes a made-for-television documentary series, a hands-on, traveling 4D science exhibit, and a set of online learning experiences designed to engage students. The Chesapeake Bay watershed is the largest estuary in the United States and covers 64,000 square miles in New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, Delaware and Washington, D.C.

The educational tools are designed to inform, engage and challenge all citizens in a comfortable and interactive conversation. The initiative will serve as a model for watersheds around the world.

Corwin was joined by members of the Expedition Chesapeake Advisory Committee, including Dr. Willard Harman, Director, and Biological Field Station SUNY College at Oneonta.

"We're involved because this initiative is really about engaging citizens about this watershed and just how important it is to how we all live our lives. This field station was established here for just that purpose and we're thrilled to be playing such an important role and we're honored that Jeff has joined the team," said Dr. Harman.  "We want people to connect to this resource so that they understand what it means to them -- and what impact they have on this watershed on a daily basis."

Monday's paddle on Otsego Lake is the first in a series of kayak trips that will take Corwin and the entire Expedition Chesapeake team from Cooperstown to Havre de Grace Maryland, where the Susquehanna River empties into the Chesapeake Bay.

For more information on Expedition Chesapeake, please visit whitakercenter.org.

SOURCE Expedition Chesapeake