Wetland Portrayal in Modern Films

Wisconsin Wetlands Association Wetland Coffee Break livestream talk, on Zoom. RSVP for link.

media release: After viewing 163 films that included swamps, bogs, and other types of wetlands, we analyzed how filmmakers have used wetlands as storytelling devices, potentially shaping viewers’ perceptions. Wetlands are predominantly portrayed negatively in film, often as trials and tribulations for the protagonists. Hear from Jeff Matthews, University of Illinois, about how such portrayals could influence wetland conservation by perpetuating negative attitudes about these important ecosystems.

Jeff Matthews is an associate professor in the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Dr. Matthews conducts field experiments and observational studies on plant communities in both natural and restored ecosystems to identify the factors driving changes in ecological communities.