A visual letter to Florida, this film showcases powerful voices and climate solutions from community leaders across the Gulf of Mexico, empowering Tampa Bay residents to prepare, adapt and build resilience against the impacts of climate change.

National Wildlife Federation

2024

Dear Tampa Bay was a research project led by the National Wildlife Federation and partners seeking to investigate the role that storytelling can play in climate change communication and effective engagement with communities in the Gulf Coast region. As part of this project, in 2023 Wildpath produced a short film of the same name, highlighting local climate risks and solutions.

Release Date

2024

Directed By

KT Bryden

In Partnership With

National Wildlife Federation

Related Landscapes

Location

Florida, USA

Project Goal

An area with a large human population and extensive development in flood-prone areas, Tampa Bay is one of the most climate-vulnerable places in the country, facing impacts including sea-level rise, storm surge and extreme rainfall. The film aimed to encourage Tampa Bay residents to prepare for these impacts by spotlighting how communities elsewhere in coastal Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas, and Florida are already pursuing climate solutions — and how their progress can help guide Tampa Bay’s climate efforts. In addition, through surveys and focus groups, the project aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of film as a tool to engage and inspire viewers to take climate action.

Project Outcome

The film was shown to community leaders and members of the public through more than 50 screenings in the Tampa Bay area. Film screening participants were then invited to expert-guided boat tours in Tampa Bay to witness firsthand the areas impacted by sea-level rise and water quality issues. Pre-and post-film screening surveys of over 250 local community members assessed changes in the audience’s perspectives and understanding of climate risk. Key findings, which have since been published in an academic journal, determined that the film helped expand viewers’ interest in taking local action, including documenting a 240% increase in willingness to help advocate for nature-based infrastructure to absorb storm surge and sea-level rise, and a 35% increase in willingness to attend hurricane prep meetings. These results highlight the effectiveness of storytelling in enhancing understanding, fostering urgency, and promoting collective action.