Martha’s Vineyard’s Great Ponds
Martha’s Vineyard’s Great Ponds have been a source of sustenance and beauty for countless generations of Islanders.
Today, many of these fragile ecosystems are at a tipping point — threatened by algae blooms, nitrogen pollution, and the impacts of development. The Great Pond Film Series explores the science, stories, and stewardship behind these vital waters, celebrating both the challenges and the community efforts to protect them for future generations.
This three-part documentary is supported by the Vineyard Vision Fellowship and Vineyard Conservation Society, with invaluable contributions from other Island conservation organizations, private grants, and donations.
Episode 3 is currently in production. If you would like to support the continuation of the Great Ponds series, please consider donating.
Episode 1: On Our Watch
Dir. Ollie Becker | Documentary | U.S.A. | 2022 | 38 min.
Produced in partnership with the Vineyard Conservation Society, On Our Watch is the first of a three-part series documenting the health of these spectacular coastal ponds and what our community is doing to help. Following the efforts of organizations such as the Great Pond Foundation, the Martha’s Vineyard Commission, and the Martha’s Vineyard Shellfish Group, as well as several community members, the film examines the history of these ponds, the challenges they face, and what can be done to save them.
Episode 2: Finding a Better Balance
Dir. Ollie Becker | Documentary | U.S.A. | 2024 | 40 min.
In the second episode of this docuseries, Martha’s Vineyard’s coastal ponds continue to be adversely affected by rising sea levels and temperatures driven by climate change, along with an influx of nitrogen from septic systems and landscaping runoff. In response, the Great Pond Foundation, Vineyard Conservation Society, Martha’s Vineyard Shellfish Group, Wampanoag Environmental Laboratory, and others make vital and cooperative efforts to revive herring, shellfish, and eelgrass populations. While offering hope, this film urges the public to consider its nitrogen and carbon footprints in relation to the ponds’ survival.