Newswise — The University of Virginia and Azure Worldwide, an organization co-founded by Philippe Cousteau, are partnering to showcase a new concept in environmental engagement and action: The Bay Game, an interactive game that simulates the conditions of the Chesapeake Bay watershed with players taking the roles of people who live in the watershed and make their livelihoods from the resources of the bay.
As the game is played, every decision by players taking on the roles of watermen, farmers, developers and policymakers has an impact on the health of the Bay and the well-being of those stakeholders.
Originally created in 2009 as a tool to help determine and demonstrate the importance of political and civic collaboration in conservation efforts, a new version of the Bay Game will be unveiled and played by 163 students on April 8 at 11:30 a.m. at Clark Hall at the University of Virginia. Cousteau will host the event with Thomas C. Skalak, U.Va.'s vice president for research.
"The Chesapeake Bay Game's potential as a 'game changer' in many areas makes it truly unique," Skalak said. "It is our goal for the results of the game to inform public policies, private investment trends and societal behaviors in ways that will enhance human health, economic prosperity and environmental sustainability.
"We also expect that this powerful approach to complex systems will be transferable to a broad range of societal issues, from other environmental challenges to our nation's financial infrastructure."
Cousteau said that the complex environmental, political and social issues facing the Chesapeake Bay require a creative approach to problem-solving.
"Through the Bay Game, U.Va. has created a pioneering tool that considers both environmental impact and the well-being of real people and communities. This project gives people the knowledge to make a positive difference," he said.
Extending over six states and the District of Columbia and covering 64,000 square miles, the Chesapeake Bay watershed is the largest estuary in the United States. It is impacted daily by a broad range of individuals, communities and industries within its boundaries.
Representing the 16.7 million residents in the watershed, players in the Bay Game make decisions based on an assigned stakeholder role. Farmers make decisions about whether to leave land fallow or apply cover crops to their fields, for instance, and land developers decide between regular and sustainable development.
The game provides a scientifically sound and true-to-life method to illustrate what will happen if we take collaborative action and the serious consequences if we don't. The game is modular and can be adapted to address conditions in other watersheds.
The U.Va. Bay Game is an unprecedented initiative made possible through a unique multidisciplinary development team. Sponsored by the Office of the Vice President for Research, it was created with the input and knowledge of faculty members and students from eight schools: the School of Engineering and Applied Science, McIntire School of Commerce, College of Arts & Sciences (Environmental Sciences), School of Architecture, School of Law, Darden School of Business, Curry School of Education and the School of Medicine.
Each team contributed the expertise and data for the game's simulation, including real statistics on variables such as crab population and pollution. U.Va. students played an earlier version of the Game in April 2009; the new version features the latest scientific data and 51,000 mathematical equations.
Azure Worldwide [link to: www.azureworldwide.com], U.Va.'s partner in presenting the game this year, was established to inspire action to cause positive change. A strategic development company, Azure Worldwide focuses on environmentally sustainable design, destination development, interactive media and strategic marketing and has worked on a variety of projects from Washington, D.C., to Singapore to Costa Rica.
Azure's stated purpose is "to create new relationships, products and experiences that empower individuals, communities and businesses to improve the health and sustainability of their lives, community and environment, while driving added value to stakeholders and partners." It was co-founded by Andrew Snowhite, a U.Va. alumnus, and Philippe Cousteau.
The University of Virginia Bay Game Fact Sheet
The University of Virginia's Bay Game is a one-of-a-kind interactive game that simulates the conditions of the Chesapeake Bay watershed, with players taking the roles of people who live within its extensive multistate watershed, on the bay itself, and who make their livelihoods from its resources. From watermen and farmers to developers and policymakers, when the game is played every decision has an impact on the health of the Bay and the well-being of the stakeholders each player represents.
Game Facts
Technical and Developmental
* The U.Va. Bay Game is a large-scale simulation game (sim/game) that combines elements of a highly integrated model of the Chesapeake Bay watershed using systems dynamics modeling techniques and an interactive game interface where players assume roles and play the game based on those roles.
* The systems dynamics modeling was written in STELLA, a systems dynamics modeling software package from isee systems Inc. of Lebanon, N.H.
* The game model currently contains 51,000 equations.
* The game's user interface was developed using the Forio package from Forio Inc. of San Francisco.
* Sponsored by U.Va.'s Office of the Vice President for Research, the game was created with the input and knowledge of 11 departments in eight of the University's academic units, including: the School of Engineering and Applied Science, McIntire School of Commerce, College of Arts & Sciences (Environmental Sciences), School of Architecture, School of Law, Darden School of Business, Curry School of Education and the School of Medicine.
Format and Game Play
* The Chesapeake Bay watershed is represented in the game as a collection of seven smaller watershed regions and the bay itself, divided into a north and a south region.
* The seven watersheds include: Susquehanna RiverPatuxent RiverEastern ShorePotomac RiverRappahannock RiverYork RiverJames River
* In the game, players represent farmers, developers, watermen, policymakers and the general public in each regional watershed and the northern and southern portions of the overall bay watershed.
* Approximately 64,000 farms throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed are represented in the game, with "live" players making decisions regarding both crop and livestock farming practices.
* The land development sector in each of the watershed regions is represented by the number of urban/residential acres and acres that may be converted from agriculture or forest to development. Land development players engage in making decisions to buy and sell land, as well as choices to develop property they own using conventional practices or sustainable practices.
* Players representing watermen make decisions regarding crab fishing related to the method of harvesting (dredging or potting) and the length of the harvesting season. They also have the opportunity to invest in new equipment that would increase their efficiency weighed against the required cash investment.
* Player roles also include those of policymakers, who make decisions on land use, the crab industry and agricultural policy. These players incentivize or curtail the other players' decision-making through the choices they make in their respective areas of authority.
* In each region, all players also represent members of the public and enter their feelings about the economy, the environment and their perceived quality of life in the region.
* The game template is flexible regarding the period of time over which results are projected. Currently, the game projects possible outcomes over a 20-year period.
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