Oral

The talks in the oral session, The Chesapeake Bay: Microcosm of Global Watershed Stresses, will include information about global warming and public health threats related to altered characteristics of bodies of water, the importance of tracking key environment and public health indicators, potential problems associated with introducing nonnative oyster species to the Bay, and policy efforts underway aimed at restoring the health of the Bay. The Chesapeake Bay serves as a microcosm of problems facing watersheds around the world because it is the largest estuary in the United States. Due to its size, the Bay has numerous sources of runoff that cause serious ecological problems.

Session Objectives: 1. Discuss the global public health issue of infectious diseases emerging in new areas of the world due to global warming, and how this issue is relevant to the Chesapeake Bay. 2. Explain a proposed system to track the health of the Bay using indicators that are important for human health. 3. Describe why there are potential public health implications associated with introducing a nonnative oyster species to the Chesapeake Bay. 4. Describe what policies are being advocated for to restore the health of the Chesapeake Bay, and what effects these policies may have on the health of the Bay and its inhabitants.

CE Credits: Medical (CME), Health Education (CHES), Nursing (CNE), Public Health (CPH)