Patrick J. Lynch is an American attorney, filmmaker, kayaker and environmental advocate who has worked across the Americas. Lynch is a member of the World Commission on Environmental Law, and writes about water use, community resiliency and climate policy.
Lynch is an avid kayaker, having participated in several kayaking expeditions in South America through the Chilean collective Bestias del Sur Salvaje, founded by friends and collaborators Jens Benöhr and Paulo Urrutia. One of their expeditions received funding from National Geographic and Outdoor Research, and became the subject of the 2019 short documentary Río Sagrado, which Lynch co-produced along with Benohr, directors Nic Ellena and Erick Vigouroux, Urrutia as photographer, and editor and principal photographer Carlos Lastra Barros. The documentary explores the heart of Mapuche territory and introduces key people working to protect the San Pedro watershed from a dam proposal, including Mapuche leaders. The film premiered in four countries on National Geographic's channel in March 2019 (Chile, Argentina, Colombia and Peru), and at film festivals in the U.S. (Maine Outdoor Film Festival) and Italy (Adventure Outdoor Festival).
Since then, Lynch has directed several short films in partnership with regional nonprofits and Harvard Kennedy School. After completing his Harvard Master's thesis by directing a short film, Lynch joined docutribe, inc. as a Social Impact Producer and Fellow. Since then, he has produced short films in Maine, Massachusetts, Puerto Rico, Pennsylvania and Alaska. His ongoing project is Story of Place, a series of short films profiling small communities as they address themes including community identity, climate resiliency and Native sovereignty. Story of Igiugig, which Lynch co-directed and co-produced with his wife, Erica Wood (Village of White Mountain, Iñupiaq), was funded by the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians to support Native Nation Building efforts across North America. It was Executive Produced by Professor Eric Henson (Chickasaw), Director of the Ittapila Program for Nation Building Education and Outreach at Harvard University.
Outside of filmmaking, Lynch leads the Central New York Land Trust as Executive Director, working to conserve lands and waters in the Great Lakes Watershed. He lives on an old farmhouse in upstate New York, and is currently producing an upcoming documentary short exploring the challenges of rural communities in building a more sustainable future.
