Chronicle of the Lake

Chronicle of the Lake is a story about mankind's interaction with nature and how it has changed through time. It starts with two modern scientists playing chess beneath a maple tree next to a lake. They speculate on how previous civilizations regarded the lake and forest and how they made use of the resources around them. Their conversation topics range from primitive hunter-gatherers to classical philosophers to medieval warlords to modern businessmen and developers. The scientists finally find themselves pulled into a legal struggle to determine how to manage development around the lake. They view it as more than a political matter, but rather a philosophical one about how best to live with nature, make proper use of resources, and be good stewards of creation and not wasters of it.