Ecology

Cherice Bock is a rare and exciting breed of activist, with both a Masters of Divinity from Princeton Theological Seminary, and a Ph.D. in Environmental Studies from Antioch University, New England.

Anita Sanchez's books are mostly targeted toward young readers, anything from preschool to adult, and they help all readers fall in love with aspects of our world and nature that most ignore, whether talking about puddles, poison ivy, gardens, or visiting the night.

Jonathan Foster's music has magic, melody and even some mirth. He's got a deep connection with the Earth, grown out his origins in the shadow of the Adirondacks of the Eastern US, now thriving in the Rockies of Northern California. His alter ego/day job is as a wetland ecologist, glimpses of which peek through his great folk-country-rock lyrics and sounds. I may even get to see him in person, performing in Trempealeau, Wisconsin July 27, 2021, at the Trempealeau Hotel.

Keefe Keeley, Executive Director of the Savanna Institute, explains their goal of exploring the potential of savanna-based systems to become ecologically sound, agriculturally productive, and economically viable alternatives to the corn-soybean rotation which currently dominates. Keefe has a masters in Agroforestry.

Tom Small found a way to take on species extinction on the local level, and he tells about it in his book, Using Native Plants to Restore Community (In Southwest Michigan and Beyond). By converting his grass-lawn into native flora, creating habitat for native fauna, Tom found a way to make a difference, locally.

One of the multiple pipelines proposed to carry tar sands out of Canada is the Northern Gateway Pipeline. It would go through North America's only remaining temperate rain forest and a refuge with exceptional and threatened wildlife, including the Spirit Bear.

Mark Leach has been teaching and living out the substance of his recent E-Book, Positive Participation with Nature: Ecological Restoration in Wisconsin. Engaging deeply with the the geography, history, flora, & fauna of a place, Mark shares lessons and insights into really meeting nature on respectful grounds and healing some of the scars of thoughtless human habitation of our land.

John Ikerd was the keynote speaker for the 2008 Midwest Value Added Agriculture conference, held in Eau Claire. Agricultural economics is his field, and his work with with sustainable agriculture and the move toward localization of food. The conference is hosted annually by River Country Resource Conservation and Development Council, Inc.