Naturalist to lecture on documenting landscapes
Oct. 9, 2007Contact Information:
Susan Osredker, Department of Entomology, 479-575-2476, osredker@uark.edu
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. -- Michael Jeffords of the Illinois Natural History Survey will lecture on "Everyday citizens discovering things of unimaginable wonder" in Giffels Auditorium at the University of Arkansas Thursday, Oct. 18, at 6:30 p.m. He will present a seminar on Oct. 19 in the entomology department
from 11:30 a.m. to 12:20 p.m., Room 332 in the Agriculture Building.
The presentations are sponsored by the UA departments of entomology and biological sciences, the Nature Conservancy of Arkansas, Fayetteville Public Library and the Botanical Garden of the Ozarks.
Jeffords coordinates The 21st Century Corps of Discovery, which engages the public in documenting the ecology and biology of local landscapes. The original Corps of Discovery led by Lewis and Clark in 1804 set out to record the landscape, flora and fauna of the Louisiana Purchase. The 21st century corps is documenting fixed locations that are constantly changing. Two such groups have been organized in Illinois.
One of the Illinois groups is working in the Nature Conservancy's Emiquon Preserve along the Illinois River, which is undergoing major restoration, Jeffords said. The other group is working in the Cache River wetlands of southern Illinois, which is also undergoing preservation and restoration.
“We aim to engage citizens who will add a creative, aesthetic dimension to their local lands and who will contribute to the total picture of the evolving, diverse landscape,” Jeffords said.