Join America's WILD READ today!
Looking for an exciting read this summer? We’ve got something to share with you: America’s WILD READ is a virtual book discussion meant to engage and inspire people to connect with nature and reflect on the future of how we as a community conserve our lands and wildlife.
America’s WILD READ discussion features noted ecologist E.O. Wilson’s first novel Anthill, the story of a boy whose Huck Finn-inspired summer in rural Alabama teaches him deeper understandings of nature and its most ruthless predators, humans.
Why an on-line book discussion? Because as we share the adventures of Anthill, we also want to hear your stories on how you connect with nature, why you became interested in the outdoors, and what inspired you to pursue your chosen career.
As Jimmy Fox with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Fairbanks, Alaska, so eloquently commented via the WILD READ website recently, “Humans are deeply influenced by stories. . . . If we conservationists want a land ethic to flourish, we must tell stories that convey what we know and feel in our hearts – a noble, unselfish concern for others and this planet we call home. If we can’t tell these stories, then we must find those who will tell them for us.”
The power of a story can really stir our imaginations, even as we look hard science in the eye and envision our conservation future.
Anthill introduces us to Raff Cody, who is growing up in the last of the longleaf pine-filled Alabama wildlands, his education, the mentors who inspired him, and the ant colonies that connected him to a better understanding of the natural world. We are along for the ride through his many rites of passage and epic encounters. Our stellar guides on the way include: WILD READ discussion moderators Margaret Atwood; famous poet and novelist, Kris Hoellen; green infrastructure expert with The Conservation Fund, Laura Bies; an attorney with The Wildlife Society, the National Wildlife Federation’s Danielle Brigida; and even an ant expert, Dr. Drew Bell.
The WILD READ online conversations about Anthill began May 15 after a two week discussion around two essays — one by Aldo Leopold and a more contemporary essay by Curt Meine — which generated a lot of dialogue around re-wilding, land ethics, and the future of conservation.
It is not too late to hop on to the website and read and comment!
Visit the WILD READ discussion page today at www.wildread.blogspot.com, and leave a comment or share your thoughts on our most recent questions.
By Anne Post, National Conservation Training Center, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
2 Comments in this post »
RSS feed for comments on this post. | TrackBack URL
A very nice summer read. I especially enjoyed the section written about the ‘death of the queen’.
I also really liked the part about the death of a queen. Truly nice one!