Astonished by Beauty

The Enduring and Elemental Importance of Natural History

With Thomas Lowe Fleischner, Ph.D. of the Natural History Institute, Prescott, Arizona

Natural history -- literally, the story of nature --  is the oldest continuous human endeavor. There have never been people without the practice of natural history— yet there has never been a moment in the story of human existence when natural history was practiced less than it is today.  This slide toward inattention is easily reversible, however, because we literally evolved to pay attention.  The practice of natural history, besides providing the empirical basis for natural sciences, also underlies successful conservation and sustainability efforts, and is the root of healthy human individuals and societies.  In this presentation, lushly illustrated with photos from his wide-ranging field explorations, Fleischner will share excerpts from his new book, Astonished By Beauty: A Field Guide to the Practice of Paying Attention.

More about Thomas:

Thomas L. Fleischner, a naturalist and conservation biologist, is a leading voice advocating for the importance and rejuvenation of natural history. He was the founding director of the Natural History Institute in Prescott, Arizona, and continues to serve as the Institute’s Senior Advisor & Director Emeritus.  He is Faculty Emeritus at Prescott College, where he taught interdisciplinary Environmental Studies for 29 years.  He is the author of numerous articles and professional papers, and author or editor of five books, including this year’s Astonished By Beauty: A Field Guide to the Practice of Paying Attention.  He has led and coordinated efforts to recognize the high biodiversity values of the Mogollon Highlands Ecoregion of the American Southwest.  An elected Fellow of the Linnean Society of London, he has served as Chair of the Natural History Section of the Ecological Society of America, on the Board of Governors of the Society for Conservation Biology, and as President of its Colorado Plateau Chapter.

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