Center for Humans and Nature

Videos from the 2011 Chicago Regional Forum on Ethics and Sustainability are Now Available for Viewing

Chicago Regional Forum on Ethics and Sustainability

December 4th, 2011

For the 2011 Chicago Regional Forum on Ethics and Sustainability, we benefitted from excellent speakers, who spoke eloquently and passionately about the ethical reasons for why they do what they do, and the ways in which they have become more deeply connected to local cultures and landscapes through their work.

Chicago Regional Forum 2011: Part I from Center for Humans and Nature on Vimeo.

Welcome from Brooke Hecht and Greg Mueller. Presentation of awards to George Rabb and Bob and Charlene Shaw by Sophia Siskel.

Videos of each of these talks can be accessed on Vimeo or see videos at bottom of page, including the opening comments as well as CHN regional director Gavin Van Horn’s reflections on the relationship between ethics and sustainability (Gavin’s PowerPoint).  The Bullfrog Community Choir, who treated the audience to several of their creatively arranged songs, can also be seen (and heard!) threaded throughout the videos. (PowerPoints from those who used them are available upon request.)

A prominent theme this year was the power of story—how our conservation values can be effectively communicated through our own personal narratives.  Our morning keynote speaker, farmer and conservationist Peter Forbes, the co-founder of the Center for Whole Communities, offered a powerful and challenging vision of the direction that he believes the conservation community must take.  John Francis was our afternoon keynote speaker.  Dr. Francis is the founder of Planetwalk and a United Nations Environmental Program Goodwill Ambassador.  He treated us to a compelling performative talk, centered on his own journey and how listening deeply to others has informed his own idea of what it means to be an environmentalist.  The closing remarks of the day were shared by Forbes and Francis, who delivered a remarkable and spontaneous spoken-word and banjo-infused summary of the speakers’ talks.

Complementing the keynote talks were presentations from regional conservation leaders who were asked to share their own perspectives about how ethics and conservation are linked.  In the morning session, Sherry Williams, President and CEO of the Bronzeville Historical Society told us about her work in connecting the historical experiences of African-Americans to a newly fledged bird sanctuary and restoration project in Pullman, Chicago.  Zach Taylor, project manager of Greencorps Chicago-Calumet, discussed his ecological restoration work with ex-offenders in the Calumet region. Rebecca Tonietto, a graduate researcher who studies the effects of prairie restoration on native bee communities, underscored the ways in which mentoring is key to both science and empowering young people to care about the natural world.  Terra Brockman, founder of The Land Connection, spoke about the relationship between farmers, local agriculture, and caring for the rural Illinois landscape.

The afternoon session included Tom Montgomery Fate, the author of Cabin Fever: A Suburban Father’s Search for the Wild and an English professor at the College of DuPage, treated us to an after-lunch interlude with readings from his book. John Rogner, Assistant Director of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, wove his own experiences of “riverschooling” into a discussion of taking care of the habitats in our own backyards.  Sophie Twitchell, executive director of Friends of Ryerson Woods, in Lake County, discussed her organization’s work in becoming a catalyst of change in her community, and particularly in connecting Mexican-Americans to the parks and forests in the area. Ed Collins, Natural Resource Manager for the McHenry County Conservation District, revealed how a deep respect and understanding for the spirit of place can be developed through one’s work with the land.

We hope you enjoy these videos and pass them along to those you think would be interested. Thanks to all our participants and speakers for the success of this year’s Forum.

Chicago Regional Forum 2011: Part II from Center for Humans and Nature on Vimeo.

Gavin Van Horn

Ethics and Sustainability 101

Chicago Regional Forum 2011: Part III from Center for Humans and Nature on Vimeo.

Peter Forbes delivers the first keynote address.

Chicago Regional Forum 2011: Part IV from Center for Humans and Nature on Vimeo.

Panel on The Power of Local Stories: Sherry Williams of the Bronzeville Historical Society.

Chicago Regional Forum 2011: Part V from Center for Humans and Nature on Vimeo.

Panel on The Power of Local Stories: Zach Taylor of Greencorps Calumet.

Chicago Regional Forum 2011: Part VI from Center for Humans and Nature on Vimeo.

Panel on The Power of Local Stories: Rebecca Tonietto of the Chicago Botanic Garden.

Chicago Regional Forum 2011: Part VII from Center for Humans and Nature on Vimeo.

Panel on The Power of Local Stories: Terra Brockman of The Land Connection.

Chicago Regional Forum 2011: Part VIII from Center for Humans and Nature on Vimeo.

Author Tom Montgomery Fate reads excerpts from his latest book, Cabin Fever.

Chicago Regional Forum 2011: Part VIIII from Center for Humans and Nature on Vimeo.

Panel on Ethical Ecologies: Connecting Greenways to Lifeways. John Rogner, Assistant Director of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.

Chicago Regional Forum 2011: Part X from Center for Humans and Nature on Vimeo.

Panel on Ethical Ecologies: Connecting Greenways to Lifeways. Sophie Twichell, Executive Director of the Friends of Ryerson Woods.

Chicago Regional Forum 2011: Part XI from Center for Humans and Nature on Vimeo.

Panel on Ethical Ecologies: Connecting Greenways to Lifeways. Ed Collins, Natural Resource Manager at the McHenry County Conservation District.

Chicago Regional Forum 2011: Part XII from Center for Humans and Nature on Vimeo.

Keynote speech by John Francis, founder of Planetwalk and a United Nations Environmental Program Goodwill Ambassador

Chicago Regional Forum 2011: Part XIII from Center for Humans and Nature on Vimeo.

Closing remarks by Peter Forbes and John Francis.

The Bullfrog Community Choir: Africa from Center for Humans and Nature on Vimeo.

The Bullfrog Community Choir: 3 Native Plant Songs from Center for Humans and Nature on Vimeo.

The Bullfrog Community Choir: Autumn Lullabye for the Moon from Center for Humans and Nature on Vimeo.