Nature writing is the art of distilling this wild world’s multi-headed firehose of stimulation, information, emotion, and memory into words that convey an intended message. Describing a landscape’s odor, sculpting a naturalist’s voice, relating the feeling of a wildlife encounter without actually stating it, rendering clearly complex natural processes, reporting observations with infectious confidence, coaxing readers into feeling for a fish (whether they want to or not) these are skills that demand insight and practice. Harder still is casting these spells in the service of a point, a message, a conclusion.
The charge of stewarding our watersheds, our neighbors, and our world, requires committed conservationists to master textual persuasion, blending honest blocky understanding with the sure knowledge that humans decide based on emotion and connection. Nature and Science Writing for Conservation is designed to help adult students develop their ability to simultaneously report the science and persuade with art. Meeting primarily outdoors, students will read great nature writing, try out different formats of writing, provide peer feedback, and ultimately choose one of their compositions to revise and finalize.
Instructor
Dr. Dan Levitis is a biologist, naturalist, conservationist, and storyteller. Writing in forms ranging from formal scientific publications to offhand poems, he most often wends essays with nature photography.
Cost:
$499/pp (scholarships may be available to those in financial need, please email Tony@sonomaecologycenter.org)
Course Schedule:
July 24, 31, Aug 7, 14, 21, 28, Sept 11th (skipping Sept 4th due to the holiday)
Course time:
10:00-1:00pm
Sonoma Ecology Center works to address challenges related to water supply and quality, open space, rural character, biodiversity, energy, climate change, and a better quality of life for all residents.
Since 1990, we’ve worked to increase appreciation and stewardship of Sonoma Valley’s natural heritage and create measurable benefits in areas of land, water, climate change, and biodiversity.
Vision
We envision a future where people, land, water, and wildlife thrive.
Mission
Our mission is to work with our community to identify and lead actions that achieve and sustain ecological health in Sonoma Valley.
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