Highlights
SWCS is pleased to announce that Secretary Vilsack
has agreed to deliver the H. Wayne Pritchard Lecture
for the 64th Annual SWCS International Conference.
The lecture will be during the opening plenary session
on July 13, 2009.
Screening of Dirt! The Movie at 2009 SWCS Conference
SWCS is proud to host a screening of Dirt! The Movie as the Monday evening activity for the 2009 SWCS Annual Conference in Dearborn, Michigan. In attendance will be one of the two directors of the film, Gene Rosow.
Dirt! The Movie was one of about 200 films selected for exhibition at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival, and it received an excellent response. It is an insightful and timely film that tells the story of the glorious and unappreciated material beneath our feet. One teaspoon of dirt contains a billion organisms working in remarkable balance to maintain and sustain a series of complex, thriving communities that impact our daily lives.
Narrated by Jamie Lee Curtis, Dirt! The Movie is directed by Bill Benenson and Gene Rosow and produced through Common Ground Media, Inc., a nonprofit foundation. The genesis for the film came when Benenson was given a copy of William Bryant Logan’s book Dirt: The Ecstatic Skin of the Earth, in which Logan wrote a series of essays that elevated dirt to a new level of importance by looking at the numerous roles dirt plays in everyday life. Benenson was intrigued and shared the book with Rosow, a former student of biochemistry, cellular physiology, and ecology.
Following the approximately 80-minute film, Mr. Rosow will host an informal question and answer session and discussion with attendees about the documentary.
Envirocert International, Inc. is the presenting sponsor for the event. We thank them for making this screening possible.
Click here to listen to the podcast interview with Gene Rosow.
Tuesday Plenary: Can CEAP Help Us Deliver More Conservation?
Tuesday, July 14 – 8:30 AM
Organized by SWCS Science and Policy Committee members, and based on the activities of the SWCS CEAP (Conservation Effects Assessment Project) Blue Ribbon Panel, this plenary session will address the question, “To what extent does CEAP research allow us to focus on where and how we deliver our conservation programs?”
Following a brief presentation on the latest CEAP report (CEAP in the Upper Mississippi River Basin, Robert Kellogg, USDA-NRCS), will be a panel discussion. The panel will include perspectives from USDA, the SWCS Science and Policy Committee, and members from the CEAP Blue Ribbon Panel. This will be followed by moderated discussion among the panel and a question and answer session with audience members.
Session outline:
• Overview of how the Science & Policy Committee arrived at this question
Pete Nowak, University of Wisconsin-Madison and a member of the SWCS Science & Policy Committee
• NRCS Summary - Overview of CEAP cropland modeling results to date
Bob Kellogg, USDA-NRCS
• Member of mini-blue ribbon panel on the Croplands CEAP Upper Mississippi River Basin Report with their thoughts on the question
Sandra Batie, Michigan State University & mini-blue ribbon panel member
• Panel discussion and audience moderated discussion
Tom Christensen, USDA-NRCS & Steve Shafer, USDA-ARS joining Batie & Nowak on panel
Jeff Zinn, moderator
