Whose wildness is it?

Join Dr. John Hausdoerffer for a discussion with contributing authors to Wildness at 7pm on Wednesday December 6th. The group will tackle the question: Whose wildness is it? This is sure to be a thought provoking experience that connects scholars, authors, readers, and community members throughout the valley. What is “wildness” and how does it complement and challenge our love for “wilderness”? How can we find and fight for wildness, everywhere? Local author John Hausdoerffer will lead a discussion series on “The Future of Wildness” based on his newest book Wildness: Relations of People and Place (U of Chicago Press, 2017). Hausdoerffer is the executive director of the Center for Environment & Sustainability at Western Colorado University in Gunnison, where he serves as the director of the Master in Environmental Management program and as a Professor of Environmental Sustainability and Philosophy. He is also a fellow with the Center for Humans and Nature in Chicago.

Co-edited with Gavin Van Horn from the Center for Humans and Nature, Wildness features creative nonfiction essays that explore the spectrum of wildness found in wilderness areas, on working landscapes, and in urban communities. The book merges culturally diverse voices to delve into the evolution of “wildness,” including Hausdoerffer and Van Horn, as well as Gary Snyder, Vandana Shiva, Wes Jackson, Mistinguette Smith, Curt Meine, Julianne Warren, Robert Michael Pyle, Robin Kimmerer, Aaron Abeyta, Winona LaDuke, and Crested Butte locals David Rothman and Roderick Frazier Nash.