Inside Iowa State

Feb. 9, 2007

Home Ground symposium topics range from biofuels to bells

by Erin Rosacker

For the third year, Iowa State's creative writing program will stage a symposium on "Wildness, Wilderness and the Creative Imagination." Three days of discussions, lectures and performances center around the book Home Ground: Language for an American Landscape. The publication is a compilation of original definitions of words that describe landscapes, written by 45 authors -- including ISU Distinguished Professor of English Mary Swander.

The symposium events, which take place Feb. 18-20, are all free and open to the public.

"We invite everyone to attend this free and dynamic conference -- a blend of creative writing, the arts and environmentalism," said Swander, this year's symposium coordinator.

Bill McKibben, former staff writer for The New Yorker and a contributing author to the book, will deliver the keynote speech at 8 p.m. Feb. 18 in the Memorial Union Great Hall. An environmental writer and frequent contributor to several national publications, McKibben will argue against today's "more is better" mentality in his lecture "Deep Economy: The Wealth of Communities and the Durable Future."

Three panel discussions are scheduled, highlighted by "Biorenewables: Helping or Hurting the Environment?" at 9 a.m. Feb. 20 in the Memorial Union Sun Room. Experts will discuss the environmental impact of the growing biofuels industry.

Third Annual Symposium on Wildness, Wilderness and the Creative Imagination

"Home Ground: Language for an American Landscape"

Feb. 18-20, all events are free and open to the public

Sunday, February 18

• 4 p.m., Barn dance, with the Porch Stompers musical group, Collegiate United Methodist Church, 2622 Lincoln Way, 4-3373.
• 5:30-6:45 p.m., Hog/chicken roast potluck, a salute to the 20th anniversary of the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture, bring a side dish, Collegiate United Methodist Church, 4-3373.
• 7-7:45 p.m., Performance, Patrick Hazell, piano jazz, Great Hall, MU, 4-3373.
• 8 p.m., Keynote address, "Deep Economy: The Wealth of Communities and the Durable Future," Bill McKibben, environmental writer formerly on staff at The New Yorker, Great Hall, MU, 4-9934.

Monday, February 19

• 9-10:30 a.m., Panel discussion, contributors to the book Home Ground: Language for an American Landscape, Bill McKibben, environmental writer, Mary Swander, ISU English, and co-editor Debra Gwartney, Portland State University, Pioneer Room, MU, 4-9934.
• 10:45-11:45 a.m., Lecture, "The Bell Project," Patrick Hazell, musician and ISU alum, a project focusing on noise pollution by recording sounds of bells in an urban setting, Pioneer Room, MU, 4-9934.
• 1-2:30 p.m., Home Ground readings, creative writing graduate students and In Print student literary group, Sun Room, MU, 4-3373.
• 2:45-4 p.m., Panel discussion, "The Folklore of Home Ground," Michael Whiteford, LAS dean and anthropology professor; James Dow, German professor emeritus; Nikki Bado-Fralick, philosophy and religious studies assistant professor; Zora Zimmerman, LAS associate dean, Pioneer Room, MU, 4-9934.
• 4-5 p.m., Workshop, "Editing Environmental Writing," Debra Gwartney, co-editor of Home Ground: Language for an American Landscape, Pioneer Room, MU, 4-3373.
• 7:30 p.m., Slide show, "Scenes from the American Landscape," Loess Hills exhibit, Sun Room, MU, 4-3373.
• 8 p.m., Lecture, "Mountain Home, Prairie Home: Learning New Languages," James Pritchard, ISU landscape architecture, Sun Room, MU, 4-9934.
• 9:30-9:45 p.m., Bell concert, Patrick Hazell, musician and ISU alum, Campanile, 4-3373.

Tuesday, February 20

• 9-10:30 p.m., Panel discussion, "Biorenewables: Helping or Hurting the Environment?" Fred Kirschenmann, ISU religion and philosophy and distinguished fellow of the Leopold Center; Neila Seaman, Iowa's Sierra Club, Des Moines; Sipho Ndlela, Mid-State Biodiesel, BECON Center, Nevada; Bruce Babcock, ISU Center for Agricultural and Rural Development; Robert C. Brown, ISU Office of Biorenewables Programs; Lee Honeycutt, ISU English, Sun Room, MU, 4-9934.
• 11-11:45 a.m., Reading, "The Horizontal World: Growing up Wild in the Middle of Nowhere," Debra Marquart, ISU English, Sun Room, MU, 4-9934.
• 1-3 p.m., Field experiences, field trip to Ledges State Park, Boone, with Mark Edwards, Iowa Department of Natural Resources; or "simple living" workshop with Joe Lynch and Lonna Nachtigal, Onion Creek Farm, Ames, space is limited, sign up at symposium table, 4-3373.
• 4 p.m., Closing, hot cider and discussion, Onion Creek Farm, 3700 Onion Creek Lane, Ames, onioncreek@midiowa.net.

"Wildness, Wilderness and the Creative Imagination" will be held Feb. 18-20 at campus and Ames locations. All events are free and open to the public.

"We invite everyone to attend this free and dynamic conference -- a blend of creative writing, the arts and environmentalism."

Mary Swander, symposium coordinator