Dear CAMN -
Each spring the Aldo Leopold Foundation sponsors community readings of
A Sand County Almanac. This year, the Arkansas Audubon Society applied
for a grant. There was so much excitement about the idea of a community
reading that other cosponsors have signed on and they're now being held
at several places around Arkansas. You can go to the AAS website for more
information.
CAMN is cosponsoring two of the major central Arkansas events with AAS
and other groups. If you've never heard of Aldo Leopold, he is regarded as one
of the founders of the modern environmental movement. But more than that, he
bought acreage in central Wisconsin and with his family worked on its restoration
until his death. His hope was that sandhill cranes would return to his land--and, after
his death, they did. A Sand County Almanac is full of his descriptions of and musings
on nature and the environment. In it he set out his "land ethic," a philosophy that is
the root of the work that many of us do.
The two events will take place on Saturday, March 7 and Sunday, March 8 at the Little
Rock Audubon Center. The Saturday reading will run from 10 am to noon, and the Sunday
event from noon until 2. The formats will be similar. Doors will open 30 to 60 minutes before
the event. Readers from the community (including CAMN members) will read excerpts from
A Sand County Almanac and other nature writers. They'll also share a personal reflection.
After the readings end, two nature walks around the Audubon Center paths will be offered.
Two birding field trips will be offered as well by AAS members before the reading, probably
starting at 8 on Saturday and 10 on Sunday. We'll offer children's activities both days.
We'll need volunteers to do the following:
- direct parking
- introduce readers
- help set up refreshments and help with dispensing books
- lead nature walks
- lead kid activities
- help record the event for possible future broadcast/podcast.
If you're interested in volunteering, register for the event BUT ALSO contact Lynn Foster at lfoster5211@gmail.com. You MUST contact her to be put on the list of volunteers
and get an assignment. Tell her what you're interested in doing.
Can you simply attend the reading, not volunteer, and get advanced training credit? YES.
If you're volunteering, you'll get volunteer credit.