Biodiversity Garden Parties

Carolina Public Humanities has some NEW programming in the works.

We’ll share all the details once everything is organized, but here’s a sneak peak:

THE IDEA

Working in partnership with the Carolina Biodiversity Collaborative, we’re developing informal, interactive events in the wild spaces of the Triangle. We will pair scientists with humanists and organize guided wanderings through beautiful spaces, framing our attention on the world in new ways and celebrating the ecology of this area. We’ll gather once a month, each time focusing on a new topic:

• Biodiversity and the written word – Exploring with a scientist and a poet, we’ll learn about native species as they exist now, as well as in the past, and hear poetry written on themes of the natural world and local ecologies. Then guests will be invited to spend time on their own writing, jotting down a line or two, or perhaps writing a whole poem informed by their time outdoors.
• Biodiversity and the image – This gathering will pair a scientist and a photographer, pointing out flora and fauna, teaching about the ways the ecology has changed over time, and offering technique and insights for capturing the natural world on film or digitally. Then guests will be able to explore and capture images of their own.
• Biodiversity and medicinal plants – A scientist and an expert on the history of medicinal plants will share their perspectives on how and why certain plants have been used by healers and the ways natural resources are changing and disappearing over time.

These gatherings will be informal–bring your lunch! meet new people!–and celebratory. We will highlight the gifts that this area’s diverse ecology has bestowed on its inhabitants and imagine how we might play a role in preserving those gifts into the future.

DETAILS TO COME

The schedule hasn’t been finalized yet, we’ll let you know when it is.

Our plan is to meet about once a month, around lunch time, in spaces where people can easily park, sit comfortably and eat brown-bag lunches, and walk through wild spaces in fellowship with a small group. Each event will take roughly 90 minutes (for lunch, a tour with facilitators, and time for solo wandering). We will post details as we have them, so watch this space.

Have you signed up for our mailing list? That will be the fastest way get updates on this series. If you’d like to join the list, please email us at human@unc.edu.