Earth Day Week Program, Author to Focus on Endangered Species

The Rockfall Foundation is hosting a presentation by author and researcher, Joe Roman, featuring his most recent book, Listed: Dispatches from America’s Endangered Species Act. on April 24, 7:00 pm to 9:30 pm at the deKoven House Community Center. The evening will feature a talk, audience conversation and informal reception. 

America’s ground-breaking, comprehensive Endangered Species Act was passed nearly 40 years ago, just three years after the first Earth Day celebration and establishment of the federal Environmental Protection Agency.  In his recent book Joe Roman explores the successes, failures, and future promise of  the ESA, drawing from years of studies, personal observation and field interviews.  More than a general history of endangered species, Listed is a tale of threatened species in the wild, and the inspiring people from all walks of life working to save them. Employing methods from the new field of ecological economics, Dr. Roman explains how preserving biodiversity can help economies and communities thrive.

Joe Roman is a conservation biologist, author, and researcher at the Gund Institute for Ecological Economics at the University of Vermont. Dr. Roman came to the Gund Institute as an Environmental Policy Fellow with the American Association for the Advancement of Science and helped start an interdisciplinary program on Biodiversity and Human Health at the US Environmental Protection Agency. He is the author of the cultural history Whale (Reaktion 2006) as well as Listed (Harvard University Press.) His science and nature writing has appeared in The New York Times, New Scientist, Audubon, Conservation, and other venues. His research has been covered by the Associated Press, National Public Radio, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, and other outlets. More information can be found at www.joeroman.com.

Dr. Roman is also “Editor in Chef” for the website Eattheinvaders.org , “Fighting Invasive Species One Bite at a Time,” which promotes ways to eradicate destructive invasives from our local ecosystems while adding more diversity to our diets:  “This spring, instead of dressing your lawn with herbicides, consider balsamic vinaigrette...”  For more information:  www.eattheinvaders.org 

Seating is limited and advance registration is required. Suggested donation: $20 per guest. For reservations: Call Tony at (860)347-0340; or email tmarino@rockfallfoundation.org.

            The deKoven House Community Center is located at 27 Washington Street in Middletown. There is some limited parking in the Center’s small lot, as well as parking in the city lot next door. For directions go to www.rockfallfoundation.org and click on the deKoven House page. 

            The Rockfall Foundation supports environmental education, conservation programs and planning initiatives in Middlesex County. Established in 1935, it is one of Connecticut’s oldest environmental organizations whose mission is to be a catalyst-- bringing people together and supporting organizations to conserve and enhance the county’s natural environment. Rockfall awards grants each year to organizations, schools and municipalities, and continues to hold and manage open space property in the county.