Wild Alberta: Losing Our Way, Finding the Path (Part 1)

The presentation focuses on our stewardship of wild Alberta and takes a global perspective. We live at a pivotal time in history when civilization faces the real possibility of run-away climate change, food and water shortages, millions of environmental refugees, and war. This, plus a huge extinction of species worldwide, may happen not in the distant future but in our children’s lifetime, maybe our own. How will Alberta respond? Is it to be business as usual or will we, as others are doing, seize the opportunity to turn decisively towards a greener future? This is a deeply ethical question, for the lives of future generations may be harmed irreversibly by our generation’s decisions. Speakers: Robin and Marian White As an author-photographer team, Robin and Marian focus on Nature, conservation and related social issues. They have traveled in 52 countries and worked in Britain, Australia and Canada. Their photographs have been widely used in books and magazines in North America, especially by educational publications. Robin is a retired, award-winning land-use planner with a master’s degree in environmental studies from York University. Marian’s background is in journalism and editing and she has a BSc in geography (focusing on biogeography) from the University of Toronto. Born near London, England, they have lived in Canada since 1970. This presentation is based on their recent book ‘Wild Alberta at the Crossroads,’ which won the gold medal in the Independent Publisher’s 12th Annual Book Awards 2008 for Best Regional Non-fiction – Western Canada.