SEJ's 20th Annual Conference Agenda — Saturday

Agenda

Registration

Lodging/Transportation

Exhibits/Receptions

Missoula

Coverage

 

As a journalism organization that believes in an open society, SEJ each year welcomes a diverse group of attendees to our annual conference. Attendees include representatives of business, government and environmental groups, as well as working journalists, academics and students.

Because non-journalists are here, you may see or hear presentations or responses to presentations that you might not expect from mainstream journalists. The presentations and any responses do not necessarily reflect the views of SEJ or any of its members.

As our guest, you should respect our interest in open discussions of environmental issues by thanking all participants in sessions you attend and not disrupting presentations of views you disagree with.

Finally, please respect our rule that SEJ members are given preference during question-and-answer sessions. 

All sessions, as well as registration, exhibits and breaks, will be on the
Third Floor of UM's University Center, 32 Campus Drive, unless otherwise indicated. Campus map.

Shuttle buses will run from all downtown hotels (Holiday Inn at the Park, Doubletree Hotel-Edgewater, and Holiday Inn Express) to the University Center beginning about 6:45 a.m. See your shuttle schedule for details. Walking is an option. See your walking directions for details.

Note: The conference agenda is a rough draft only. All information is subject to change. Please check back often for updates and information on event times, speakers, etc. 

 

Registration

7:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Sign up for Mini-tours at the nearby SEJ table. If you didn’t sign up ahead of time for the Saturday evening party, or Sunday morning breakfast, there may still be room — please check with registration.

Location: Grand Foyer, 3rd Floor, University Center

 

SEJ Information Table

Sign up here for Mini-tours. Find information about membership and services, pick up copies of SEJournal, TipSheet, FOI WatchDog, High Country News, and other publications.

Location: Grand Foyer, 3rd Floor, University Center

 

University of Montana Bookstore

8:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Visit our onsite bookstore, where you will find a variety of books for sale, published by SEJ members, invited speakers and University of Montana professors.

Location: Grand Foyer, 3rd Floor, University Center

 

Literature Space

Browse through the wealth of information in the foyers outside meeting rooms. Talk with experts about their hopes for new environmentally friendly innovations. Learn about educational opportunities. Add to your list of sources. And don't miss the tables in the Ballroom, where you'll find more literature to pick up and SEJ's Reading Room: SEJ members' work on display.

 

Buffet Breakfast

7:00 a.m.

Grab a plate and a cup of coffee and find a seat before the start of the plenary session.

 

Breakfast Plenary — Wolves, Grizzlies and Humans: Where’s the Balance?

7:30 - 8:45 a.m.

 

Grizzly bears. Credit: Chris Servheen/USFWS

Humans and large predators are struggling to coexist in fragmented habitat and a sea of humanity, despite expensive wildlife restoration efforts. These “charismatic megafauna,” like wolves, grizzly bears and mountain lions, sometimes attack and kill livestock, and even go after an occasional person or family pet. There are programs to compensate ranchers for their losses, and the offending animals are often tracked down and killed. But politics and compromises rule the day – not science. Experts from the front lines will reflect on the degree of control they exercise, where the field of wildlife management is headed and the different approaches that might provide for a better balance and a healthier ecosystem. Coverage.

 

Moderator: Scott McMillion, Freelance Journalist and Author, Mark of the Grizzly

Speakers:
Tim Aldrich, President, Montana Wildlife Federation
Elaine Allestad, Rancher, Big Timber, MT
Dan Pletscher, Professor and Director, Wildlife Biology Program, Department of Ecosystem and Conservation Sciences, College of Forestry and Conservation, University of Montana
Suzanne Stone, Northern Rockies Representative, Defenders of Wildlife

Room: Ballroom, University Center

 

Concurrent Sessions 3

9:00 - 10:15 a.m.

THE CRAFT
Be the Change You Want to See: Pitchfest for Journalism Entrepreneurs
You've got an idea for a new way of presenting information related to the environment. Maybe it involves non-traditional platforms. Maybe it will reach non-traditional audiences. Maybe it would offer useful information related to the environment that isn't traditionally considered news. You think there's a market for it. But you need money to get it started. Here's your chance. Step right up to the mic and tell a panel of powerbrokers and kingmakers about your idea. Maybe a venture capitalist on the panel will want to hear more. Maybe an innovation leader at a mainstream media organization will give you a contract. If you don't try, you'll never know.

Moderator: Emilia Askari, Journalist, Teacher and Information Curator Charting the Future of News, School of Information, University of Michigan

Speakers:
Buzz Bruggerman, CEO, ActiveWords
Mark Maunder, Founder and CEO, Feedjit.com
Susan Mernit, Pink Garage (invited)

Room: Theater, University Center

COMPUTER WORKSHOP
Build Your Own Website: Springboard for Your Media Career
Don't bury your identity behind your news org! Making yourself easily findable online is the key to any media career — because people cannot hire you if they can't find you. The best way to achieve this goal is to publish your own website, under your own domain, which you can easily update and use to showcase your work and expertise. Your site can also be a platform for experimenting with new projects and tools, so you can keep your skill set fresh. You'll learn how to register a domain name and use free blogging tools to create a simple website. Includes tips on choosing a layout and design theme, getting good visibility in search engines, content planning and strategy, using images and multimedia, and integrating/promoting your site with social media.

Presenter: Amy Gahran, Writer/Editor/Trainer

Room: Computer Lab 009, Don Anderson Hall, School of Journalism

THE WEST
Trans-boundary Issues: Pollution and Wildlife Migration
The North Fork of the Flathead River Valley stretches across British Columbia and Montana, adjacent to Glacier National Park. It has been a source of conflict between those working to preserve its pristine wilderness and energy companies with a stake in its vast coal and methane reserves. For years, B.C.’s land use plan called for mining. Then in February 2010, the province announced a ban on mining and oil and gas development. The U.S. Senate has begun hearings on a bill that would ban industrial development across the border. What happened and why? And what does it mean for trans-border pollution, water quality and wildlife, including the valley’s grizzlies, which have the highest inland population density on the continent? Coverage.

Moderator: Sharon Oosthoek, Freelance Writer and Editor

Speakers:
Casey Brennan, Southern Rockies Program Manager, Wildsight
Will Hammerquist, Glacier Program Manager, National Parks Conservation Association
Chris Servheen, Adjunct Research Associate Professor of Wildlife Conservation, University of Montana and Grizzly Bear Recovery Coordinator, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
British Columbia government representative TBA

Room: 326/327, University Center

THE CLIMATE
Energy Issues on Tribal Lands
Tribal lands are poised to become the lands of choice for renewable energy projects, while some reservations sit atop coal, oil, natural gas and other non-renewables. Add up the millions of acres at stake — what is happening and what happens will have a big impact. And because their lands are sovereign, tribes have a great deal of leeway over what they do on those lands, but present unique challenges for journalists who seek to cover them. Coverage.

Moderator: Jodi Rave, Freelance Journalist, Buffalo's Fire

Speakers:
Alexis Bonogofsky, Senior Coordinator, Tribal Lands Conservation Program, National Wildlife Federation
Rob McDonald, Communications Director, Confederated Tribes of the Salish and Kootenai
Gail Small, Executive Director, Native Action
Patrick Spears, Board Member, NativeEnergy and Co-founder and President, Intertribal Council On Utility Policy

Room: 330/331, University Center

ENERGY AND THE ECONOMY
Is Biomass Power Really Green?
From the Southeast to the Northeast to the Northwest, power plants are being proposed as renewable or "green" energy produced from burning wood or producing gas from it to generate electricity. But questions that started being raised at the neighborhood level in some communities now are being asked at the national level: How green is biomass energy and is it sustainable? A study commissioned by Massachusetts in June found that biomass initially produces more carbon dioxide than coal, though biomass is better long-term as replanted forests absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. The industry disputes the study. Coverage.

Moderator: Bruce Ritchie, Senior Writer, Florida Tribune and Editor, FloridaEnvironments.com

Speakers:
Dave Atkins, Manager, Woody Biomass Utilization Program, State and Private Forestry Branch, U.S. Forest Service
Bill Carlson, Steering Committee Member, Biomass Power Association and Principal, Carlson Small Power Consultants
Conrad Schneider, Advocacy Director, Clean Air Task Force
Margaret Sheehan, Executive Director, Biomass Accountability Project

Room: 332/333, University Center

POLLUTION AND SOLUTIONS
Community Disaster: Libby’s Deadly Asbestos Dust
“First, it killed some miners. Then it killed wives and children, slipping into their homes on the dusty clothing of hard-working men. Now the mine is closed, but in Libby, the killing goes on.” So began the Seattle Post-Intelligencer’s 1999 series exposing the slow-motion asbestos poisoning that killed and sickened hundreds in this small logging and mining town in northwest Montana. Federal agencies have since spent millions on treatment and cleanup, but last year’s criminal case against company officials who oversaw Libby’s vermiculite mining operation resulted in acquittals. This panel explores the uncovering of Libby’s story, the ongoing health threat, and victims’ efforts to secure justice. Coverage.

Moderator: Dennis Swibold, Professor, School of Journalism, University of Montana

Speakers:
Gayla Benefield, Libby Resident and Victims' Advocate
Andrew King-Ries, Associate Professor, School of Law, University of Montana
Gregory Meeker, Geologist and Project Chief, Denver Microbeam Laboratory, U.S. Geological Survey
Andrew Schneider, Senior Public Health Correspondent, AOL News
Tony Ward, Assistant Professor, Center for Environmental Health Sciences, University of Montana

Room: 210, Don Anderson Hall, School of Journalism

THE SANDBOX
The Return of Nuclear Power: Coming to a Town Near You?
Although 104 commercial nuclear facilities in the United States generate 20 percent of the nation's electricity, it has been a generation since the last nuclear reactor construction project got under way. That seems poised for change. The Obama administration announced $8.3 billion in loan guarantees in February for two new reactors in Georgia, and a growing chorus of nuclear advocates, pointing to the technology as a low-carbon, climate-friendly and proven domestic energy source, is lobbying for a new wave of nuclear expansion. Critics, meanwhile, counter that the still-intractable problem of nuclear waste disposal and the staggering capital costs of nuclear construction are just two reasons why a nuclear expansion would be wrong-headed. Better to spend the money, they say, on a more rapid expansion of renewable technologies. Coverage.

Moderator: Tom Zeller Jr., Energy & Environment Reporter, The New York Times

Speakers:
Richard Caperton, Policy Analyst, Center for American Progress
Paul Genoa, Director, Policy Development, Nuclear Energy Institute
Roger Witherspoon, Freelance Journalist, Energy Matters Blog

Room: 316, Don Anderson Hall, School of Journalism

THE SOAPBOX
Sponsored Research: It's Not Just Following the Money
Industries, environmental groups and government agencies routinely sponsor scientific research on controversial topics. Journalists covering such research are always advised to find out who wrote the check and to make that part of the story. Prudent reporting, to be sure. But does money explain everything? Do funders sway the science or even dictate the outcome? How should journalists and scientists deal with the tension between money, economic or political agendas, and scientific principle? Join us for a conversation between journalists who cover research and a toxicologist who has confronted these questions. Coverage.

Moderator: Randy Loftis, Environment Reporter, Dallas Morning News

Speakers:
Ronald Kendall, Director, The Institute of Environmental and Human Health, Texas Tech University

Room: 329 (Board Room), University Center

 

Beverage Break

10:15 - 10:45 a.m.
Location: Grand foyer and side foyer, 3rd floor, University Center

 

Concurrent Sessions 4

10:45 a.m. - Noon

THE CRAFT
Non-Profit Environmental Journalism: Here To Stay
Even as the for-profit news media's business model falters, a renaissance is afoot in the world of non-profit journalism, spurring hope for the future. Hear from High Country News, which launched its brand of Western environmental journalism when Richard Nixon was president, as well as some relative newcomers that nevertheless can be counted as solidly up and running. If you've been toying with the idea of launching such a venture, come hear about the possibilities — and the perils — of non-profit EJ. Coverage.

Moderator: Robert McClure, Reporter, InvestigateWest

Speakers:
Jason Begay, Director, Reznet
Mary Bruno, Executive Editor, Grist Magazine
Marla Cone, Editor-in-Chief, Environmental Health News
Jodi Peterson, Managing Editor, High Country News

Room: Theater, University Center

COMPUTER WORKSHOP
Storytelling Online — Choosing Your Media
Audiences are expecting more multimedia online today to accompany news and feature stories. But what's the best way to fit it into a reporter's busy schedule? How do you choose between video, audio or slideshows? In this session, hear from staff at QUEST, the largest multiple-media project at KQED Public Broadcasting in San Francisco. Pick up best practices for making web content — from quick web extras to more advanced interactive projects. Learn what tools and software can make it easier and how to choose projects that enhance your story online. Coverage.

Presenters:
Andrea Kissack, QUEST Senior Editor and Host, and Reporter, KQED Public Radio
Lauren Sommer, QUEST Multimedia Producer, and Reporter, KQED Public Radio

Room: Computer Lab 009, Don Anderson Hall, School of Journalism

THE WEST
Tribes and Salmon: Making News in the Northwest
Fishing for a good story? This session will get you up to speed on three issues affecting tribes and the iconic Columbia River salmon: 1) the debate over what role hatcheries and "selective fishing" should play in restoring salmon runs; 2) the growing "First Foods" movement to protect salmon and other indigenous foods on which tribes rely; and 3) the looming re-negotiation of the Columbia River Treaty between the U.S. and Canada, which may be expanded to include salmon protections as well as hydropower and flood control agreements. As tribes assume increasing responsibility for natural resource management, these issues will become even more prominent. Coverage.

Moderator: Dawn Stover, Freelance Writer/Editor

Speakers:
Chuck Brushwood, Policy Analyst, Fish and Wildlife Department, Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation
Joe Hovenkotter, Staff Attorney, Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes
Charles Hudson, Manager, Director of Governmental Affairs, Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission

Room: 326/327, University Center

THE CLIMATE
Can Geo-Engineering Save Us?
Can we engineer the planet to control global warming? Earth's temperature is rising and societies pump out increasingly more greenhouse gases. International climate negotiations are stuck, shrinking chances that the world can curb emissions fast enough to prevent catastrophic changes in climate. In response to this reality, scientists are developing technological fixes to limit global warming's worst effects and to strip carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. This session will explore technologies to intervene in climate change, the forces backing them, and the ethics of whether and how to deploy them. Coverage. 

Moderator: Cheryl Hogue, Senior Reporter, Chemical & Engineering News

Speakers:
David Keith, Director, Institute for Sustainable Energy, Environment and Economy's Energy and Environmental Systems Group, University of Calgary
Eli Kintisch, Reporter, Science Magazine and Author, Hack the Planet: Science's Best Hope — or Worst Nightmare — for Averting Climate Catastrophe
Dane Scott, Director, Center for Ethics and Associate Professor, Department of Society and Conservation, College of Forestry and Conservation, University of Montana

Room: 330/331, University Center

ENERGY AND THE ECONOMY
Clean Energy Economy and the Environment
What does economic investment in clean energy initiatives mean for the environment? The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act included $80 billion to build a clean energy economy. In the next 10 years the federal government plans to invest another $150 billion in energy research and development to transition to a clean energy economy. In 2009, private investment poured $20 billion into this sector in North America. The panel will discuss current and future investments in clean energy, and how U.S. federal policy influences private investment in clean energy both nationally and globally. Coverage.

Moderator: Lisa Palmer, Freelance Writer and Editor

Speakers:
Jeffery Greenblatt, Project Scientist, Environmental Energy Technologies Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
Patrick Hogan, Regional Policy Coordinator for the Director of Innovative Solutions, Pew Center on Global Climate Change
Lou Moore, Chief, Energy and Pollution Prevention Bureau, Montana Department of Environmental Quality

Room: 332/333, University Center

POLLUTION AND SOLUTIONS
Nanotechnology: The Smallest Miracle or the Largest Disaster?
We know the manipulation of atoms into manmade nanoparticles has long been touted for its potential to cure diseases, to ease the world's energy problems, to create structures infinitesimal and gigantic, unheard of just a decade ago. But there is growing concern that these wonders could pose a giant risk to the environment and human life. Coverage.

Moderator: Andrew Schneider, Senior Public Health Correspondent, AOL News

Speakers:
Dan Gunderson, Reporter, Minnesota Public Radio
Jennifer Sass, Senior Scientist, Health and Environment Program, Natural Resources Defense Council
Clayton Teague, Director, National Nanotechnology Coordination Office (invited)

Room: 210, Don Anderson Hall, School of Journalism

THE SANDBOX
Translating ToSCA

TSCA. It's pronounced "Tosca," just like the Puccini opera, but it's really the acronym for the Toxic Substances Control Act, a law that was relatively little known until recently, whose implications for health and the environment loom increasingly large — if not epic, in scale. That's because the law governing thousands of chemicals in commerce today — something to the tune of 80,000 compounds — hasn't been changed since its passage in 1976, although lawmakers revisited the law a few years ago with proposals for change that went nowhere. Now industry representatives are beginning to agree with advocates pushing for stricter regulation of toxic chemicals that it's time for a reform of this law; meanwhile Europe's new REACH law governing chemicals offers new policymaking tools. But how different is the industry's agenda for change versus those of various health and environmental advocates, and what's likely to be proposed in hearings this fall? Coverage.

Moderator: Francesca Lyman, Journalist, Editor and Author

Speakers:
Wendy Cleland-Hamnett, Director, Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Ken Cook, President and Co-founder, Environmental Working Group
Mike Walls, Vice-President, Regulatory and Technical Affairs, American Chemistry Council

Room: 316, Don Anderson Hall, School of Journalism

 

Lunch and Plenary — U.S. Energy Frontiers: Beyond the Gulf Disaster

Noon - 2:00 p.m.

 

Vessels conduct controlled burns to reduce oil in the water near the Deepwater Horizon oil spill site in the Gulf of Mexico on June 13, 2010. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Lt. Cmdr. Paul Rooney.

The Obama Administration has been trying to chart a new, cleaner energy course for the future, but for much of this year has simultaneously been trying to plug up the past. While scientists will be tracking the changes that will come to the Gulf's ecosystem and communities over the coming years, a key question is whether the BP oil rig blowout will bring lasting changes on the nation's energy policy. And if so, how might that play out in the West, which leads the nation in the potential for solar, wind, geothermal and wave energy — but also has a treasure of fossil fuels. This panel plots the next 10 years in energy development, framing the issues and identifying the challenges and opportunities. Coverage.

Moderator: John Daley, Reporter, KSL 5 News, Salt Lake City, UT

Speakers:
Karen Harbert, Director, Institute for 21st Century Energy, U.S. Chamber of Commerce
Kierán Suckling, Executive Director, Center for Biological Diversity
Nancy Sutley, Chair, White House Council on Environmental Quality
Randy Udall, Independent Energy Consultant; former Director, Community Office for Resource Efficiency; and Co-founder, Association for the Study of Peak Oil and Gas-USA

Room: Ballroom, University Center

 

Teaching EJ: A Three-Hour Workshop

2:15 - 5:15 p.m.

This workshop for journalism teachers will allow time for sharing resources, exercises and teaching tips. The seminar will also work towards the development of model curricula and resources for web tutorials, short training sessions and semester-long classes for the U.S. and other regions of the world. Workshop participants should come prepared with ideas about essential skills, favorite readings and best practices.

Moderator: Bill Kovarik, Professor of Communication, Radford University

Speakers:
Sara Shipley Hiles, Freelance Journalist
Nadia White, Assistant Professor, School of Journalism, University of Montana
Bob Wyss, Associate Professor, Journalism Department, University of Connecticut

Room: 316, Don Anderson Hall, School of Journalism

 

Video Workshop

© UM photo by Todd Goodrich.

2:15 - 5:15 p.m.

Attendees of Wednesday's All-Day Workshop 1: Video Training will edit their Thursday tour footage.

Room: 114, Don Anderson Hall, School of Journalism

 

Mini-Tour Bonanza

2:15 - 5:15 p.m.

Sign up on-site for the tour of your choice near the SEJ Information Table beginning Wednesday afternoon.

Tours will depart from the University Center immediately following the Sat. lunch plenary. SEJ staff and volunteers will be in the parking lot to help you find your bus. Tour 6 will not have a bus – look for the bicycle group near the buses.

1. Gimme Shelter: Bird Migrations and the National Wildlife Refuge System
   Sure, the peaceful landscapes of the 2,800-acre Lee Metcalf National Wildlife Refuge make for pretty pictures, but that’s only part of the story at one of the more than 25 wildlife refuges in Montana (and 557 nationwide). This wild-but-tranquil place (protected by the Bitterroot and Sapphire mountain ranges) is home to 100 different nesting bird species, including bald eagle and osprey. But the protected land in Montana’s fastest-growing county still struggles – perhaps like a refuge in your area – to strike a balance under a federally mandated mission: Protect the wildlife, but also encouraging more people to use the land. Coverage.

   Tour Leaders: Michael Scott, Environmental Reporter, Cleveland Plain Dealer; Robert McClure, Reporter, InvestigateWest

   Speakers: Bob Danley, Outdoor Recreation Planner, Lee Metcalf National Wildlife Refuge; Chris Tollefson, Chief of Communications, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

   Attendee Cap: 40

2. What You Don't Know About the Birds and Bees
   Spend an afternoon with researchers at University of Montana’s flight and bee labs. First we’ll learn – and see in action – research into the biomechanics, aerodynamics and neuromuscular controls of birds to understand the evolution of flight and aid with improvements of human air transport. Then we’ll visit the university’s “bee brains” at a lab that is conducting cutting-edge research into colony collapse disorder and has used buzzing bees to detect everything from pollution to land mines.

   Tour leaders: Beth Daley, The Boston Globe; Janet Raloff, Science News

   Speakers: Jerry Bromenshenk, Research Professor, University of Montana - Bee Lab, and CEO, Bee Alert Technology Inc.; Kristen Crandall, Doctoral student, Ashley Heers, Doctoral student, and Brandon Jackson, Post-doctoral fellow, all with University of Montana Flight Laboratory

   Attendee Cap: 20

3. Missoula Fire Sciences Lab and Smokejumper Base
   How can journalists convey the role of research in the evolving strategies of fire and fuel management? How do scientists and firefighters study an elemental physical process like fire and apply the "lessons learned" to limit risks when managing a fire? What burnt this season, and how will forests and grasslands burn differently as our climate changes? And why jump from a perfectly good plane and into a fire? Join research scientists and firefighters to explore these questions as we tour the Missoula Fire Sciences Laboratory (celebrating its 50th year), the Missoula Smokejumper Base, and possibly a nearby prescribed fire.

   Tour Leaders: Ron Steffens, Associate Professor of Communications, Green Mountain College; Christy George, Independent Producer, Portland, Oregon, and SEJ President

   Speakers: Dan Cottrell, Missoula Smokejumper Base; Kevin Ryan, Research Forester, Missoula Fire Sciences Laboratory; others to be announced.

   Attendee Cap: 45

4. Wilderness and the City
   The Rattlesnake Wilderness and National Recreation Area sits hard on the north end of Missoula, a town full of outdoor enthusiasts. Although the Rattlesnake contains some of this country's wildest terrain, including the occasional grizzly bear, it's also something of a backyard playground for hikers, mountain bikers and fisherfolk. That intersection is rich with threats – overuse and weeds being the most worrisome – and opportunities, requiring a hands-on management system dedicated to balance. Join us for a two-hour hike and discussion about managing wilderness.

   Tour Leaders: Michael Moore, Reporter, The Missoulian; Karen Schaefer, Freelance Journalist and Independent Radio Producer

   Speaker: Andy Kulla, Recreation Management Specialist, USDA-Forest Service

   Attendee Cap: 44

5. UM’s Local Food and Farming Initiatives
   Come explore two UM local food initiatives. University Dining Services supports Montana agricultural and economic development through the Farm to College Program by purchasing local food to serve on campus (about 20 percent of the annual food budget). Learn about the myriad benefits of the program and how obstacles have been overcome. Jeremy Smith, author of Growing a Garden City, will share how local food and farms have changed this community. And we’ll visit PEAS Farm (Program in Ecological Agriculture and Society), a 10-acre urban farm where enrolled students produce tens of thousands of pounds of fruits and vegetables for low-income Missoulians.

   Tour Leaders: Dennis Dimick, Executive Editor, National Geographic magazine; Shellie Nelson, News Editor, Headwaters; Dan Sullivan, Managing Editor, BioCycle magazine

   Speakers: Neva Hassanein, Associate Professor of Environmental Studies, University of Montana; Mark LoParco, Director of University Dining Services and UM Farm to College Program; Jeremy Smith, Author, Growing a Garden City

   Attendee Cap: 40

6. A Big Sky Country Bicycling Adventure
   Your three-hour journey begins right outside the University Center after the lunch plenary. From there, we'll pedal through campus and Missoula's downtown for a quick stop at the headquarters of Adventure Cycling Association, North America's largest membership cycling organization. The ride will continue through some of the most gorgeous scenery Missoula has to offer, including a glimpse of the university-affiliated PEAS Farm, which supplies organic produce for the Missoula Food Bank and helps feed low-income families. The visual crescendo will be the Rattlesnake National Recreation Area and Rattlesnake Wilderness. Gradual inclines on the way there, but then it's all downhill on the way back. Cost: Bikes and helmets are free, though donations are encouraged.

   Tour Leaders: Tom Henry, Environmental Writer and Columnist, The (Toledo) Blade; Clem Henriksen, SEJ friend

   Speakers: Winona Bateman, Media Director, Adventure Cycling Association; Susan Roy, Attorney, Garlington Lohn and Robinson, and board member, Missoulians on Bicycles; Tom Roy, Professor Emeritus and retired Director of Environmental Studies, University of Montana, and board member, Missoulians on Bicycles; Missoula Institute for Sustainable Transportation representative TBA

   Attendee Cap: 23

 

SEJ’s 20th Anniversary Party: Last Call at the Last Run Inn

6:00 - 11:00 p.m.

Shuttle buses will begin leaving for Snowbowl at 5:30 p.m., making stops at all three downtown hotels (Holiday Inn at the Park, Doubletree Hotel-Edgewater and the Holiday Inn Express) to pick up passengers. Buses will depart every 15 minutes until 6:30 p.m. Check your shuttle schedule for details.

Buses will return to the hotels beginning about 10:00 p.m. We encourage everyone to take the bus to this event, because the drive back is curvy and steep!

October can get chilly in Missoula. What better way to warm up than dining, drinking and dancing in a rustic ski lodge? Join us at the base of Montana Snowbowl's ski slopes for roaring fires, mountain vistas and music by the Big Sky Mudflaps, Montana's premier dance band for more than 30 years. Located just 12 miles outside Missoula, Snowbowl sits in the secluded alpine splendor of Lolo National Forest. Belly up to the wood-paneled bar in the Last Run Inn or dance the night away in the A-frame ski chalet. We'll have gourmet wood-fired pizzas, a host of hors d'oeuvres, and the best brews Big Sky Country has to offer. It's SEJ's 20th anniversary celebration, so keep an eye out for VIP guests. Pre-registration and $35 fee required. Coverage.

 

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Wednesday, October 13
Thursday, October 14
Friday, October 15
Sunday, October 17

**NOTE: © Montage artwork on all conference pages courtesy Margaret Emerson.