Join us for our June Science on Tap: A Wilderness Act: Reconsidering Fire in Great Lakes Forest with Nisogaabokwe Melonee Montano, Evan Larson (Department of Environmental Sciences & Society, University of Wisconsin-Platteville), and Bazile Minogiizhigaabo Panek (Good Sky Guidance).
We have a slight shift in schedule and will be hosting Science on Tap the third THURSDAY of the month instead of the third Tuesday. This month we're excited to continue our summer road trip to the South Shore Brewery and Tap House! Our presentation will start at the normal time of 6:30 but please show up early and grab a great South Shore beverage and a spot.
This event is free and open to the public!
In the short documentary film titled A Wilderness Act, Indigenous and Western ways of knowing come together through the collaboration of a Anishinaabe scholar and college professor to redefine our understanding of wilderness and argue for the return of fire to our forests. Join us for this special screening followed by a panel discussion with the co-director, co-producer, and stars of the film!
Nisogaabokwe – Melonee Montano, is a mother, grandmother, and an enrolled member of the Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa. She is a Grad Student at the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities in the Natural Resources Science & Management Program under the Forestry Department. She’s held the role of Traditional Ecological Knowledge Outreach Specialist for Great Lakes Indian Fish & Wildlife Commission (GLIFWC) where she helped assess climate change impacts on treaty resources and potential threats to Ojibwe culture and lifeways. Prior to GLIFWC she was Red Cliff’s Environmental Programs Manager where she has also served on various committees including EPA’s Regional Tribal Operations Committee, Alliance for Sustainability, Treaty Natural Resources, the Integrated Resources Management Plan, and is currently serving on the Great Lakes Compact Commission. She holds a B.S. degree in Healthcare Administration with a Native American and Environmental Studies emphasis. Lastly and most importantly, she is a lifelong student of her cultural ways.
Evan Larson is a father, husband, teacher, scientist, and enthusiast of wild places. Evan’s childhood took place in the woods of central Minnesota, helping his parents tend 80 acres of mixed hardwood forests. Drawn by mountains, oceans, and forests, his formal education includes an Environmental Science bachelor’s degree from Willamette University, degrees in geography from the University of Tennessee-Knoxville (M.S.) and the University of Minnesota (PhD), and a Faculty Fulbright fellowship to Mid Sweden University in Sundsvall. Less formally, Evan’s philosophy of life has been informed by significant doses of reflection, books, chainsaws and firewood. Evan is a Professor and Chair in the Department of Environmental Sciences & Society at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville where he works with students through the Tree-Ring, Earth, and Environmental Sciences Laboratory to better understand environmental change over past centuries.
Bazile Minogiizhigaabo Panek comes from the Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Ojibwe where he was born and raised. His culture is an integral part of his life, as he consistently participates in cultural events and ceremonies. In 2023, Bazile founded Good Sky Guidance and is currently the CEO. Good Sky Guidance is a consulting firm specializing in the integration of Indigenous Knowledges and culture in environmental initiatives and advising institutions on respectful tribal community engagement. This Fall, Bazile will be a graduate student at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities studying for a Master’s Degree in Natural Resource Sciences and Management and a PhD in American Indian Studies. Bazile also works as the “Fire-Plan Research Coordinator” at University of Wisconsin-Platteville for a National Science Foundation-funded project that combines various ways of knowing to help heal fire-dependent lands and cultures in the Great Lakes region.
Also check out other Entertainment events in Washburn, Trips & Adventurous Activities in Washburn, Music events in Washburn.
