Northumberland Learning Connection announces The Power of Trees as the focus for their fall 2023 series, September 29 through to November 12.
Through speakers, outings, discussions and even a family-friendly concert, NLC will tackle a number of topics under this broad heading with perspectives from a wide range of experts sharing their knowledge in Thursday-night speakers' presentations, Friday-morning discussions, three nature outings and one community celebration.
Two of the outings are already sold out, visits to the Alderville Black Oak Savanna Oct. 3 and 6, with Rick Beaver offering a talk and tour. Tickets $25 each) are still available for the Oct. 13 Ganaraska Forest Outing. Limited to 35 people the program is a chance to learn about ensuring forests for the future at the Ganaraska Forest Centre, followed by a walk in the woods.
The Nov. 12 concert In Search of Lost Trees, which takes place at 3 p.m. at Trinity United Church (284 Division St., Cobourg), is hosted by musician-writer David Newland – a special celebration of trees in words and music.
The remainder of the programming kicks off Sept. 29.
Sept 29, 10 a.m. - The Overstory with Charles Foran – Port Hope Public Library, 31 Queen St. - This is a book discussion of Richard Powers's 12th novel, a winner of the Pulitzer Prize in Fiction.
Oct. 5, 7:30 p.m. - World-Renowned “Canopy Meg” with Dr. Margaret Lowman – Zoom only – Known as Canopy Meg for her work as a global pioneer in forest-canopy ecology, Dr. Lowman will share stories from her work as one of the world's first arbournauts (canopy explorers).
Oct. 12, 7:30 p.m. - Mtigoog (Trees) with Dr. Barbara Moktthewenkwe – Columbus Community Centre, 232 Spencer St. E., Cobourg – Assistant professor in the Indigenous Environmental Studies and Sciences program at Trent University, Dr. Moktthewenkwe will discuss how trees are actually teachers and what lessons they have to impart.
Oct. 19, 7:30 p.m. - Deforestation – Trees to Treaties with Phil Abbott – Columbus Community Centre, 232 Spencer St. E., Cobourg – Abbott leads a look at 19th-century deforestation in Northumberland County.
Oct. 20, 10 a.m. - The Man Who Made Things Out of Trees with Bob Hambly – Port Hope Public Library, 31 Queen St. - This is a book discussion of Robert Penn's book The Man Who Made Things Out of Trees, described as a well-crafted tribute to the ash.
Oct. 26, 7:30 p.m. - Our Forests: Fire, Carbon and Climate with Juha Metsaranta – Columbus Community Centre, 232 Spencer St. E., Cobourg – Metsaranta of Natural Resources Canada will discuss the most up-to-date information available on this topic.
Oct. 27, 10 a.m. - The Shifting Forest Management Paradigm with Juha Metsaranta and Jeremy Williams – Columbus Community Centre, 232 Spencer St. E., Cobourg – The two speakers will look at the development of the National Boreal Standard for the Forest Stewardship Council, an international organization that certifies forests according to standards of sustainable management.
Nov. 2, 7:30 p.m. - The Tree as a Symbol with Manual Lima – Columbus Community, 232 Spencer St., E., Cobourg – This talk comes courtesy of the author of The Book of Trees: 800 Years of Symbolic Diagrams Visualizing Branches of Knowledge.
Nov. 3, 10 a.m. - Who Gets the Trees with Jacqueline Scott and Ambika Tenneti – Zoom only – This discussion offers insights into Urban Forestry – Diversity, Access and Social Justice.
Nov. 9, 7:30 p.m. - Trees – Identity, Material and Design – Dr. Michael Prokopow – Columbus Community Centre, 232 Spencer St. E., Cobourg – This exploration offers insights from Associate Dean Michael Prokopow, Associate Dean of the Faculty of Liberal Arts and Sciences at OCAD University.
A $125 Speaker Series package includes all six speaker events (Oct. 5, 12, 19 and 26 as well as Nov. 2 and 9, with access to recordings, which represents a 14% discount on six individual tickets ($25 each, except for the Oct. 5 Zoom-only session, which is $20). Tickets for the discussions are $20, and concert tickets are $25 (free for those under 18, though adult accompaniment is required for anyone under age 10). And tickets for the one remaining outing are $20.