Common Earth Series concludes with "Living with Predators and Prey: Practical Solutions"

DURANGO, CO – October 18, 2010 – The Center of Southwest Studies at Fort Lewis College and partners conclude this year’s Common Earth Series: People and Predators: Who’s Eating Whom?, with a program on Living with Predators and Prey: Practical Solutions.

This program will feature three presentations throughout the afternoon. Doug Ramsey, columnist for the Durango Herald, will discuss Dogs as Guard Animals; Dr. Peter Stacey, professor of biology at the University of New Mexico, will present Cats, Dogs and Deer: Should They All Roam Free?, and Aran Johnson, who works for the Southern Ute Tribe, will discuss Deer and Driving, with the program ending with a series wrap up and reception with Center of Southwest Studies Director, Dr. Kevin Britz.

This event is free and open to the public. Living with Predators and Prey: Practical Solutions will be held Saturday, October 23rd from at 1:00pm – 4:00pm at the Center of Southwest Studies on the campus of Fort Lewis College.

The Common Earth Series has presented informative programs over the last month, from leading experts in the field, with topics ranging from human social evolution, to hunting in the Southwest, to the reintroduction of the Mexican Gray Wolf, for the benefit of the public to understand not only the role of predators in our ecosystem, but also the human aspect, in which to find common ground and solutions in reconnecting citizens with issues relating to the urban/ wilderness interface.

The Common Earth Series is the result of a group of local partners who are interested in finding practical solutions to environmental and social issues facing us today through open public dialog. These partners include the Center of Southwest Studies at Fort Lewis College, the Colorado Division of Wildlife, Durango Nature Studies, the Durango Public Library, La Plata County Living with Wildlife Advisory Board, San Juan Mountains Association, and the San Juan Public Lands Center. The annual series will focus on a different environmental topic each year, bringing in experts in the field, from multiple perspectives. The series coordinators welcome suggestions for topics for 2011.

Please call the Center of Southwest Studies at 970-247-7456 for more information on this event. Please visit http://swcenter.fortlewis.edu for more on the Common Earth Series or the Center of Southwest Studies’ Mountain Lion! exhibit.