Previous Lectures Archive

The lecture notes from previous events are posted in power point or video when available. Lunch time lecture topics include different aspects of Austin’s ecology.  

Date Title Presentation  
October 2024 Farming with Nature: Sustainable Agriculture 
and the Pastoral Ideal
Download  
September 2024 Saving American Nature: Preservation, Conservation, and the Wild Download  
August 2024 American Environmental Science: Carson and the Politics of Nature Download  
July 2024 American Ecology: Stability, Integrity, and Leopold’s Legacy Download  
June 2024 American Biology: Natives, Immigrants, and Humboldt's Progeny Download  
May 2024 American Natural History: Thoreau and New World Nature Download  
April 2024 New Nature: Discordant Harmony and Ecological Resilience Download  
March 2024 Urban Nature: Perspectives on Nature and the City Download  
February 2024 Pastoral Nature: Agrarianism and Rural America Download  
January 2024 Wild Nature: The New World and Wilderness Download  
December 2023 The Urban Stream: Life on Waller Creek Download  
November 2023 Another Colorado: Austin and the River Download  
October 2023 Waters the Land: Rivers and Water in Texas Download  
September 2023 Rivers of Empire: American Environmental History and Waterways Download  
August 2023 Strong Brown God: The Poetry of Flowing Water Download  
July 2023 Water Music: American Music and Rivers Download  
June 2023 Riverrun: Language, Art, and Waterways Download  
May 2023 The Round River: Myth, Meaning, and Flowing Water Download  
April 2023 Bottomland: Life on the Floodplain Download  
March 2023 Riparia: Life at the Edge Download  
February 2023 Fluvial Life: Ecology of Flowing Water Download  
January 2023 Fluvial Process: Waterways and Hydrology Download  
December 2022 The Anthropocene: Gaia and the Science of Nature Download  
October 2022 The Great Disruptors- Physical Geography as Modified by Human Action  Download   
September 2022 The Economy of Nature Ecology, Culture, and Cosmos  Download  
August 2022 The Evolution of Nature- Humboldt, Darwin, and Biogeography Download  
July 2022 Invention of Modern Nature- The Earth, a Natural Whole  Download  
June 2022 Romance of Nature Science- Imagination and the Poets of Nature  Download   
May 2022 The Science of Nature- Humbolt and the Empirical Earth Download   
April 2022 Physical Geography and the Science of Nature  Download   
March 2022 Ecological Imperialism and the Geography of Nature Download   
February 2022 Natural History and the Taxonomy of Nature Download   
January 2022 Natural Philosophy and the Study of Nature Download   
March 2020 Ecological Imperialism and the Geography of Nature Play  
February 2020 Natural History and the Taxonomy of Nature Play  
January 2020 Natural Philosophy and the Study of Nature Play Download  
December 2019 The Urban Stream: Life on Waller Creek Download  
November 2019 Another Colorado: Austin and the River Download  
October 2019 Waters the Land: Rivers and Water in Texas Download  
September 2019 Rivers of Empire: American Environmental History and Waterways Download  
August 2019 Strong Brown God: The Poetry of Flowing Water Download  
June 2019 Riverrun: Language, Art, Waterways Download  
May 2019 The Round River: Myth, Meaning and Flowing Water Download  
April 2019 Bottom Land: Life in the Floodplain Download  
March 2019 Riparian: Life at the Edge Download  
February 2019 Fluvial Life: the Ecology of Flowing Water Download  
January 2019 The Geography of Flowing Water: Rivers, Streams, Nature, and Culture Download  
December 2018 The End of Nature Prospective Ecology Environmental Ethics and the Anthropocene Download  
November 2018 The Ecological City: Sustainable, Ecology and Urban Metabolism Download  
October 2018 Farming with Nature: Sustainable Agriculture and the American Family Farm Download  
September 2018 Saving American Nature: Preservation, Conservation, and the Wild Download  
August 2018 American Environmental Science: Carson and the Politics of Nature Download  
July 2018 American Ecology: Stability, Integrity, and Leopold's Legacy Download  
June 2018 American Biology: Natives, Immigrants, and Humboldt's Children Download  
May 2018 American Natural History: Thoreau and New World Nature Download  
April 2018 Resilient Nature: Discordant Harmony and New Ecology Download  
March 2018 Urban Nature: Perspectives on Nature and the City Download  
February 2018 Pastoral Nature: Agrerianism and Rural America Download  
January 2018 Wild Nature: The New World and Wilderness Download  
December 2017 Encounter with Urban Nature: Ecology, the City and the Arts Download  
November 2017 Design with Nature:
Urban Planning, Management, and the Sustainability Myth
Download  
October 2017 Nature Out of Place:
Invasive Species, Novel Ecosystems, and Urban Ecology
Download  
September 2017 The Aerial City: Urban Birds, Bats, and Denizens of the Sky Download  
August 2017 The Subterranean City: Soil and The Urban Microcosmos Download  
July 2017  The Terrestrial City: Green Space and The Urban Forest Download  
June 2017 The Aquatic City: The Ecology of Urban Waterways Download  
May 2017 Nature in the City: Urban Habitats and the Degradation Myth  Download  
April 2017 Understanding Urban Nature: Ecology, Culture, and the American City Download  
March 2017 Urban Pastoral: Farms, Gardens, and Parkland in the City Download  
February 2017 Urban Wild: Wilderness, Wildness, and the American City Download  
January 2017 Varieties of Possibility: Perspectives on Nature and the City Download  
December 2016 The End of Nature: Permanence, Change, and the Anthropocene Download  
November 2016 The Earth Managers: Balance, Resilience, and Environmental Science Download   
October 2016 The Great Disruptors: Environmentalism and the Idea of American Nature Download   
September 2016 The Economy of Nature: Ecology, Earth Science, and Biotic Navigation Download   
August 2016 The Evolution of Nature: Von Humboldt, Darwin, and the Systematic Universe Download   
July 2016 The Romance of Nature: Science, Imagination, and the Poets of Nature Download   
June 2016 The Invention of Modern Nature: The Earth as a “Natural Whole” Download   
May 2016 The Scientist of Nature: Alexander Von Humboldt and the Physical Description of the Earth Download   
April 2016 The Nature Collectors: New Lands, New Nature, and Ecological Imperialism Download   
March 2016 The Study of Nature: Natural History and the Creation of Nature  Download   
February 2016 Second Nature: Pastoral Landscapes and the Cultivation of Nature Download   
January 2016 First Nature: The Pristine Myth and Wilderness Download   
December 2015 Goodbye to the River: A Summary Download  
November 2015 Another Colorado: Rivertown Austin Download  
October 2015 Waters the Land: Texas Rivers Download  
September 2015 Rivers of Empire: American Rivers Download  
August 2015 Bottomland: Floodplain Habitats and the River Tisza Download  
July 2015 Riparia: Life at the River’s Edge Download  
June 2015 River Life: The Ecology of Flowing Water Download  
May 2015 River Process: the Fluvial System and Hydrology Download  
April 2015 The Geography of Rivers: The Nature and Culture of Flowing Water Download  
March 2015 Riversong: American Rivers and Music Download  
February 2015 Riverrun: Language, Art, and Rivers Download  
January 2015 The Round River: Myth, Meaning, and Flowing Water Download  
November 2014 Design with Nature: Ecological Cities and the Myth of Sustainability Download  
October 2014 Farming With Nature: The Unsettling of America Download  
September 2014 Saving American Nature: Preservation vs. Conservation Download  
August 2014 American Environmental Science, Sustainability, and Human Nature Download  
July 2014 Ecology, Ecosystem Services, and the Balance of Nature Download  
June 2014 Biology, Ecological Change, and Native Species Download  
May 2014 American Natural History and the Theory of Degenerate Nature Download  
April 2014 Resilient Nature Wasteland Download  
March 2014 Urban Nature: The American City and Degraded Nature Download  
February 2014 Pastoral Nature Download  
January 2014 Wilderness: The Myth of Pristine Nature Download  
December 2013 Goodbye to the River: A Summary Download  
November 2013 Another Colorado: Rivertown Austin Download  
October 2013 Waters the Land: Texas Rivers Download  
September 2013 Rivers of Empire: American Rivers Download  
August 14, 2013 Bottomland: Floodplain Habitats Download
July 10, 2013 Riparia: Life at the River's Edge Download
June 12, 2013 River Life: the Ecology of Flowing Water Download
May 8, 2013 River Process: the Fluvial System and River Hydrology Download
April 10, 2013 Strong Brown God: the Poetry of Rivers Download
March 13, 2013 Riversong: American Rivers and Music Download
February 13, 2013 Riverrun: Language, Art, and Rivers Download
January 9, 2013 The Round River: Myth, Meaning, and Rivers Download
December 4, 2012 Natural and Unnatural History: the Path Forward Download
November 6 , 2012 The Natural History of an Urban Wasteland: Hornsby Bend Download
October 2, 2012 The Natural History of an Urban Vacant Lot: Tannehill Urban Wild Woodland Download
September 4, 2012 Natural History of an Urban Creek: Waller Creek Download
August 7, 2012 Urban Natural History: Life in the City Download
July 3, 2012 The Natural History of Austin: Biological Context and Urbanization Download
June 5, 2012 The Natural History of Texas: Biological Survey and Ecological Change Download
May 1, 2012 The History of Americas: Discovery and Transformation Download
April 3, 2012 The History of Natural History: Contemporary Natural History Download
March 7, 2012 The History of Natural History: 19th and 20th Century Science and Literature Download
February 1, 2012 The History of Natural History: Origins and 19th Century Development Download
December 7, 2011 Encounters with Nature in the City: Urban Nature and Literature Download
November 2, 2011 The Proper Place of Nature: Urban Planning and Urban Ecology Download
October 5, 2011 The Weeds and the Wild: Invasive Species and Urban Ecology Download
September 7, 2011 Varieties of Possibility: Perspectives on Nature and the City Download
August 3, 2011 Austin Waterways: “Life On Waller Creek” with Professor Joseph Jones Download
July 6, 2011 Texas Rivers: On the Colorado with Roy Bedichek “Karankaway Country” Download
June 1, 2011 Texas Rivers: On the Brazos with John Graves “Goodbye to a River” Download
May 4, 2011 The Myth of the River: American Rivers and American Literature Download
April 6, 2011 The Nature of the River: The Flora and Fauna of the Colorado River Corridor Download
March 2, 2011 Discovering the Colorado: The Austin-Bastrop River Corridor Partnership 2003-2011 Download
February 2, 2011 Changes in the Land: The Cultural Landscape of the Colorado River Corridor Download
January 5, 2011 The Forgotten Habitat: the Biogeography of the Colorado River Bottomlands Download