New England’s Stone Walls (Virtual Lecture)

New England’s Stone Walls: Stories and Conservation Priorities

New England stone walls are the signature landform of rural New England. The vast majority are artifacts of a vanished agricultural civilization that are freighted with stories that can be interpreted. During his presentation, Professor Thorson will provide an overview of the subject with an emphasis on their symbolism, and will end with suggestions for conservation.

Robert M. Thorson is Professor of Earth Sciences at the University of Connecticut, where he juggles teaching, writing, mentoring, committee work, and community engagement. He’s a Midwestern native, turned Northwestern geologist, turned Northeastern academic. His current scholarly interest is the interweave between Anthropocene archaeology, environmental history, and American literature that creates New England’s unique sense of place. He commutes to work on a woodland trail. He teaches three Earth science courses for UConn’s Honors Core Curriculum and coordinates its Stone Wall Initiative within the Connecticut State Museum of Natural History.

Co-sponsored by the Avon Library and Avon Land Trust.

Please register; Zoom links will go out the day before the event.

This is one of the many programs we’re hosting during the ALA Human Origins Exhibit