Free lecture and book signing with William C. Tweed.

Tuesday, October 11, 7:00 p.m.
Legion Wing, Veterans Memorial Hall.
1745 Mission Dr., Solvang.

Join us for a fascinating evening as one of California’s preeminent naturalists unspools a history that echoes across generations and continents. Former park ranger William C. Tweed will take us on a tour of the Big Trees in a narrative that travels deep into the Sierras, around the West, and all the way to New Zealand. The ancient sequoias in California, which predated Christianity, were early tourist destinations. Since these trees towered over all others, they became the embodiment of the state’s superlative, almost unbelievable appeal. When sequoias were threatened by logging interests, the feelings of horror evoked by this desecration catalyzed protection efforts; in a very direct way, this species inspired the national park idea. And sequoias’ influence doesn’t end there: as science evolved to consider landscapes more holistically, sequoias were once again at the heart of this attitudinal shift. Featuring an entrancing cast of adventurers, researchers, politicians, and environmentalists, King Sequoia reveals how one tree species has transformed Americans’ connection to the natural world.

William C. Tweed brings humans closer to nature using the knowledge and skills he developed during thirty years as a chief naturalist, historian, and writer with the National Park Service. His published works include two books on Sequoia-Kings Canyon National Parks, and most recently Death Valley and the Northern Mojave: A Visitor’s Guide (coauthored with Lauren Davis, Cachuma Press, 2003), and Uncertain Path: A Search for the Future of National Parks (University of California Press, 2010). Tweed makes his home in Bend, Oregon.

Lectures are free and open to all. Donations are much appreciated; they help us defray the cost of presenting lectures and films. Look for our donation box near the entrance to these events.

Image: Courtesy William C. Tweed

Photo: © John Evarts