MARQUETTE, Mich.—The work of world-renowned environmentalist Aldo Leopold will be presented through a keynote speech, film screening and panel discussion on local sustainability at Northern Michigan University. All events are free and open to the public.

Curt Meine, senior fellow of the Aldo Leopold Foundation, will deliver the keynote presentation at 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 21, in Mead Auditorium in the West Science Building. His talk is titled “From Wild Lands to Working Lands to Urban Lands: Connecting Conservation Across the Landscape.”

On Friday, Feb. 22, a light breakfast at 8:30 a.m. will precede a 9 a.m. screening of the Emmy-winning documentary, “Green Fire: Aldo Leopold and a Land Ethic for Our Time.” A community panel discussion regarding local sustainability will follow at 10:30 a.m. In addition to Meine, panelists will include Karen Bacula, Marquette Senior High School teacher; Aimee Cree Dunn, and Jessica Thompson, both NMU faculty members; John Frye, student and co-owner of Dancing Crane Farm; and Jessica Koski, mining technical assistant with the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community. The discussion will be facilitated by NMU instructor Angela Johnson.

            According to the foundation that shares his name, Leopold is considered the father of wildlife management. Meine, author of “Aldo Leopold: His Life and Work,” received his doctorate from University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Nelson Institute of Environmental Study.            The conference and forum is sponsored by NMU's Earth, Environmental and Geographical Sciences Department. For more information, call 227-2587.