“CONTESTING GETTYSBURG: PRESERVING AN AMERICAN BATTLEFIELD SHRINE”

Wednesday, December 1^st, 2010 at 7:00 PM

Memorial Auditorium in Shippensburg University.

South Mountain Speakers Series to Explore Land Use and Cultural Preservation at Gettysburg National Military Park

Boiling Springs – The history of preservation at Gettysburg will be the seventh and final lecture for the 2010 South Mountain Speakers Series on Wednesday, Dec. 1 at Shippensburg University’s Memorial Auditorium.

The event, entitled, “Contesting Gettysburg: Preserving an American Battlefield Shrine,” is free and open to the public. It runs from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Environmental historian and Penn State Altoona professor Dr. Brian Black will use Gettysburg as an example to discuss the need for preservation of sacred symbols throughout the region and the nation.

 “When the Gettysburg Battlefield quieted following the fighting in July 1863, another story began,” said Dr. Allen Dieterich-Ward, an assistant professor of history at Shippensburg University and the chair of the South Mountain Partnership’s steering committee for the speaker series.  “Dr. Black will tell this story, which spans almost 150 years, of how the landscape at Gettysburg passed through many differing episodes in the culture of preservation, and national trends related to protecting our sacred symbols.”

After the lecture, a panel including Black, Greg Goodell from the National Park Service and Mark Shaffer from the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission will answer audience questions and discuss the future of Gettysburg National Military Park and the relationship between environmental conservation and cultural preservation in the South Mountain region.

The South Mountain Speakers Series is organized in the spirit of the Michaux Lectures, a series of talks given by Joseph Rothrock as part of his work to restore Pennsylvania’s forests during the late 19th century.

The series is led by the South Mountain Partnership, which is a unified group of private citizens, businesses, not-for-profit organizations and government representatives in Adams, Cumberland, Franklin and York counties.

The partnership works to advance environmental conservation and economic development by encouraging best-management practices in agriculture and forestry, and supporting and promoting working farms, forests and watersheds while emphasizing the unique cultural and historic heritage of the region.

The South Mountain Partnership and Shippensburg University are sponsoring this event.

For more information about this event, contact Allen Dieterich-Ward at ajdieterichward@ship.edu.

To learn more about the speaker series, visit southmountainspeakers.blogspot.com or contact Kim Williams at the Appalachian Trail Conservancy at 717-258-5771.

Media contact: Allen Dieterich-Ward, 717-477-1192

Growth In the Garden: Food and Sustainability

Dickinson College to Host Lectures on Food and Sustainability

Understanding, preserving, and reusing Pennsylvania’s historic agricultural landscapes can contribute to a sustainable farming future. These are topics that will be covered as part of collaborative effort of The Clarke Forum for Contemporary Issues at Dickinson College and the South Mountain Speaker Series.

The event, entitled, “Growth In the Garden: Food and Sustainability” is free and open to the public and will be held on Thursday, November 4, 2010 at Dickinson’s Stern Center located on W. Louther St. between West and College Sts. in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. The event will open with a reception from 6-7 p.m. where you can learn all about local opportunities for farm fresh foods. The speaker’s lectures and a question and answer period will go from approximately 7-9 p.m.



Hear from Penn State Professor Sally McMurry about “Pennsylvania’s Historic Farming Legacy and Sustainable Agriculture’s Future”. She will review the broad sweep of Pennsylvania farming history and then explain seven ways in which preserving our historic agricultural buildings can go hand in hand with a sustainable agricultural future.



Brian Snyder, Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture, will discuss opportunities to capitalize on the fact that sustainably raised Pennsylvania products are centrally located to some of the largest population centers in the nation. While a major agricultural state any way it's analyzed, Pennsylvania has maintained the additional distinction for several decades as a national leader in developing more sustainable and/or organic farming strategies. Mr. Snyder will discuss the current situation in terms of resources available and the challenges that lay ahead as we pursue a more sustainable future for all Pennsylvanians.



The Clarke Forum for Contemporary Issues at Dickinson College connects the students and faculty of Dickinson College and members of the broader community with scholars, practicing professionals and activists through the use of lectures, seminars, and conferences. By encouraging engagement with these visitors in ways that allow for dialogue and critical reflection, The Clarke Forum helps prepare students to become knowledgeable, productive, and intellectually active citizens and leaders. To learn more about the Clarke Forum and upcoming lectures visit www.clarke.dickinson.edu/



The South Mountain Speakers Series is an effort of the South Mountain Partnership, an alliance of non-profits, the public sector, academic institutions, and local businesses to conserve and promote the high-quality natural and cultural resources which will enhance the region’s economic viability. Promotion of local agricultural is a major focus of the Partnership. The Partnership receives major support from the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources as one of its seven Conservation Landscape Initiatives. Visit www.southmountaincli.blogspot com learn more about the South Mountain Partnership.