Saturday, February 27, 2010, 3-5 p.m., Dewey Hall in the center of Sheffield. SLT's perennially popular February lecture will feature longtime Sheffield resident Frank Lowenstein offering A Geologist's View of Sheffield and surrounding towns. Come and hear the stories told by the forests and fields of the towns. How do both our rounded mountains and the flat and fertile farmlands along the Housatonic sing of mile-thick ice and vast glacial lakes? Why does the limestone that was the early wealth of the town tell of shallow seas bordered by dinosaur-dominated forests of giant ferns. And what are the implications of this geologic history for things we care about today—the quality of our drinking water, the future of farming, and our ability to avoid the worst of global warming? Starting with the land as it exists today, Lowenstein will build a detailed portrait of a few different areas of town—the waterfalls that grace the town’s western borders, the glacial gravels underneath Undermountain Road, the vast wetlands of Schenob and Willard Brooks, and the cobbles and fields along the Housatonic. Using these illustrations he will build a history of the last 300 million years in Sheffield. In the second half of the talk, Lowenstein will address “geology as fate” -- speaking to the role of geology in our everyday world. Geology in fact shapes the composition of the air we breathe and controls the purity of the water we drink. Finally, humans are by no means the first organisms to tinker with the world’s geologic cycles, but we are now doing so with unprecedented speed -- producing global warming as an unintended consequence of our prosperity. Lowenstein will close the talk by addressing the geology of global warming—and what opportunities geology places before us in the face of this threat—both globally and locally. Come early, the February lecture has attracted a standing-room-only audience for the past several years! An afternoon tea and refreshments are served and everyone is welcome.

May, 2010, date and time to be announced, honoring our generous donors and conservation partners. Your contributions have made SLT's success possible -- over 3,500 acres conserved since 1989. Thank you for your support!

June, 2010, date and time to be announced. Enjoy a delicious potluck lunch, walking tours of the farm, live music, and good company. Members and non-members alike are welcome!

October, 2010, time and place to be announced. Enjoy a guided tour of a local conservation property. There will be seasonal refreshments!