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Hosted by Portland State University, October 17-21, 2001
Note: This agenda is not complete. Please check back often; details will be added as speakers confirm.
DRAFT: All Information Subject to Change
Main Menu
Wednesday, October 17
Thursday, October 18
Friday, October 19
Saturday, October 20
Sunday, October 21
Wednesday, October 17:
Pre-Conference Ice-Breaker
4:30 - 6:00 p.m.
Come share your stories and meet your peers. The connections you make here will last throughout the conference and beyond. New members especially welcome.
Facilitator: Jane Braxton Little, freelance journalist
Location: Elowah Room, Doubletree Portland Downtown, 310 SW Lincoln St., Portland
Back to the top
Thursday, October 18:
Logistics: Tour buses will pick up passengers from both SEJ conference
hotels: Portland Downtown Doubletree, 310 SW Lincoln St., Portland and The
Days Inn, 1414 SW 6th Ave., Portland. Continental breakfast
provided prior to morning departures. Buses will begin loading at the Doubletree a half hour
before scheduled departure time. Buses will leave the Doubletree Hotel
promptly, at times listed below, then stop at The Days Inn to load
additional passengers. All will return to hotels by about 5:00 p.m.
Evening logistics: Hotels are only a short walk from PSU campus.
Check with hotel desk or conference welcome letter for recommended route. For
those who need transportation, shuttle buses will make continuous loops between
Doubletree Hotel, Days Inn and PSU beginning at 6:00 p.m. Final
shuttle will leave PSU for hotels at 10:30 p.m.
Smith Center: SW Park Avenue between SW Harrison and SW Montgomery Sts.
Hoffman Hall: SW Eleventh Avenue at SW Harrison St.
Day Tours:
Advance registration is required for all tours on Thursday, Oct. 18. Tour fees are listed below. Attendance size on each tour is strictly limited. Departure times vary; all tours will return about 5:00 p.m.
Forests 1: Ecology and Politics of Northwest Forests
$25 fee (6:30 a.m. departure, lunch provided)
Explore the ecology of the region’s ancient forests from below… and above!
This tour includes a ride with scientists in the world’s only
canopy crane in
a temperate forest. You’ll learn about the intricate workings of these
forests, including hot new research on carbon cycling in old
growth and its
implications for global climate change. You’ll also discuss the
politics of
logging on the Northwest’s national forests with some of the region’s most
important players.
Tour Leaders:
1. Orna Izakson, Environmental Reporter,
Eugene Weekly
2. Lance Robertson, freelancer; former Environmental Reporter, Eugene Register-Guard
Speakers:
1. Susan Jane M. Brown, Executive Director, Gifford Pinchot Task Force
2. Dr. Jerry F. Franklin, Professor, Ecosystem Sciences Division, Forest Resources, University of Washington
3. David Shaw, Site Director, Wind River Canopy Crane Research Facility (WRCCRF), University of Washington
4. Susan L. Ustin, Professor of Resource Science, Center for Spatial Technologies and Remote Sensing (CSTARS),
Department of Land, Air, and Water Resources, University of California, Davis
5. Dave Werntz, Director of Scientific Programs, Northwest Ecosystem Alliance
6. Chris West, Vice President, American Forest Resource Council
Pacific Frontier
$15 fee (7:00 a.m. departure, lunch provided)
Get away for a day with the other 71 percent of the planet. Visit Oregon's rugged, rocky coast and its fishing communities, tide pools, barking seals and driftwood beaches. You'll meet salty folks who know the issues, from the legacy of Navy-funded ocean research, to the latest controversies surrounding beach closures, nutrient runoff, collapsing fish stocks, killer algae, hurricanes, sea-level rise, coastal sprawl, oil spills, and marine reserves.
Tour Leaders:
1. David Helvarg, television producer and author "Blue Frontier-Saving America's Living Seas"
2. Richard Hill, Science Writer, The Oregonian
Speakers:
1. Lt. Chris Haley, Coast Guard PIO
2. Peter Huhtala, Campaign Coordinator, Pacific Marine Conservation Council
3. Roy W. Lowe, Project Leader, Oregon Coast National Wildlife Refuge Complex
4. Dr. Elliott A. Norse, President, Marine Conservation Biology Institute
5. Dick Russell, author, "Eye of the Whale: From Baja to Siberia with the World's Largest Mammal"
6. Bruce Sutherland, science and technical specialist, Lower Columbia River
Estuary Program
Mount St. Helens: Comeback from a Cataclysm
$15 fee (7:15 a.m. departure, lunch provided)
It's been 21 years since a huge eruption blew the top off Mount St.
Helens. Today, Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument is one of the
Northwest's top tourist attractions. It provides a unique opportunity for
scientists and visitors to see how nature recovers on its own. There's just
one problem, finding enough money to keep these spectacular facilities open.
On this tour we'll get a firsthand look of the blast zone with a scientist
who's spent two decades studying how plants and animals recover. We'll follow
that with a panel discussion on user fees, recreation impacts and budget
shortfalls on public lands. Please bring warm clothing and/or rain gear and
prepare for some light hiking.
Tour Leaders:
1. Scott Miller, Environmental Reporter, KING-TV, Seattle
2. Erik Robinson, Reporter, Vancouver Columbian
Speakers:
1. Denny Bschor, Director of Recreation, Heritage, and Wilderness, USDA Forest Service
2. Christine Colasurdo, freelance journalist and author "Return to Spirit Lake: Journey through a Lost Landscape"
3. Courtney Cuff, Pacific Region Director, National Parks Conservation Association
4. Peter Frenzen, Monument Scientist, USDA Forest
Service, Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument
5. Scott Silver, founder and Executive Director, Wild Wilderness
Salmon 1: Dams, Hatcheries and Treaty Rights
$15 fee (7:30 a.m. departure, lunch provided)
Visit a huge hydroelectric dam, a tribal fishing site and a federal hatchery
in the spectacular Columbia River Gorge. See firsthand the clash between the
West's insatiable need for power and shipping versus the fate of endangered
species and the sovereign treaty rights of Native American tribes to fish for
salmon. Hear the pros and cons of hatchery reform, dam modification and
breaching four dams upstream on Idaho's Snake River.
Tour Leaders:
1. Rocky Barker, Environment Reporter, Idaho Statesman
2. Jonathan Brinckman, Environment Reporter, The Oregonian
Speakers:
1. Conservationists - Jeff Curtis, Western Conservation Director, Trout Unlimited
2. Hatchery Reform - Speros Doulos, Hatchery Manager, Little White Salmon Fish Hatchery
3. Industry - Bruce Lovelin, Executive Director, Columbia River Alliance
4. Tribes - Don Sampson, Executive Director, Columbia Inter-tribal Fish Commission
5. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers - Witt Anderson, fishery biologist, Northwestern Division
Sprawl 1: Fencing in Sprawl: A Tale of Two States
$15 fee (9:30 a.m. departure, lunch provided)
[NOTE: The departure time for this tour has
changed from the original time printed in the conference brochure.]
Compare Oregon and Washington, two states that have taken different
statewide approaches in land-use law to protect farmland and forests by
containing development. In between,
visit the spectacular and controversial Columbia River Gorge National Scenic
Area, shared by both states, a mosaic of public and private land that has
become a hotbed of property rights disputes.
Tour Leaders:
1. Nick Budnick, Willamette Week
2. Kathie Durbin, Special Projects Reporter, Vancouver Columbian
Speakers:
1. Richard Benner, Metro legal counsel, Metropolitan Portland Service District; former Director, Oregon Department of
Land Conservation and Development; and, former Executive Director, Columbia River
Gorge Commission
2. Martha Bennett, Executive Director, Columbia River Gorge Commission
3. David Bragdon, Presiding Officer, Metro Council, Metropolitan Portland Service District
4. Mike Burton, Executive Officer, Metropolitan Portland Service District
5. Richard Carson, Director, Clark County Community Development
6. Anita Gahimer, Executive Director, Port of Skamania County
7. Kevin Gorman, Executive Director, Friends of the Columbia Gorge
8. Dave Hunnicutt, legal counsel, Oregonians in Action
9. John Karpinski, environmental attorney
10. Mary Kyle McCurdy, staff attorney, 1000 Friends of Oregon
11. Alison Mielke, past Executive Director, Friends of Clark County
12. Joyce Reinig, Gorge Commissioner from Hood River County, OR
13. Kelly Ross, lobbyist, Home Builders Association of Metro Portland
The Changing Face of Farms
$10 fee (12:30 p.m. departure, snack provided)
Changing trends in agriculture are explored in the Willamette
Valley, where
traditional food-cropping of berries and vegetables for canneries and
freezing plants is drastically on the decline. Stops include a farm just
outside the Portland greenbelt that has managed to survive by
networking with
urban consumers through u-pick and direct marketing; a nursery that grows
ornamentals instead of food and is part of an industry that now
ranks as the
top-grossing sector of Oregon agriculture; and, finally, a vineyard, which
has helped launch the boom in Oregon wines that's seen the state gain
international prominence and is now working on ways to help ease
environmental impacts on salmon. Yes, samples will be available.
Tour Leaders:
1. Hal Bernton, Natural Resources Reporter, Seattle Times
2. James Bruggers, Courier-Journal, Louisville, KY
Speakers:
1. Jeff Boden, West End Farms, Hillsboro, OR
2. Mark Bradbury, General Manager, Hines Nursery, Forest Grove, OR
3. Lindsey Woodward, Ponzi Vineyards, Beaverton, OR
Note: Forests 2, Salmon 2 and Sprawl 2 will all be a part of Saturday afternoon's expanded mini-tour program.
Evening Events at Portland State University:
The PSU Campus is a short walk from the Doubletree and Days Inn, but for
those who prefer transportation a shuttle bus will run continuously to and
from PSU, beginning at 5:30 p.m. Final shuttle departs PSU at 10:30 p.m.
Smith Center: SW Park Avenue between SW Harrison and SW Montgomery Sts.
Hoffman Hall: SW Eleventh Avenue at SW Harrison St.
Northwest Research Poster Session
5:00 - 9:00 p.m.
Want to catch-up on new invasive species policy? Want to know the
environmental changes since Lewis and Clark paddled past Portland
almost 200
years ago? Need to connect to recent high tech environmental
informational
resources? Is the difference between wild and hatchery salmon
important?
Just how is Northwest hydropower connected to the California
energy crisis?
Scientists from Portland State University and other research institutions
across the Northwest will be on hand to discuss some of the leading
environmental research in the region. Come and chat informally during
cocktail hour and/or sign up for more in-depth interviews. The
posters will
remain on display throughout the conference, and several
scientists will be
around to discuss their research during conference breaks.
Organizer: Dick Dewey, Environmental Professional Programs, Portland State University School of Extended Studies
Location: Vanport room, flowing into the Smith Center Ballroom, 3rd floor
Opening Reception and Buffet Dinner
7:00 - 9:00 p.m.
Welcome and a brief talk, with Q-and-A to follow, on the transformation
of environment news from niche journalism to necessary part of the daily and
Sunday report. While viewing the subject broadly, Sandy will refer to The
Oregonian's efforts in this context to make things specific and concrete.
Introductions: Christy George, 2001 SEJ Conference Chair, and Oregon Public Broadcasting
Speaker: Sandra Mims Rowe, Editor, The Oregonian
Location: Smith Center Ballroom, 3rd floor
Welcome to the Wild Northwest
9:00 - 10:30 p.m.
From violent volcanoes to vast clearcuts, raging rivers to
nuclear waste dumps, hippies and yuppies to survivalists and
anarchists, the Northwest corner of North America is anything but
dull. A modern leader of the
first people to inhabit the Portland area challenges us to consider
the historical perspective of current environmental conflicts.
Award-winning Northwest photographers Gary Braasch and Trygve Steen
dazzle us with exceptional images from wildly varied corners of this
breathtaking region. Finally, Steve Amen, host of Oregon Public
Broadcasting's Oregon Field Guide, takes us on a video tour of some
of the environmental hot spots that we'll be hearing so much about
throughout the rest of the conference. Our host is Jack Hamann,
Seattle-based veteran documentary producer for CNN and PBS.
Location: Hoffman Hall
Back to the top
Friday, October 19:
Portland State University
All events are in the Smith Center unless indicated otherwise.
Smith Center: SW Park Avenue between SW Harrison and SW Montgomery Sts.
Hoffman Hall: SW Eleventh Avenue at SW Harrison St.
Logistics:
The PSU Campus is a short walk from the Doubletree and Days Inn, but for
those who prefer transportation a shuttle bus will run continuously to and
from PSU, beginning at 7:30 a.m. The final shuttle will
depart PSU at 10:30 p.m.
From Double Tree Hotel to PSU campus:
Exit the Double Tree Hotel and cross Lincoln at the crosswalk.
Continue walking north on the pedestrian walkway between the office
and apartment buildings.
Continue north to the fountain. Turn left and walk west past the big
silver and glass building to 4th Street. Cross 4th at Hall and
continue walking west passing 5th, 6th and Broadway. After crossing
Broadway, turn right to Smith Center. Follow the signs.
For more information, there is a great campus map on the PSU website.
Click on "about PSU" to pick up the campus map. The best one to
print is the line drawing map of the campus directory.
From Days Inn to PSU campus:
Exit Days Inn through their lobby. Walk south on 6th Ave, crossing
Clay Street, and proceed another block to Market Street. Walk west
on Market Street one block to Broadway.
The first campus building is Lincoln Hall. Smith Center is two
buildings further south with entrances on all sides of the building.
All Day:
- Registration and sign-up for Saturday mini-tours, Sunday nature photography workshop and members-only small-group sessions
Location: Main Lobby Area, Smith Center, 2nd floor
- Press Room
Room: 331
- Interview Room
Room: 323
- SEJ Photo Gallery and Reading Room
Location: Littman Gallery, Smith Center, 2nd Floor
- Literature Display Tables
Browse for environmental information, news and opinions from a variety of
sources.
Location: Smith Center, 2nd Floor Lounge, and Rooms 296 and 298
- The Big Tent: Environmental Exposition
11:00 a.m. - 7:30 p.m.
PSU campus: 10th Avenue and Harrison Street
(also open Saturday, October 20, 11:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.)
SEJ's 2001 Environmental Exposition offers an in-depth look at
some of the latest developments in fields as diverse as alternative-fuel
vehicles, sustainable-building supplies, environmental science, technology and policy
issues. Innovations will be
highlighted by exhibitors in "The Big Tent," located on the PSU campus along
the pathway between the Smith Center and Hoffmann Hall. The tent will be open
from 11:00 a.m. Friday, with a cocktail reception, hors d'oeuvres, and special
presentations from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Sign up inside "The Big Tent" on Friday for Saturday test drive of
the latest in automotive environmental technology. Look for sign-up sheet in
the Green Car Group booth, near the entrance to the Environmental Exposition.
Ride-and-drive session will take place beginning at
9:30 a.m. on Saturday. Among the vehicles available for driving will be examples of
neighborhood electric vehicles, which will be street-legal in Oregon
beginning January 1, 2002.
Continental Breakfast
7:00 - 8:30 a.m.
Location: Smith Ballroom Alcove
Welcome and Introductions
8:30 - 8:45 a.m.
Emcee: Christy George, 2001 SEJ Conference Chair, and Oregon Public Broadcasting
Speakers:
1. Roy Koch, PSU Director of Environmental Sciences and Resources
2. Gary Withers, PSU Vice President for University Relations
Location: Smith Center Ballroom, 3rd floor
Opening Plenary
8:45 - 10:15 a.m.
Business, Environment and Defense: Can Technology Save the Planet?
Is there a technological fix to every problem that plagues the
planet? In a
closed-loop biosphere with finite limits to growth, is it always
possible to
engineer our way out of complex systems-wide crises? High-tech
entrepreneurs
may offset environmental impacts of their industries, like
increasing waste
streams, by their unprecedented charitable giving. But the bigger
question is
whether the next new thing - higher-speed computing, robotics,
nanotech and
biotech - can cleanse pollution, increase crop yields, reduce
global warming
and stave off extinction? And, in a business climate that now includes
terrorism, will the high-tech industry continue to design products
for a more
sustainable world or return to its roots as a tool of the military?
Moderator: TBA
Speakers:
1. Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-WA), former Senior Vice President RealNetworks, Inc., maker of RealAudio, RealPlayer and RealJukebox (invited)
2. Michel Gelobter, Executive Director, Redefining Progress
3. Dr. Allen Hammond, senior scientist, World Resources Institute
4. Jan Hauser, principal architect, Sun Microsystems, and developer of computing technology to map planetary biodiversity
5. Steve Kirsch, CEO, Propel, Inc.
6. Rachel Shimshak, Director, Renewable Northwest Project
Location: Smith Center Ballroom, 3rd floor
Coffee Break
10:15 - 10:30 a.m.
Concurrent Sessions 1
10:30 a.m. - 11:45 p.m.
THE FUTURE:
High Tech Trash: How to Cover America's Newest Toxic
Waste Crisis
With more than 20 million computers becoming obsolete every year,
the U.S. is
awash in a growing tidal wave of computer junk -- much of it
containing high
levels of lead, mercury, arsenic and other toxins. Who should pay the
massive bill to get rid of all this stuff? Cities? Consumers? Industry? At
least 21 states are debating bills to ban monitors from landfills, charge
"bottle bill'' fees on computers and other ways to address the problem.
Chances are, you will be assigned this story sometime soon. Hear
the latest
in politics, economics and science on one of the hottest emerging
issues on
environment beat.
Moderator: Paul Rogers, Environment Writer, San Jose Mercury News
Panelists:
1. Heather Bowman, Manager of Environmental Affairs, Electronic Industries Alliance
2. Jerry Powell, Editor, E-Scrap News and Resource Recycling
3. Ted Smith, Executive Director, Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition
Room: 290
THE GLOBE:
Sitting In: Rising Civil Disobedience in the Environmental Movement
Environmental activists are pushing the boundaries of
civil protest all over the country. In this session, we'll explore how
different folks set boundaries and how they defend that limit. At one
end of the spectrum, the shadowy members
of the Earth Liberation Front claim it is defensible to burn down luxury
homes in Long Island, NY and in Arizona desert suburbs, and torch forestry
labs here in the Pacific Northwest. Closer to the mainstream,
forest activists in California, Oregon, and Washington suspend themselves
in treetops for weeks at a time to block previously-permitted timber
sales. Logging companies are appalled that the "lawbreakers" aren't
hauled off immediately. If envelope-pushing protest hasn't come to your
town yet, it won't be long before it does.
Moderator: Tom Banse, Regional Correspondent, Public Radio Olympia Bureau
Panelists:
1. Donald Fontenot, Cascadia Forest Alliance
2. Bill Pickell, Washington Contract Loggers
Association
3. Craig Rosebraugh, North American ELF (Earth Liberation Front) Press Office
Room: Browsing Lounge
THE LAND:
Faded Jewels: The Future of Our National Parks
National Parks such as Yosemite, Yellowstone, Mount Rainier and Crater Lake
are probably the best known of America's public lands, but their popularity
carries big challenges. Many parks have been besieged not only by people, but
also by urban sprawl, poaching, air pollution and deteriorating facilities
built decades ago. Both park managers and critics now wonder how America's
beloved parks -- spread through every state except Delaware -- will survive the
coming century.
Moderator: Michael Milstein, Reporter, The Oregonian
Panelists:
1. Courtney Cuff, Pacific Region Director, National Parks Conservation Association
2. Charles Lundy, Superintendent, Crater Lake National Park
3. John Reynolds, Pacific West Regional Director, National Park Service
4. Scott Silver, founder and Executive Director, Wild Wilderness
Room: Cascade Room
THE NATION:
Power to the People?: Is the Initiative Process Out of Control?
This panel will explore the initiative process as a political
phenomenon with growing influence, particularly in the West, and often involving
environmental-related issues. We’ll also discuss the intricacies
of covering initiative campaigns, which differ from traditional candidate campaigns in
subtle but very significant aspects.
Moderator: Bill Lunch, Oregon Public Broadcasting Political Analyst, and Political Science Professor at Oregon State University
Panelists:
1. Richard Ellis, Professor and Chair, Dept. of Politics, Willamette University
2. Jeff Mapes, Senior Political Reporter, The Oregonian
3. Lloyd Marbet, Initiative Activist and Chairman, The Coalition for Initiative Rights (of Oregon)
Room: 328
THE PACIFIC RIM:
Native American Sovereignty and the Environment: What They
Wouldn't Teach You in School
Throughout the Americas, tribal nations are expressing sovereignty in new and
sometimes startling ways. In the United States, headlines blaze about land
claims, tribal casino openings and water rights. But dynamic, rich stories
often fade into legalese or miss the point entirely, because few journalists
understand the complicated relationship between the United States and tribes.
Experts in the media coverage and legal complexities of Native American
issues will help you understand the basics that will unlock important stories
that have never been told in the mainstream media.
Moderator: Kara Briggs, Environmental Reporter, The Oregonian, and former President, Native American Journalists Association
Panelists:
1. Carol Craig, Public Information Manager, Yakama Nation Fisheries
2. Suzan Shown Harjo, Cheyenne, President, Morningstar Foundation, Washington, D.C.; columnist, Indian Country Today and nationally
published poet
3. Bob Miller, Choctow, Professor of Law at the law school of Lewis Clark
University in Portland, and author, numerous legal analyses of federal Indian law
4. Roberta Ulrich, journalist, and author - "Empty Nets: Indians, Dams and the Columbia
River," a book about the Columbia River tribes' fight for salmon.
Room: 329
THE ECONOMY:
Balancing the Books: Does Environmental Protection Really Promote Economic Growth?
Can free markets promote environmental goals as well as regulatory
approaches? Our panelists will discuss the economic ramifications of
environmentalism.
Moderator: Rob Eure, Reporter, Wall Street Journal
Panelists:
1. John Charles, Environmental Policy Director, Cascade Policy Institute, a
Portland-based free market think tank
2. Byron Kennard, Executive Director, The Center for Small Business and the Environment, Washington, D.C.
3. Ed Whitelaw, President, ECONorthwest; Professor of Economics, University of Oregon
Room: 327
THE CRAFT:
Using GIS As a Source for Your Story
Sure, GIS can be used to help you tell your story, but this powerful
research tool can also be used as a source, helping you generate story ideas
and figure out what questions to ask. We'll talk with two GIS experts who are on
the front lines of two of this year's hottest environmental stories --
Roadless forest areas and drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Preserve
-- and learn where to find GIS data on the web, and how to use it in your
reporting. This will include a hands-on workshop in the PSU lab.
Moderator: Ed Hunt, Tidepool News Service Editor, Ecotrust
Presenters:
1. Dirk Bryant, Director, Global Forest Watch, World Resources Institute
2. Michelle Dailey, GIS Analyst, Ecotrust
3. David Pray, GIS Analyst, Alaska Conservation Alliance GIS Support Center
4. Jeanne Rebstock, ESRI Conservation Group
5. Steven Sander Ross, Institute for Analytical Journalism
Rooms: Lab 437, Newberger Hall on Friday Oct 19 between 11:15 a.m. to
12:30 p.m. and 1:00 to 2:00 p.m.. We have reserved a 20 computer plus one instructor
station.
THE LAB:
Tracking Disease: Exploring Possible Links Between Illness and
Environmental Factors
The need to track asthma, the most common chronic disease among children in
the nation - it has doubled since 1980 and could double again in the next 20
years - has prompted a national effort to track chronic diseases. At the same
time, advances in microbiology and genetics are shedding new light on such
difficult subjects as cancer clusters and the connection between
environmental exposure and disease.
Moderator: Neil Owen Strassman, Reporter, Ft. Worth Star Telegram
Panelists:
1. Dr. Lynn Goldman,
John Bloomberg School of Public Health
2. Jim O'Hara, Executive Director, Health-Track
3. Raymond Neutra, environmental epidemiologist, California Department of Health Services
Room: 292
Lunch and Plenary Session
12:00 - 2:00 p.m.
The Bush Agenda
Hear about policy shifts on environmental issues since the
Clinton
era.
Moderator: Natalie Pawelski, CNN
Speakers:
1. Gale Norton, Secretary of the Interior (confirmed)
2. Christine Todd Whitman, EPA Administrator (confirmed)
Media Panel:
1. Charles Alexander, former Environment Editor, TIME Magazine
2. Deborah Schoch, Environmental Writer, Los Angeles Times
3. John Heilprin, National Environment Reporter, The Associated Press
4. Tim Wheeler, Assistant State News Editor, Baltimore Sun
Location: Smith Center Ballroom
Concurrent Sessions 2
2:15 - 3:30 p.m.
THE FUTURE:
Reporting on Consumption: (Not) Bringing It All Back Home
Coverage of "Sustainability" has focused almost entirely on large
economic actors -- the enterprise, the community, the nation. But every
day Americans make billions of small economic decisions that affect the
ultimate sustainability of our society, and the environmental
consequences of these go largely unexplored by the media. This panel
will discuss the challenges to journalists who want to examine these
consumer choices, and discuss creative and engaging ways to bring issues
of personal consumption and big-picture sustainability into news and
feature reporting.
Moderator: Peter Thomson, freelance journalist; former Senior Correspondent & Special Projects Editor, National Public Radio's "Living on Earth"
Panelists:
1. Michelle Cole, Consumption and Values reporter, The Oregonian
2. Jeanne Roy, co-founder and Director of Education, Northwest Earth Institute
3. Peter Santucci, Managing Editor, Washington CEO magazine
Room: 290
THE GLOBE:
The Breaking Point: A Critical Exploration of Some of the Worst-Case
Scenarios in a Warmer World
The general picture of global warming continues to sharpen. Rising levels
of heat-trapping gases, mainstream scientists say, are the most likely
cause of rising temperatures in the atmosphere and oceans and are
likely to
produce more warming through this century.
It all seems rather clear, smooth, and logical. But increasingly,
scientists looking ahead with computer models or back in time studying
ancient climate shifts envision some disturbing scenarios that are the
antithesis of smooth and clearcut.
The incremental rise in greenhouse gases, some say, could cause abrupt
shifts in ocean currents or polar ice, or lead to large new releases of
additional warming gases that had been in cold storage in the seas or
permafrost or other repositories.
The result could be destructive changes, particularly in regional
climates,
in a matter of decades.
But the scariest scenarios are also the least understood, and it is nearly
impossible to measure the likelihood that they might occur.
A panel of top climate and ocean scientists examines the science of abrupt
climate shifts, the difficulty in determining how to weigh such risks, and
the challenge this poses to policymakers, the public -- and
journalists.
Moderator: Janet Raloff, Senior Editor, Science News
Panelists:
1. Dr. Christina L. Hulbe, Assistant Professor, Geology Department, Portland State University
2. Dr. Anthony Janetos, Senior Vice President, World Resources Institute
3. Dr. Jonathan T. Overpeck, Director, Institute for the Study of Planet Earth, University of Arizona
4. Dr. John Michael Wallace, Professor of Atmospheric Sciences, University of Washington, Joint Institute for the Study of the Atmosphere and the Oceans (JISAO)
Room: Browsing Lounge
THE LAND:
Wildfires: Man, Nature and Journalists - Better Coverage of the
Burning Issues
Complex environmental, political and social issues surround this "hot"
topic, making it difficult for journalists to provide balance and depth to their
stories. In this session, you'll hear from some of the leading experts in
the field of fire sciences and forest ecology, as well as an experienced
journalist who has worked on both sides of the fire line. Topics to be
discussed, include the fire/human interface, ecology of forests and their interaction with fire, and how to
provide better coverage of wildfires. The session will help you understand
the issues and provide you with new information you can use to improve your coverage.
Moderator: Jeff Burnside, "EcoWatch," WTVJ-TV, Miami
Panelists:
1. Greg Aplet, forest ecologist, The Wilderness Society
2. Jack Cohen, Project Manager, Wildland-Urban Interface Research Project
3. Judd Slivka, Environmental Writer, The Arizona Republic
Room: Cascade Room
THE NATION:
Laws Without Teeth? Is it Possible to Enforce the Nation's Environmental Laws?
The Bush Administration wants to shift more authority to the states to
enforce federal environmental laws, but are state governments
willing or able to play environmental cop? Join a panel of environmental reporters
to discuss the issues, the possible sources and the yardsticks that can be used to
measure a state's relative enforcement success. Will states stop playing
hardball without a federal backstop? Or is devolution the solution to
pollution?
Moderator: Randall Edwards, Reporter,
capitolwire.com
Panelists:
1. John Heilprin, National Environmental Writer, The Associated Press
Room: 328
THE PACIFIC RIM:
Culture Renewed: The Return of Aboriginal Whaling in the Pacific Northwest
Despite numerous court challenges and the glare of the world's media, the
Makah Nation has revived their whaling traditions after a 70-year hiatus.
Arguments over the International Whaling Commission, Japanese market
interests, Treaty Rights, and Aboriginal subsistence rights
continue to swirl
around the Makah whaling canoe as they are again on the water this fall to
take what they claim is rightfully theirs.
Moderator: David Wiwchar, Managing Editor & Southern Region Reporter, Ha-Shilth-Sa - Canada's Oldest First Nations Newspaper,
Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council
Panelists:
1. Tom Happynook, hereditary whaling Chief, Huu-ay-aht Nation,
Vancouver Island, BC; and founder and President of the World Council of
Whalers
2. Dick Russell, author, "Eye of the Whale: From Baja to Siberia with the World's Largest Mammal"
3. Paul Watson, Sea Shepherd Conservation Society
Room: 329
THE ECONOMY:
Keeping the Lights On: Who'll Be the Next California?
California's wild ride on energy issues began when it deregulated the industry. So
far two dozen other states are in the deregulation line, waiting to take the
plunge even if they're having second thoughts. What's your home state up to
-- and would it fare any better? Ask a federal power administrator, an
executive with the nation's largest electricity trader and a sustainable
energy guru in this give-and-take on power problems.
Moderator: Amy Gahran, independent writer, editor, and publisher, and former
Managing Editor of E Source and Energy User News
Panelists:
1. Hal Harvey, Director, Energy Foundation
2. Paul Kaufman, Vice President, Government Affairs, Enron
3. Steven Wright, Director, Bonneville Power Administration
Room: 327
THE CRAFT:
Getting the Right Play for Your Story
How do environment stories find the right display or airing? Is
there really
a conflict between mainstream news values and stories from the environment
realm? Why do some stories make it to Page One, or lead off the newscast,
while others -- perhaps more important -- get buried or scuttled?
Moderator: Len Reed, Environment Team Leader, The Oregonian
Panelists:
1. Frank Allen, President, Institutes for Journalism & Natural Resources; former Environment Editor, The Wall Street Journal
2. Frank Clifford, Environment, Science & Medicine Editor, Los Angeles Times
3. Andrea Otanez, Environment, Energy & Science Editor, The Seattle
Times
Room: 292
SEJ Membership Meeting
3:45 - 5:30 p.m.
SEJ members are urged to attend their annual membership meeting. Eligible
voters will cast old-fashioned pen-and-ink ballots (no chads) to fill seats
on the board of directors, hear about exciting new SEJ programs to be
unveiled for 2002 and learn who's won SEJ's 2001 David Stolberg Award for
Meritorious Volunteer Service. Meeting will also include brief progress
reports and open discussion on any new business or concerns members may wish
to share.
Location: Cascade Room
Environmental Exposition Reception
5:00 - 7:00 p.m.
SEJ is proud to offer conference attendees an in-depth look at some of the
latest developments, achievements and new environmental concepts in fields
as diverse as alternative fuel vehicles, sustainable-building supplies, environmental science, technology and policy issues.
In addition to SEJ providing hors d'oeuvres and cash bar, exhibitors will
be offering an additional selection of food and drink at their booths.
Location: In "The Big Tent," located on
the PSU campus along the pathway between the Smith Center and
Hoffmann Hall
Keynote Speaker
7:30 - 8:30 p.m.
We'll hear from renowned primatologist and conservation biologist Russell Mittermeier, President of Conservation International, about the next mass extinction. With eye-opening slides from across the globe, he'll show us what we stand to lose, and some current efforts to prevent the looming tide of extinction.
Introduction: Paul Rogers, Environment Writer, San Jose Mercury News
Speaker: Russell Mittermeier, President, Conservation International
Location: Hoffman Hall
Back to the top
Saturday, October 20:
Portland State University
All events are in the Smith Center unless indicated otherwise.
Smith Center: SW Park Avenue between SW Harrison and SW Montgomery Sts.
Hoffman Hall: SW Eleventh Avenue at SW Harrison St.
Logistics:
The PSU Campus is a short walk from the Doubletree and Days Inn, but for
those who prefer transportation a shuttle bus will run continuously to and
from PSU, beginning at 7:30 a.m. The last pick-up at PSU at
4:45 p.m. will shuttle to the reception at the World Forestry Center.
The shuttle will make continuous hourly loops between the Doubletree,
Days Inn and the World Forestry Center until 7:30 p.m., when the last
shuttle will depart for the hotels.
From Double Tree Hotel to PSU campus:
Exit the Double Tree Hotel and cross Lincoln at the crosswalk.
Continue walking north on the pedestrian walkway between the office
and apartment buildings.
Continue north to the fountain. Turn left and walk west past the big
silver and glass building to 4th Street. Cross 4th at Hall and
continue walking west passing 5th, 6th and Broadway. After crossing
Broadway, turn right to Smith Center. Follow the signs.
For more information, there is a great campus map on the PSU website.
Click on "about PSU" to pick up the campus map. The best one to
print is the line drawing map of the campus directory.
From Days Inn to PSU campus:
Exit Days Inn through their lobby. Walk south on 6th Ave, crossing
Clay Street, and proceed another block to Market Street. Walk west
on Market Street one block to Broadway.
The first campus building is Lincoln Hall. Smith Center is two
buildings further south with entrances on all sides of the building.
All Day:
- Registration and sign-up for Saturday mini-tours, Sunday nature photography workshop and members-only small-group sessions
Location: Main Lobby Area, Smith Center, 2nd Floor
- Press Room
Room: 331
- Interview Room
Room: 323
- SEJ Photo Gallery and Reading Room
Location: Littman Gallery
- Literature Display Tables
Browse for environmental information, news and opinions from a variety of
sources.
Location: Smith Center, 2nd Floor Lounge, and Rooms 296 and 298
- The Big Tent: Environmental Exposition
11:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
PSU campus: 10th Avenue and Harrison Street
SEJ's 2001 Environmental Exposition offers an in-depth look at
some of the latest developments in fields as diverse as alternative-fuel
vehicles, sustainable-building supplies, environmental science, technology and policy
issues. Innovations will be
highlighted by exhibitors in "The Big Tent," located on the PSU campus along
the pathway between the Smith Center and Hoffmann Hall.
- Environmental Automotive Ride & Drive
On Saturday at 9:30 a.m., automotive exhibitors will also offer special
opportunities to ride and drive the latest advanced technology vehicles,
including neighborhood electric vehicles, which will be street-legal in
Oregon beginning January 1, 2002. Sign up on Friday if you can;
walk-ins will be accommodated if possible.
Beat Breakfast
7:45 - 9:15 a.m.
Speakers: TBA
Location: Smith Center Ballroom, concurrent with Small-Group Session, Mentoring Program Breakfast Roundtable - room TBA
Small-Group Session
7:45 – 9:15 a.m.
Mentoring Program Breakfast Roundtable
SEJ's Mentoring Program matches experienced professionals with
students and journalists who are new to the environmental beat. Mentors provide
one-on-one advice, writing critiques, and other assistance. The roundtable discussion
will focus on reviewing this year’s mentoring program to improve
upon it for future years.
Speakers: TBA
Location: 294, concurrent with Beat Breakfast in Smith Center Ballroom
Concurrent Sessions 3
9:30 - 10:45 a.m.
THE FUTURE:
Last Wilderness
The shared border between Alaska and British Columbia
encompasses one of the largest and most spectacular stretches of wilderness
in North America, including five major river systems pouring through the
Coast Mountain Range - the Unuk, Stikine, Whiting, Taku, and
Tatshenshini-Alsek. This session will explore efforts to ensure that
resource development - mining, logging, and fishing - remains sustainable
and protects the wild nature of this panhandle region.
Moderator: Larry Pynn, Environmental Reporter, Vancouver Sun
Panelists:
1. Kerry Howard, Coastal Program Coordinator, Division of Governmental Coordination, Governor's Office, State of Alaska
2. Gary Livingstone, President and Chief Executive Officer, The Mining Association of British Columbia
3. Chris Zimmer, U.S. Field Coordinator, Transboundary Watershed Alliance
Room: 290
THE GLOBE:
Around the World in Ten Days
Chemicals used in industrialized nations are spreading around the world,
many of them winding up in remote regions, where they threaten the health of
people and wildlife. Some of these pollutants, such as PCBs and DDT, can
spread from Asia to North America in a matter of days. How are these
chemicals spreading so far and so fast? What impact are they having on human
health and ecosystems? What are nations doing to stop it? Join a discussion
of this global phenomenon, with some emphasis on the Arctic realm.
Moderator: Marla Cone, Environment Reporter & Pew Fellow, Los Angeles Times
Panelists:
1. Leonard Barrie, chief scientist, Atmospheric Chemistry, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
2. Clifton Curtis, Director, Global Toxics Initiative, World Wildlife Fund, USA
Room: Browsing Lounge
THE LAND:
Fighting Back: The Western Wise Use Movement
Our Wise Use panelists cover the gamut from frontline trench warfare with environmentalists practiced by Chuck
Cushman of the American Land Rights Association, to special use advocacy
practiced by Don Amador of the Blue Ribbon Coalition, to think-tank
development of national natural resource policy practiced by Terry
Anderson of the Political Economy Research Center. Their interests and
experiences range from local conflicts here in the Northwest, to
multi-state issues and on to national policies embraced by the Bush
Administration.
Moderator: Brodie Farquhar, Environment Reporter, Casper Star-Tribune
Panelists:
1. Don Amador, representative, BlueRibbon Coalition, Inc.
2. Terry Anderson, Executive Director, Political Economy Research Center
3. Charles Cushman, Executive Director, American Land Rights Association
Room: Cascade Room
THE NATION:
God and Nature: The Rise of Religious Involvement in the Environment
Church leaders in Boston stage a protest against gas-guzzling
SUVs. Catholic
bishops in the Northwest release an unprecedented pastoral letter urging
protection of the Columbia River. Around the country, people profess their
religious faith before testifying on behalf of forests and
rivers. What has
been the effect of religious involvement in the environment? What are the
barriers? Misunderstandings? Victories?
Moderator: Michelle Cole, Reporter, The Oregonian
Panelists:
1. Frank Fromherz, Archdiocese, Oregon's Office of Justice and Peace
2. Jeff Hammarlund, Senior Research Fellow and Adjunct Associate Professor, Mark Hatfield School of Government, Portland State University
3. Peter Illyn, founder, Christians for Environmental Stewardship
4. Shelley Means, Environmental Justice Associate, Washington Association of Churches
5. John Pitney, Pastor, First United Methodist Church
Room: 328
THE PACIFIC RIM:
The Chinese Century: What Will the World's Most Populous Nation Do with the Environment?
Water, air, global warming -- the most populous nation of the world is
working overtime to provide a better environment to its people, and to abide
by the international protocols it has agreed to sign. For the Chinese
government, air quality is a national priority, but people in China are also
discussing projects like the immense diversion of water called the
North-South Water Transfer, the building of dams on the Three Gorges River,
industrial waste, and other environmental issues.
Moderator: Jacques A. Rivard, Environment Reporter, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
Panelists:
1. Liu Jianqiang, Tsinghua University Center for International Communications Studies, School of Humanities and Social Sciences
2. Ma Jun, Representative, South China Morning Post
3. Jennifer L. Turner, Senior Project Associate, Environmental Change and Security Project, Woodrow Wilson Center
4. Li Xiguang, Director, Tsinghua University Center for International Communications Studies
Room: 329
THE ECONOMY:
Consumer Clout: How Purchasing Power Can Influence the Environment
Headlines tell the story: "Environmentalists Claim Victory, Call Off
Swordfish Ban." "Eco-Certified Lumber Builds a Corporate Following."
"McDonalds Reduces Fast Food Packaging, Environmentalists call off
Boycott."
With environmentalists increasingly teaming with consumers to persuade
corporations to adopt more eco-friendly practices, we’ll give you
an insider
look at the power consumers really have in setting green policy.
Learn what
strategies environmental groups use to steer corporate decisions, and how
corporations are responding. And find out if working-class people
are getting
caught in the crossfire.
Moderator: Robert Mazurek, Research Writer, Monterey Bay Aquarium, SeaFood Watch
Panelists:
1. Susan Boa, Project Manager, Seaweb
2. Hank Cauley, Executive Director, Forest Stewardship Council-U.S.
3. Pat Chandler, Manager of Community Affairs, The Home Depot
4. Zeke Grader, Executive Director, Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen's Associations
Room: 327
THE CRAFT:
Science Writing Workshop: Selling the Story with Science
Tired of the "he-said, she-said" back-and-forth between industry and
environmentalists? If so, chances are your editors and readers have
also grown weary of that formula. Join several top-notch science
writers in a panel co-sponsored by the National Association of
Science Writers to discuss how to cut through the spin and go
straight to the science by using journal articles, independent
scientists, science-meeting presentations, and more, to substitute
facts for opinions. A group of science writers tell how they bring
science to bear in their work and how you can find sources, get key
information, and locate journal articles to report the science behind
the issues.
Moderator: Linda Roach, freelance writer
Panelists:
1. Richard Hill, Science Writer, The Oregonian
2. Michael Milstein, Reporter, The Oregonian
3. Carol Kaesuk Yoon, The New York Times
Room: 292
Concurrent Sessions 4
11:00 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.
THE FUTURE:
Earth Abides -- But Where Does That Leave the Rest of Us?
A panel of science fiction and fantasy authors will discuss how the human
race may, or may not, learn to co-exist peacefully with our environment in
the years to come.
Moderator: Jeffrey Shaffer, Radio Commentator, Oregon
Public Broadcasting and Columnist, The Christian
Science Monitor
Panelists:
1. Steve Perry, author
2. Irene Radford, author
3. Robert Sheckley, author/producer
Room: 290
THE GLOBE:
Peril in Paradise: The Ecological Crisis on Pacific Islands
Rather than tropical paradises, Hawaii and other Pacific Islands are actually zones of mass extinction,
their beaches and forests overrun by invasive species. Little media attention has been given to these
archipelagos of the "living dead." This session will present an overview of key facts and issues,
explaining the threat to biodiversity on Pacific Islands, how it got this way, what's being done about
it and how to find the local angle for your mainland editor/news director.
Moderator: William Allen, Science Writer, St Louis Post-Dispatch
Panelists:
1. Ed Guerrant, Conservation Director, Berry Botanic Garden
2. Paul Henson, Field Supervisor, Pacific Islands Fish and Wildlife Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
3. Bill Steiner, Director, Pacific Island Ecosystems Research Center, Biological Resources Division, U.S. Geological Survey
Room: Browsing Lounge
THE LAND:
Drilling the Midnight Wilderness: Oil and Gas Exploration in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
The coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge may contain the
greatest untapped oil field in America. The plain is also a key habitat of
one of America's last great wildernesses. Proposals to drill for oil there
have been shot down before by environmental coalitions and popular support
for the wilderness, but now the refuge's suspected reserves are a major
component of President Bush's energy plan. With new calls for energy
self-sufficiency and security since the terrorist attacks on New York and
Washington, the battle over the refuge continues to grow.
Moderator: Rich Mauer, Special Projects Editor, Anchorage Daily News
Panelists:
1. Ken Boyd, former Director of the Alaska Division of Oil and Gas
and currently consultant to Arctic Power, the organization lobbying
to open ANWR
2. Pam Miller, independent consultant on Alaska environmental issues,
former Chair of the Alaska Coalition and former Alaska Program
Director of the Wilderness Society
Room: Cascade Room
THE NATION:
Will Both the Environment and Environmental News Become
Casualties of Terrorism, Too?
Environmental journalists are wondering if their beat will become another
casualty of terrorist attacks on America. We will explore emerging
environmental
stories and themes - from chemical and biological terrorism to rethinking
urban planning.
Moderator: Mike Dunne, Environmental Reporter, The (Baton Rouge) Advocate
Panelists:
1. Dan Fagin, New York Newsday
2. Michael R. Skeels, PhD, MPH Oregon State Public Health Laboratory
Room: 328
THE PACIFIC RIM:
Our Nuclear Legacy: Cleaning Up After the Arms Race
Successes and failures in the nation's
nuclear waste cleanup program, with emphasis on the riskiest and most
expensive cleanup challenges at Hanford.
Moderator: Karen Dorn Steele, Environmental/Special Projects Reporter, The Spokesman-Review
Panelists:
1. Robert Alvarez, Institute for Policy Studies; former senior policy adviser to Energy Secretary
Bill Richardson
2. Keith Klein, Hanford Site Manager, U.S. Department of Energy
3. David Mears, Senior Assistant Attorney General, Ecology Division, State of Washington
Room: 329
THE ECONOMY:
Water Rights and the ESA: On a Collision Course?
In Oregon, farmers take the law into their own hands and take
water reserved for endangered fish. In Washington, a lawsuit claims state-granted water
rights trump the Endangered Species Act. And across the West, the human
population continues to soar while the amount of water available does not.
Hear about the legally perilous landscape faced by those who would save
endangered species, and some innovative approaches to water marketing that
some say could solve the conflicts.
Moderator: Robert McClure, Staff Writer, Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Panelists:
1. Zeke Grader, Executive Director, Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen's Associations
2. David E. Haddock, attorney, Pacific Legal
Foundation
3. Clay J. Landry, water marketer, Political Economy Research Center and WestWater Research
4. Rachael Paschal Osborn, attorney, Washington Water Trust
Room: 327
THE CRAFT:
How to Make Environmental Stories Resonate
Public demand for environmental news keeps growing, spurred on by climate
change, ocean pollution, oil exploration and other timely topics explored at
this conference. Amid the blizzard of news, how can environmental
journalists present their stories in an evocative manner that holds the
public's interest while still explaining complex issues? We'll hear from
journalists at the top of their field on how they have succeeded in fusing
cutting-edge reporting with style and how best to convey news laden with
statistics and uncertainty. We'll also debate whether environmental
reporting has become bogged down in incrementalism - if we produce stories with
interchangeable parts, targeting endangered fish one day and tainted
groundwater the next, without reaching for a larger, more holistic
perspective. Despite the surge in environmental reporting, one panelist
commented recently, why aren't we producing pieces with the impact and
resonance of "Silent Spring"?
Moderator: Deborah Schoch, Environmental Writer, Los Angeles Times
Panelists:
1. Elizabeth Arnold, correspondent, National
Public
Radio
2. Bob Baker, Deputy Metropolitan Editor, Los Angeles Times
3. John Balzar, Editorial Columnist, Los Angeles Times
Room: 292
Network Lunch
12:15 - 2:00 p.m.
Location: Smith Center Ballroom, concurrent with Small-Group Sessions (see below)
Small-Group Session #1
12:15 - 2:00 p.m.
Energy Options Today: Covering Alternatives and Renewables
Where will your power come from in the next year or decade? The
Bush Energy Plan calls for more fossil fuels and nuclear plants -- but other energy
sources, strategies, and technologies have been gaining ground. Explore
what's happening today on the alternative and renewable energy fronts and
learn what kinds of stories this evolving issue can yield.
Moderator: Miguel Llanos, Environment Editor, MSNBC.com
Speakers:
1. George Brown, Communications Director, National Renewable Energy Lab
2. Ron Pernick, co-founder, Clean Edge Network
3. Roby Roberts, Manager for Renewable Energy, Pacificorp
4. Rachel Shimshak, Director, Renewable Northwest Project
Location: Alumni Room, concurrent with Network Lunch in Smith Center Ballroom
Small-Group Session #2
12:15 - 2:00 p.m.
EPA PIOs Roundtable
Eager to meet the faces behind the voices of EPA's media relations people?
More than a dozen reps from coast to coast will join us at this luncheon
question-and-answer session. Gain insights into the new
administration, ask
about response times and processes, or inquire about upcoming
developments.
Attendance is limited. Please sign up in advance at the SEJ Registration
Desk.
Moderator: Margaret Kriz, Staff Correspondent, National Journal
Speakers: TBA
Location: Room 294, concurrent with Network Lunch in Smith Center Ballroom
Reporters Workshop: Working the Web
2:15 - 4:45 p.m.
Web content experts will discuss tools and lead hands-on
workshops, exploring various environmental resources which focus on
pesticides, energy, and bioregional news services. Discover how
the Web can enhance your research skills and give your stories more punch.
There will be ample opportunity to explore sites and practice techniques at
Portland State University's state-of-the art computer labs.
Moderator: Phil Wexler, National Library of Medicine
Presenters:
1. Pesticides - Alan Felsot, Professor and Extension Specialist, Entomology/Environmental Toxicology, Washington State University
2. Energy - Mark Rodekohr, Director, Energy Markets and Contingency Information Administration, Energy Information Adminstration, U.S. Department of Energy
3. Bioregional News Services - Ed Hunt, Tidepool News Service Editor, Ecotrust
Rooms: Lab 437, Newberger Hall
Mini-Tours
2:15 - 5:00 p.m.
Space is strictly limited on mini-tours. You must preregister to
attend. Sign
up beginning Thursday afternoon at the SEJ registration tables in
the Smith
Center. Attendees will board buses on SW Broadway on the east side of the
Smith Center, unless otherwise indicated on your tour description.
Last-minute attendees only as space allows. The final destination of all
mini-tours is the World Forestry Center, site of SEJ’s Saturday evening
reception.
Forests 2: Urban Forests
Explore the hard-working urban forest, in residential, industrial,
and park settings in central Portland. Quiz several experts, and gather
resources on some of the latest research and programs addressing air pollution,
stormwater runoff, allergenicity, maintenance, energy use, and other issues.
Tour Leaders:
1. Joe Poracsky, Geography Department, Portland State University
2. Robert Weinhold, freelance journalist
Speakers:
1. Jane Foreman, Executive Director, Friends of Trees (invited)
2. David Milarch, President and co-founder, Champion Tree Project
3. Terry Mock, Executive Director, Champion Tree Project
Salmon 2: Living in the E.S.A.
This tour will explore a small Portland stream -- Johnson Creek - and the
efforts being done by the city, local residents and businesses to try and
bring endangered salmon back. The first stop is a public golf
course where a new waterway has been dug to circumvent a small dam and allow fish
to spawn above it again. The second stop is a small city farm that is restoring
wetlands to give young salmon somewhere to hang out and eat on
their journey down stream to the ocean. The third stop is the Brookside project -- where
the city is trying to both reduce residential flooding, and improve salmon
habitat.
Tour Leaders:
1. Kristian Foden-Vencil, Reporter, Oregon Public Broadcasting
2. Pat Forgey, Environmental Writer, News-Register
Speakers:
1. Daniela Brod, City of Portland, Bureau of Environmental Services
2. Dick Caldwell, fishery biologist, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife
3. Erica Fernay, The Friends of Zenger Farm
4. Kim Hatfield, Johnson Creek Watershed Council
5. Roberta Jortner, Portland/Willamette Watershed, City of Portland, Bureau of Environmental Services
6. Jim Midaugh, Endangered Species Program, City of Portland
7. Lynn Vanderkamp, Environmental Educator, City of Portland, Bureau of Environmental Services
8. Luci Wells, community volunteer, City of Portland, Bureau of Environmental Services
Sprawl 2: Green Businesses
Explore the full range of Portland's sustainability efforts surrounding
business and growth on the west side Sunset Corridor, sometimes
referred to
as the Silicon Forest, though conspicuously lacking in trees. The
tour begins
with presentations by local sustainable-business gurus, including an
orientation to the wildly successful Oregon Natural Step Network and a
briefing on Portland's efforts to export its sustainability expertise to
Asia. Next, the tour bus arrives at Intel Corp.'s sprawling
suburban campus,
where Intel representatives address their attempts to offset local growth
impacts. Finally, the tour stops off at Orenco Station, a celebrated
mixed-use development on the outer fringes of Portland's renowned urban
growth boundary. Here, experts will present opposing viewpoints
on light-rail
transportation, housing and whether or not the growth boundary is
accomplishing its ambitious objectives in the wake of fast-paced growth.
Tour Leaders:
1. Brian Back, Journalist, Portland Business Journal
2. Derek Reiber, Managing Editor,
Tidepool News Service
Speakers:
1. Jennifer H. Allen, Sustainable Business Liaison, Oregon Economic and Community Development Department
2. Jacob Brostoff, 1000 Friends of Oregon
3. Duke Castle, Oregon Natural Step Network
4. John Charles, Environmental Policy Director, Cascade Policy Institute, a Portland-based free market think tank
5. Bill Mackenzie, spokesperson, Intel Corp.
6. Rod Park, Councilor, Metro Council Office
7. Ernie Platt, Home Builders Association of Metropolitan Portland
8. Kelly Ross, lobbyist, Home Builders Association of Metropolitan Portland
9. Rick Schulberg, Executive Director, International Sustainable Development Foundation
10. David Williams, President, Shorebank Pacific
Washington Park: A Sense of Place
Spend the afternoon exploring scenic
Washington Park, home to Portland's famous Japanese Garden, Rose
Garden and
Hoyt Arboretum. See an ongoing slow-motion landslide, and learn
how it led to
the well-visited beloved urban parks that today help give
Portland a sense
of place. On this bus/walking tour (wear comfortable shoes), you'll also
learn about "urban greenfrastructure" and see firsthand how a
1903 park plan
by John Charles Olmsted--adopted son of the nation's foremost parkmaker
Frederick Law Sr.--provided the philosophical basis for
Portland's regional
Greenspaces system.
Tour Leaders:
1. Sally Deneen, freelance writer/author
2. Vince Patton, KGW-TV
Speakers:
1. Lou Clark, Earth Science Information Officer, Oregon Dept. of Geology
2. Mike Houck, Urban Naturalist, Audubon Society of Portland
3. Fred Nilsen, Aboriculturist and Manager, Hoyt Arboretum & Forest Park
Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge: System in Peril
The National Wildlife Refuge System is America's only network of federal
lands dedicated specifically to wildlife conservation. But it is a
system in
peril as it approaches its centennial in 2003. Visit one of the
system's gems
-- Ridgefield (Wash.) National Wildlife Refuge, 45 minutes north
of Portland
on the Columbia River -- and hear experts talk about some of the issues
confronting the system as it oversees 535 units on 93 million acres across
the United States and its territories. Special bonus: With the
fall migration
well underway our walking/driving tour will feature a variety of waterfowl.
Tour Leaders:
1. Eric Apalategui, Environment Writer, The Daily News of
Longview, Wash.
2. Allan Brettmann, Environmental Reporter, The Oregonian, Vancouver Bureau
Speakers:
1. Tom Dwyer, Regional Conservation Director, Ducks Unlimited
2. Tom Melanson, Refuge Manager, Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge, U.S. Fish &
Wildlife
Service
3. Susan Saul, Regional National Wildlife Refuge System
Centennial Coordinator, U. S. Fish & Wildlife Service
Willamette River: National Heritage River and Superfund Site
Five years ago, the Portland Harbor was home to an international
port poised
to snag a larger share of the world shipping market. Today, a $196 million
plan to deepen the federal navigation channel is on hold, and Portland's
stretch of the lower Willamette River is now governed by the Endangered
Species Act and the Superfund program. How will threatened salmon
and tribal
fishing rights drive a large-scale river cleanup of DDT, tars, PCBs,
tributyltin and sewer overflows? And what does the Superfund
cleanup mean for
the port's competition with other, deeper marine terminals and for a city
known nationally for its green image?
Tour Leaders:
1. Ben Jacklet, Reporter, The Portland Tribune
2. Brent Hunsberger, Reporter, The Oregonian
Speakers:
1. Chip Humphrey, Project Manager, EPA
2. Craig N. Johnston, Professor of Law, Lewis & Clark College's
Northwestern School of Law
3. Travis Williams, Executive Director, Willamette Riverkeeper
Green Buildings
Oregon has become a hub of green building in recent years, with a host of
examples of new and pre-used buildings that attempt to tread more lightly on
the planet. We'll tour a renovated 19th century warehouse in Portland's Pearl
District that's been turned into a showcase for
environmentally friendly construction -- from its 'living roof' to its
day-lit atrium and recycled timbers. We'll also visit the cutting-edge
headquarters of a leading ad agency, and view an old brewery that's being
redeveloped from the ground up. We'll discuss how Portland's example
translates in places without a green business infrastructure, what makes a
building 'green,' and how to spot 'greenwashing' and eco-hype from architects
and developers.
Tour Leaders:
1. Mitchell Hartman, Managing Editor, Oregon Business
2. John Henrikson, Reporter, Bend Bulletin
Speakers:
1. Gary Acker, Office of Sustainable Development, G/Rated - City of Portland Green Building Program
2. Rob Bennett, Office of Sustainable Development, G/Rated - City of Portland Green Building Program
3. Bettina von Hagen, Vice President and Managing Director, Ecotrust
4. Rene Worme, Gerding Edlen Development Co.
Logistics: Attendees will meet tour leaders in the Littman Gallery, at 2:15 p.m., to gather
to walk to the Portland Trolley.
Spirit of the Salmon
For thousands of years, salmon and people lived and flourished together in the
Columbia River watershed. Since treaty times, the salmon runs, once the
world's largest, have declined over 90 percent. Today, the future existence of Columbia River salmon is in doubt and their value to humans is weighed against power
production, irrigation and shipping. The Native American view is that salmon
unselfishly gave of themselves for the physical and spiritual sustenance of
humans since humans have been in the Northwest. In turn, Columbia River
treaty tribes, whose religious and cultural existence depend on salmon, must
now employ the depths of their hearts and the expanse of their minds to save
the salmon. This tour will go to an active spawning site, where attendees
will hear elders talk about Wy-Kan-Ush-Mi Wa-Kish-Wit (spirit of the salmon),
the Columbia River treaty tribes' restoration plan, and, with luck, actually
see salmon spawning.
Tour Leaders:
1. Carol Craig, Public Information Manager, Yakama Nation Fisheries
2. Patty Wentz, Environment Reporter,
Willamette Week
Speakers:
1. Bill Bosch, Fisheries Program Data Manager and Assistant Harvest
Manager, Yakama Indian Nation
2. Jerry Meninick, Chairman, Yakama Tribal Council
Reception and Presentations at the World Forestry Center
5:00 - 7:30 p.m.
Following an afternoon of mini-tours, we'll all gather for drinks and hors
d'oeuvres at the one-of-a-kind World Forestry Center Museum in Portland's
Washington Park. Museum exhibits include a Northwest old-growth forest,
tropical rainforests, and other forest types from around the globe. Special
exhibits include: Oregon Then and Now (selected photographs by Steve
Terrill and Benjamin Gifford), Bamboo in Japanese Culture, and Woodies on
the Water: Classic Antique Boats. And you won't want to miss the world's
only Talking Tree. Experts will be on hand to discuss the exhibits, as
well as the impacts of logging and the promise of sustainable forestry
practices, including a ceremonial planting of a genetic clone of the 500 year old National Champion Red Ash by the
Champion Tree Project.
Speaker: Glen Gilbert, President, World Forestry Center
Location: World Forestry Center, 4033 SW Canyon Road, near the Portland Zoo
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Sunday, October 21:
Logistics: Buses will depart from Portland's Doubletree Hotel at 7:30 a.m. for our
morning session at Bonneville Dam in the Columbia River Gorge
National Scenic
Area. The dam is 40 miles east of Portland, off I-84, exit 40. Our session
will be in the Training Room inside the Colonial-Rivival-style Auditorium
Building. The whole complex is a National Historic Landmark.
Plenary Session
8:30 - 10:00 a.m.
Lewis and Clark: The Landscape and Their Legacy
This panel will discuss how the landscape through which Lewis and Clark
traveled has changed over the past 200 years, as well as the
impact of their
expedition on Native Americans and the ecosystems of the American
West. The
upcoming bicentennial of the Lewis and Clark expedition provides
an occasion
to examine our ongoing attempt to reconcile the traditions of
natural history
and conservation with the exploitation of natural resources, all
of which are
deeply engrained in American culture.
Moderator: Elizabeth Grossman, freelancer
Speakers:
1. Blaine Harden, Reporter, The New York Times
2. Craig Lesley, Hallie Ford Chair of Creative
Writing, Willamette University; author; editor - "Talking Leaves: Contemporary Native American Short
Stories" and "Dreamers and Desperadoes: Contemporary
Fiction of the American West"
3. Allen V. Pinkham, Sr., National Lewis and Clark Bicentennial Council Tribal Liaison with the Nez Perce Tribe, Northern Idaho Indian Agency
Location: Training Room, Auditorium Building, Bonneville Dam
Buffet Brunch and Walks Around Bonneville Dam
10:00 - 11:00 a.m.
Multnomah Falls Hike
11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
En route back to Portland, we’ll stop at Multnomah Falls, one of the
nation’s tallest waterfalls to hike around the grounds and visit
the historic Multnomah Falls Lodge. Buses will drop people off at the Portland
airport or be back to the DoubleTree Hotel by 1:00 p.m.
Post-Conference Tour to the Snake River Dams and the Columbia River's Hanford Reach - CANCELLED
Due to new security restrictions severely impacting
opportunities for SEJ group access to key sites in Oregon and Washington,
organizers have decided to cancel SEJ’s post-conference tour. Agenda
for basic conference events October 17 - 21 in Portland is unchanged.
Tour fee refunds will be issued to all registrants for Oct. 21-24 activities.
SEJ will also reimburse airline ticket change fees, as needed. Registrants
will be contacted individually about post-conference tour cancellation and
reimbursements.
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