One Book, One Community is a community-wide reading initiative aimed at encouraging residents of the Chippewa Valley to turn their attention to a single book on a social justice topic in order to understand how the issue affects our community, and more importantly, to start conversations about how community members can take positive steps toward change.
Nature’s Best Hope
A New Approach to Conservation That Starts in Your Yard
by Douglas W. Tallamy
The library has selected Douglas Tallamy’s Nature’s Best Hope as the next One Book, One Community title. The book aims to bring awareness to the shrinking biodiversity we experience due to our preference for grass lawns over more prairie-like yards. A robust series of programs will help participants learn the science behind those choices, as well as offer practical tips to create a more nature-friendly yard. The library will host several programs to explore how these issues affect the Chippewa Valley, as well as what we can do as both individuals and a community to address them.
Check out your copy of Nature’s Best Hope today!
This Year’s Events
Main Event
See Nature’s Best Hope author Douglas Tallamy at the Chippewa Valley Book Festival
Saturday, October 14 • 9:30 a.m. • Riverview Room
Recent headlines about the declining global insect population and three billion fewer birds in North America are a bleak reality check about how ineffective our current landscape designs have been at sustaining the plants and animals that sustain us. Such losses are not an option if we wish to continue our current standard of living on Planet Earth. The good news is that none of this is inevitable. Nature’s Best Hope author Douglas Tallamy will discuss simple steps that each of us can—and must—take to reverse declining biodiversity, why we must change our adversarial relationship with nature to a collaborative one, and why we, ourselves, are nature’s best hope. Free registration required.
Co-sponsored by Chippewa Valley Book Festival
Workshop
Building for the Birds
Saturday, September 23 • 10 a.m. • RCU Dabble Box Makerspace
Luke Trittelwitz from Beaver Creek Reserve will lead an Earth Talk about the important role birds play in supporting biodiversity in our yards and what you can do to support them. Following the lecture, Luke will lead a workshop to create your very own bluebird house. All supplies and tools will be provided. Free registration is required.
Talk
A Connecticut Warbler in King Climate’s Court
Tuesday, September 26 • 6 p.m. • Riverview Room
Nature’s systems are marvelous and efficient organisms, the product of millions of years of fine-tuning. But what happens if you tinker with the natural parts? Join ornithologist Steve Betchkal as he explains how climate crisis is impacting birds and bird conservation, and what you can do to help where you live. Moderated by BJ Hollars, author of Flock Together: A Love Affair with Extinct Birds. (No registration required.)
Workshop
Make and Take: Native Seed Bombs
Saturday, September 30 • 10 a.m. • RCU Dabble Box Makerspace
Fall is a wonderful time of year to plant native species. Drop in to make your own seed bomb with select native flowers. John Muetz from Beaver Creek Reserve will be available to assist with the activity and answer questions you may have about selecting and planting native species. All supplies and tools will be provided. Suitable for all ages. (No registration required. While supplies last.)
Discussion
Book Discussion: Nature’s Best Hope
Thursday, November 16 • 6 p.m. • Riverview Room
Have you read Nature’s Best Hope by Doug Tallamy and want to chat more about it? Do you have questions you’d like to work through? Do you want to know more about the efforts being led locally by the Chippewa Valley Pollinator Partnership? Then this book discussion is for you! Led by Jane Mohler from the Chippewa Valley Pollinator Partnership. Free registration is required.
More events coming soon!
One Book, One Community 2023 is supported by the L.E. Phillips Memorial Public Library, the Chippewa Valley Book Festival, Beaver Creek Reserve, and the Friends of the L.E. Phillips Memorial Public Library.
