Join us for the next installment in the TICtalks series:
Thursday, September 28, at 7:30 pm
University Center Theater – Western Colorado University
This event is free to the public, but we suggest you reserve your seat(s) here!
Learn more about the presenters:
James Calabaza
James is Director of the Indigenous Lands Program at Trees, Water & People. James engages and works with U.S. Tribal Nations in the American Southwest on efforts centered around community-based, Tribal-led stewardship projects that create economic and environmental development opportunities. In his role, James provides much needed insight and experience on working with Tribal governments that uphold traditional ethics of governance and leadership, while also respecting Tribal sovereignty. His deep rooted experiences and cultural values strengthens TWP’s approach in building honest, working relationships with Tribes and promoting cross-cultural values of large landscape conservation.
James is currently a first-year student in the Masters in Environmental Management (MEM) program at Western Colorado University, where he plans to enhance his knowledge and skills to tackle socio-environmental challenges and issues.
Anna Colburn
Anna is a Western Colorado University graduate of the Master of Environmental Management program. She is a range technician for the United States Forest Service and has previously worked as a podcast producer and reporter for the Gunnison Country Times. She hosted and produced the podcast series “Wildish” published by High Country News. It explores the controversial and complicated world of wild horses and burros roaming the Western United States.
Jonathan Coop
Jonathan is the Director of MS in Ecology and Professor of Environment and Sustainability at Western Colorado University. He specializes in the study and conservation of plant communities and landscapes in the southern Rocky Mountains. Recently, Jonathan has been channeling his efforts into pioneering research focused on enhancing the ecological resilience of landscapes through strategic forest management. He leads insightful studies into the complex transformations forests undergo due to climate fluctuations and wildfires, and investigates the critical roles of forest residuals and refugia in supporting species conservation and fostering forest resilience. Moreover, he promotes the use of prescribed fires as an effective tool to fortify forests against potential future wildfires, showcasing a forward-thinking approach to environmental stewardship. Jonathan offers a diverse range of courses and facilitates senior seminars that cover various topics such as Biogeography, Ethnobotany, and Landscape Ecology.
Quincy Knight
Quincy grew up in Connecticut on the edges of suburbia and farmland, with a deep connection to the rolling fields and the horses that inhabited them. She completed her BFA in Literature at Colby Sawyer College in the lakes region of New Hampshire, and then was drawn to the unique lifestyle and completely western landscape that is Gunnison Colorado. She is excited to honor that lifestyle and landscape with the written word through the Woman of the Land project.