Yes, this event begins at 8 am on an October Saturday morning! This is worth getting up early for, as Tom Wessels is one of our beloved local ecologists with a wealth of wisdom and a very busy schedule. We are so grateful to be hosting him for this event!

Read below for details, and note that the walk afterward has a separate registration.

Talk: 8 am

Join us at the historic Grafton Brick Meeting House for a morning with well-known local ecologist and author, Tom Wessels. This presentation will delve into the scientific principles of self-organization and co-evolution.  Specifically, we will examine how self-organization works to create systems that are energy-efficient, stable, and resilient. 

The ecosystems that surround and envelop us are diverse and magnificent -- and co-evolution made this possible over thousands of years.  Learn how networks of mutually beneficial relationships came to be, and how human systems have co-evolved as well.  Tom Wessels has spent a lifetime unpacking the mysteries of ecology right here in New England, and he provides clarity and insight into this phenomenon and how we can learn from it in our modern time.

Masks will be required for all program attendees and participants regardless of vaccination status. Registration will be limited and pre-registration is strongly encouraged.

About Tom Wessels

Tom Wessels is a terrestrial ecologist and Professor Emeritus at Antioch University New England where he founded the masters degree program in Conservation Biology.  He has conducted workshops on ecology and sustainability throughout the country for over three decades.  He is the author of numerous books including Reading the Forested Landscape, The Granite Landscape, The Myth of Progress, Forest Forensics, and Granite, Fire and Fog: A Natural and Cultural History of Acadia.

Sliding scale: $15, $20, $25

Walk: 10 am

Following the Co-evolution, Resiliency and Stability Talk with Tom Wessels, join us for a guided hike with Tom through the beautiful Grafton Town Park. As we hike, Tom will guide us through the forested landscape and provide his thoughtful and insightful knowledge of the land, flora, fauna, and more. Space is limited to 20 participants. Masks are not required as long as physical distancing can be maintained. Please bring a mask if needed for close interactions that may happen during this program.

Sliding scale: $20, $25, $30

Only a few spots are left — please email jay@nature-museum.org to sign up!