For the City Times

WISCONSIN RAPIDS – A special “Wisconsin Writers Connect” session of the Mid-State Speaker Series will bring distinguished authors Alan W. Haney and Bill Berry to the College’s communities. The free presentation takes place Wednesday, May 2, at 6 p.m. on the Stevens Point campus.

Haney will share a reading from his book Backyard Stories, which leads readers out of their houses and into their yards to examine and explore the wonder and beauty that surrounds us. Berry’s presentation will detail how citizens, scientists, reporters and traditional conservationists drew attention to the harmful effects of “the miracle pesticide” DDT, once used to control Dutch elm disease, as documented in his book “Banning DDT: How Citizen Activists in Wisconsin Led the Way.”

Alan Haney is a forest ecologist and emeritus professor of forestry and former dean of the College of Natural Resources at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. In addition to “Backyard Stories,” he is the author of “Following Old Trails,” “Jewels of Nature,” “Laughing in the Wilderness,” and several technical books on botany and ecological restoration. Bill Berry worked for more than 20 years as a reporter, columnist and editor for several daily newspapers—including the Stevens Point Journal—and is now redirecting his energy to communicate about conservation and agriculture.

The session is part of an ongoing series bringing Mid-State’s expertise on topics currently relevant to the community. There is no need to register to attend this or any presentation in Mid-State’s Speaker Series, and all sessions are free and open to the public. Find information about this and other upcoming topics at www.mstc.edu/speaker-series.