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About Madison | Coverage |
SEJ 2009 was hosted by University of Wisconsin-Madison in Madison, Wisconsin, Wednesday-Sunday, October 7-11, 2009. Download the conference brochure.
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Wednesday, October 7
Thursday, October 8
Friday, October 9
Saturday, October 10
Sunday, October 11
SEJ/IJNR Post-Conference Tour, Oct. 11-Oct 14
Back to Madison conference home.
AGENDA
SEJ's 2009 Annual Conference officially begins Wednesday afternoon, October 7, with our opening reception, followed by dinner, special welcomes and the SEJ awards ceremony.
Wednesday, October 7
The Madison Concourse Hotel and Governor’s Club, One West Dayton Street, Madison, Wisconsin.
The two workshops below will be held concurrently from about 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday. Lunch will be provided for both workshops on campus. Breakfast will NOT be provided.
All-Day Workshop 1: Producing Video for the Web
Participants will learn multimedia concepts and visual journalism skills, including camera techniques, video gathering and basic video editing. Led by the Knight Center for Environmental Journalism and University of Wisconsin instructors, this hands-on session requires that you bring your own video camera. You don’t need super hardware. It can be as simple as a Flip camera or digital camera with video capability. But it should not be a cell phone, because of poor video quality. Pre-registration and $60 fee required. Space is limited. SEJ members only.
NOTE: This workshop is full.
Instructors:
Pat Hastings, Faculty Associate, School of Journalism & Mass Communication, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Amol Pavangadkar, Senior Producer, Communication Arts and Sciences Media and the Knight Center for Environmental Journalism, Michigan State University
Sue Robinson, Assistant Professor, School of Journalism & Mass Communication, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Location: BioTechnology Center Computer Lab, University of Wisconsin-Madison
All-Day Workshop 2: Computer Assisted Reporting for the Environment
If you want to dig into the environment beat, you need to know your way around data and electronic records. This hands-on session, led by the Knight Center for Environmental Journalism and IRE instructors, introduces data analysis with spreadsheets. You’ll learn to sort, select, summarize and graphically display data. You’ll dig deep into the Web to find, download and analyze environmental datasets that produce stories. We’ll also discuss how to convert those pesky pdf files into spreadsheets. Unleash the power of spreadsheets to help you ask smarter questions, work more efficiently and produce more watchdog environmental reporting. Pre-registration and $60 fee required. Space is limited. SEJ members only.
Instructors:
Jaimi Dowdell, Training Director, Investigative Reporters and Editors
David Poulson, Associate Director, Knight Center for Environmental Journalism, Michigan State University
Location: Memorial Union Building, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Registration
2:00 - 8:00 p.m.
Sign up for Beat Dinners and Mini-tours at the nearby SEJ table. If you didn't sign up ahead of time for the Thursday tours, Saturday evening party, or Sunday morning breakfast, there may still be room — please check with registration.
Location: Ballroom Level, 2nd Floor
SEJ Information Table
Sign up here for Beat Dinners and Mini-tours. Find information about membership and services, pick up copies of SEJournal, TipSheet, FOI WatchDog and other publications.
Location: Ballroom Level, 2nd Floor
Scientists Poster Session
3:00 - 6:00 p.m.
Stop by before the opening reception to get the inside scoop on some of the latest environmental and ecological research at the University of Wisconsin-Madison from the people who do the work. UW scientists and students will present posters on a range of topics including climate change, pollution, and human-environment interactions.
Location: Madison/Wisconsin Ballroom
University of Wisconsin-Madison Bookstore
3:00 - 8:00 p.m.
Visit our onsite bookstore, where you will find a variety of books for sale, published by SEJ members, invited speakers and University of Wisconsin professors.
Location: Ballroom Level, 2nd Floor
Opening Reception and Dinner at the Concourse Hotel
5:00 - 8:00 p.m.
SEJ is, "On, Wisconsin!"… ground… and what better way to hear about Wisconsin’s progressive environmental tradition, than with microbrews, cheese and dinner? Light refreshments start at 5:00 p.m. with buffet-style dinner and Welcome-to-Wisconsin presentations to follow. Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle, Tia Nelson (daughter of late Senator Gaylord Nelson, the founder of Earth Day), former Forest Service Chief Mike Dombeck and Native American professor and journalist Patty Loew will talk about Wisconsin’s storied leadership to protect natural resources, develop renewable energy and influence the national debate on these topics
Emcees: Peter Annin, Associate Director, Institutes for Journalism & Natural Resources, and Author, The Great Lakes Water Wars; and Chuck Quirmbach, Environmental Reporter, Wisconsin Public Radio
Room: Madison/Wisconsin Ballroom
SEJ Awards for Reporting on the Environment
8:00 - 9:00 p.m.
Share the pride of your profession at SEJ’s prestigious environmental journalism awards ceremony. Hosted by Jeff Burnside, SEJ board member and reporter at NBC 6 in Miami, and his colleague, co-anchor Julia Yarbough, this gala event will showcase the best environment coverage aired, printed or posted in 2008. Winners in eleven categories will take home $20,000 — including, for the second time, the $10,000 Rachel Carson Environment Book Award. Sponsored by Animal Planet and Planet Green.
Room: Madison/Wisconsin Ballroom
The Late Show: "Waterlife"
9:00 - 10:30 p.m.
A politician once said that Wisconsin is "awash in water." So, SEJ said, let's offer Wisconsin conference goers a free look at "Waterlife," a new film that looks at the threats to the Great Lakes and Saint Lawrence River. Award-winning director/writer Kevin McMahon and his production team have captured both beautiful and thought-provoking images that should provide you with a nice overview of the Great Lakes region, and introduce you to some of the topics we'll talk about later in the conference. So, after dinner and the SEJ awards, be sure to stick around for The Late Show.
Room: Madison/Wisconsin Ballroom
Thursday, October 8
The Madison Concourse Hotel and Governor’s Club, One West Dayton Street, Madison, Wisconsin.
Registration
6:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Sign up for Beat Dinners and Mini-tours at the nearby SEJ table. If you didn't sign up ahead of time for the Thursday tours, Saturday evening party, or Sunday morning breakfast, there may still be room — please check with registration.
Location: Ballroom Level, 2nd Floor
SEJ Information Table
Sign up here for Beat Dinners and Mini-tours. Find information about membership and services, pick up copies of SEJournal, TipSheet, FOI WatchDog and other publications.
Location: Ballroom Level, 2nd Floor
Tours in the Field
Location: Staging and departure from Assembly Room, 1st floor of hotel, behind staircase. Look for SEJ signs! Be sure to board your bus before your departure time.
Advance registration is required for all Thursday tours. Departure times vary (see below), but all will return to the Concourse Hotel in Madison about 5:00 p.m. Please dress for outdoors and bring rain gear, a good pair of walking shoes and extra water. For those looking for some exercise, tours 5 and 7 are your best options. Tours 6 and 9 are best suited for wheelchair accessibility (contact SEJ for details) After the tours, exhibitors and independent receptions will be ready and waiting with hors d'oeuvres, drinks, good chat and press kits. Wander down the hallways and into the ballrooms to enjoy the festivities.
1. Ultralight Delivery: Crane Conservation on Our Fractured Landscape
(5:00 a.m. departure time, lunch included, $30 fee)Wake up with the birds to see one of North America’s most endangered species. We’ll head north to Necedah National Wildlife Refuge, home of the nine-year-old whooping crane reintroduction project. We’ll watch from an observation tower as this year’s flock of young whoopers flies behind an ultralight plane. We’ll meet the pilots after the morning’s training flight, and we’ll tour the 43,000-acre refuge in search of adult cranes. In the afternoon, we’ll visit the International Crane Foundation, which works to protect all of the world’s 15 crane species. We’ll take a behind-the-scenes tour of the isolation-rearing and crane-breeding facilities, and we’ll meet George Archibald, the foundation’s co-founder. Along the way, we’ll discuss why cranes inspire people, whether there’s enough space for them on our fractured landscape, and where the charismatic birds fit into the larger story of wildlife conservation. Driving time — 4 hours total.
Whooping crane chick. Photo courtesy U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.Tour Leaders:Thomas Henry, Environmental Writer/Columnist, The (Toledo) BladeMatt Mendenhall, Associate Editor, Birder's WorldSpeakers:George Archibald, Co-founder, International Crane FoundationJoe Duff (and the pilots of Operation Migration), Co-founder, CEO, and Lead Pilot, Operation MigrationJohn French Jr., Research Manager, Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, U.S. Geological SurveyJoan Garland, Education Outreach Coordinator, International Crane FoundationJim Hook, President, International Crane FoundationKelly McGuire, Flock Manager and Lead Aviculturalist, International Crane FoundationDan Peterson, Wildlife Biologist, U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceLarry Wargowsky, Refuge Manager, Necedah National Wildlife Refuge, U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceMarianne Wellington, Aviculturist / Direct Autumn Release Project, International Crane FoundationSara Zimorski, Aviculturist / Tracking Team, International Crane Foundation2. Future Energy Choices
(7:00 a.m. departure, lunch included, $30 fee)Join us as we make several stops along Lake Michigan to delve into a variety of technologies being investigated to power the nation’s energy future. We’ll discuss prospects for building wind turbines in the Great Lakes and we’ll tour a nationally known carbon-capture demonstration project at a We Energies coal-fired power plant. The project is one of many R&D efforts trying to keep coal viable in a carbon-constrained world and it is the first to use ammonia to capture CO2 from coal-burning power plants. We’ll look at a methane-to-energy project built by a key national manufacturer, S.C. Johnson, which could serve as a model for other major corporations. And we’ll check out the HEV laboratory where Johnson Controls (whose headquarters is powered, in part, by 1,500 solar panels) is investing millions into developing next-generation batteries for hybrid electric vehicles, including a plug-in HEV announced this year by Ford Motor Co. Driving time — 5 hours total. NOTE: This tour is full.Tour Leaders:Harvey Black, Freelance WriterTom Content, Energy Reporter,Journal Sentinel Milwaukee Speakers:Don Albinger, Corporate Vice President, Renewable Energy Solutions, Johnson Controls Power SolutionsHenry Courtright, Senior Vice President of Member and External Relations, Electric Power Research InstitutePierre Gauthier, U.S. Country President, AlstomGale Klappa, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, We Energies and Wisconsin Energy CorporationClay Nesler, Vice President, Global Energy and Sustainability, Johnson Controls Power SolutionsCraig Rigby, Vice President, Global Product Engineering, Johnson Controls Power SolutionsTom Watson, Vice President, Engineering and Strategic Planning, Johnson Controls Power SolutionsMary Ann Wright, Chief Executive Officer, Johnson Controls-Saft3. Cruising Lake Michigan
(7:15 a.m. departure, lunch included, $30 fee)More than 300 miles long and 118 wide, Lake Michigan is a freshwater sea of stunning complexity and beauty. But serious ecological problems lurk beneath its surface, from invasive species such as zebra and quagga mussels to toxic pollution and destruction of wetlands and wildlife habitat from coastal overdevelopment. Journey to Milwaukee for a cruise aboard the EPA research vessel Lake Guardian, where scientists will discuss the lake’s ecological challenges and demonstrate water, aquatic life and sediment sampling techniques. We’ll also tour the Great Lakes WATER Institute in Milwaukee, the largest academic freshwater research facility on the Great Lakes. Driving time — 3 hours total.Tour Leaders:John Flesher, Correspondent & Environmental Writer, The Associated PressMichael Hawthorne, Environment Reporter, Chicago TribuneSpeakers:Paul Bertram, Great Lakes Scientist, U.S. Environmental Protection AgencyHarvey Bootsma, Associate Scientist, Great Lakes WATER InstituteTom Consi, Associate Scientist, Great Lakes WATER InstituteRussell Cuhel, Senior Scientist, Great Lakes WATER InstituteRick Goetz, Senior Scientist, Great Lakes WATER InstitutePaul Horvatin, Great Lakes Program Manager, U.S. Environmental Protection AgencyRebecca Klaper, Assistant Scientist, Great Lakes WATER InstituteVal Klump, Director, Great Lakes WATER InstituteSandra McLellan, Associate Scientist, Great Lakes WATER InstituteGlenn Warren, Great Lakes Scientist, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency4. Roiling the Waters
(7:30 a.m. departure, lunch included, $30 fee)Water is the new oil, or so they say, and although Lake Michigan is part of the Great Lakes system that contains one-fifth of the planet’s fresh surface water, this is also a resource under siege from all the people living along its coasts. We’ll look at the low-tech solutions to non-point pollution that has closed beaches; we’ll delve underground to see the Deep Tunnel project, Milwaukee’s answer to sewage overflows which itself has spawned a lawsuit by angry city residents; and we’ll peek at how far we’ve come since the environmental movement really took root 40 years ago. Driving time — 3 hours total.Tour Leaders:Chris Bowman, Freelance JournalistDavid Steinkraus, Health & Environment Reporter, The Journal TimesSpeakers:Rich Cieslak, Public Information, Discovery WorldDennis Donahue, GLERL Vessel Operations Manager, National Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationBill Graffin, Public Information Manager, Metropolitan Milwaukee Sewerage DistrictJocelyn Hemming, Assistant Scientist, Wisconsin State Laboratory of HygieneJulie Kinzelman, Laboratory Director and Research Scientist, Racine Health DepartmentTrina McMahon, Associate Professor of Environmental Engineering, University of Wisconsin-MadisonCheryl Nenn, Interim Executive Director, Milwaukee RiverkeeperSteve Pothoven, Fisheries Biologist, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration5. Wetlands, Wildlife, and Wind
(8:30 a.m. departure, lunch and pontoon rental included, $40 fee)Wetlands are nesting and breeding grounds for many species of birds and stopovers for others that migrate thousands of miles. Bring your binoculars to Horicon Marsh, one of Wisconsin’s top birding sites. Two-thirds of Horicon is a National Wildlife Refuge and the rest is a state wildlife area. We’ll take a pontoon boat ride to look for waterfowl and hear from speakers about wetland ecology and pressures on wildlife refuges, including budget cuts and encroaching development. Next door we’ll visit the 89-turbine Forward Wind Energy Center to learn about wind power impacts on wildlife. Driving time — 3.5 hours total.Tour Leaders:Steve Betchkal, Freelance WriterJennifer Weeks, Freelance WriterSpeakers:David Drake, Assistant Professor and Extension Wildlife Specialist, Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology, University of Wisconsin-MadisonEileen Kirsch, Research Wildlife Biologist, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, U.S. Geological SurveyLaura Miner, Asset Manager, Invenergy LLCErin Railsback, Visitor Services Specialist, Horicon National Wildlife Refuge6. Feeding Cities: Sustainable Agriculture and Environmental Justice
(9:00 a.m. departure, lunch included, $30 fee)Food has become an environmental story. Research suggests locally produced food can reduce our carbon footprint. But how it’s produced may be just as important as the distance it travels to the plate. We’ll check out how fish and fresh vegetables are being raised at Growing Power, an urban farm in Milwaukee started by Will Allen, recent winner of a MacArthur genius grant. A sustainable lunch, fresh from Growing Power, may be served. Then we’ll see environmental justice in action in an inner city neighborhood that has turned to vegetable gardening to help fight obesity related health problems and the proliferation of fast food. Driving time — 3 hours total. NOTE: This tour is full.Tour Leaders:Diane Hawkins-Cox, Freelance Broadcast Journalist (former Senior Producer, Science and Technology Unit, CNN)Karen Herzog, Food Reporter, Milwaukee Journal SentinelSpeakers:Sharon Adams, Co-founder, Walnut Way Conservation CorpWill Allen, CEO and Founder, Growing PowerMarcia Caton Campbell, Milwaukee Program Director, Center for Resilient CitiesCalvin DeWitt, Professor of Environmental Studies, Gaylord Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies, University of Wisconsin-MadisonMai Phillips, Conservation and Environmental Science Program Coordinator, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee7. Canoe the Wisconsin River
(9:30 a.m. departure, lunch and canoe rental included, $45 fee)This year, 2009, marks the 20th anniversary of a unique and successful preservation effort that protects the undeveloped and undammed reaches of the Lower Wisconsin River between Prairie du Sac and the Mississippi River, 92 miles downstream. Flowing between shifting sandbars and wooded bluffs, the river’s broad floodplain is home to everything from numerous endangered species to mysterious mounds left behind by ancient cultures. Creation of the 80,000-acre Lower Wisconsin State Riverway by the state was an experiment in cooperative preservation involving landowners and state and local governments. A paddle down a scenic section of the river will introduce paddlers not only to the river’s rich natural treasures but also to its human history. This is gentle river paddling and should pose no problem even for novice paddlers. Driving time — 1.5 hours total.Tour Leaders:Mark Neuzil, Professor, Department of Communication and Journalism,University ofSt. Thomas Ron Seely, Science & Environment Reporter,Journal Wisconsin State Speakers:Representative Spencer Black, Wisconsin State Assembly and Chair, Assembly Natural Resources CommitteeJohn Broihahn, Wisconsin State Archaeologist, Wisconsin Historical SocietyMark Cupp, Executive Director, Lower Wisconsin State Riverway Board8. A Different Kind of CAFO
(10:00 a.m. departure, lunch included, $30 fee)Dairy farming is as much about manure as it is milk. The average Holstein produces the same amount of waste as 18 humans. Large-scale confined animal feeding operations — CAFOs — can exacerbate the problem by their sheer size. The Crave Brothers dairy farm is a different kind of CAFO. With 950 cows, manure is processed through an anaerobic digester to produce methane to generate electricity. The farm keeps a greater share of its returns from the milk by making its own award-winning cheese in a 6,000-square-foot cheese factory. Lunch will be provided and include three types of Crave cheese: Farmers Rope, Petit Frere and fresh mozzarella on the salad. Cattle feed is home grown. Heifers graze in the fields. Once processed by the digester, the manure is used as an organic fertilizer and composted for bedding. As the scale of agriculture grows, so can environmental problems. The Crave Brothers farm, however, is a large-scale operation that strives to find a balance between economics and the environment. Driving time — 1.5 hours total.Tour Leaders:Joseph Andrews, Freelance WriterLee Bergquist, Environmental Reporter,Journal Sentinel Milwaukee Speakers:The Crave Brothers — Charles, George, Thomas and Mark, Managers, Crave Brothers farmTim Griswold, Director of Business Development, Wisconsin Dairy Business AssociationBruce Jones, Agriculture Economist, University of Wisconsin-MadisonJamie Saul, Staff Attorney, Midwest Environmental AdvocatesGordon Stevenson, Chief of Runoff Management, Wisconsin Department of Natural
Resources9. CSI Madison: Wildlife Forensics
(1:00 p.m. departure, no lunch, but snacks and beverages will be included, $20 fee)Who gets the call when thousands of sick and dying bats are discovered in the caves and mines where they hibernate? What is the connection between wild birds in Alaska and surveillance for highly pathogenic avian influenza? Where are scientists studying environmental solutions to Chronic Wasting Disease? The USGS National Wildlife Health Center is where the nation turns for research solutions to questions involving wildlife health and disease. From white-nose syndrome in bats, to avian flu, chronic wasting disease, or the emergence of the West Nile virus in unlikely species, NWHC researchers are the sentinels of wildlife disease. We’ll tour the high-security biological containment laboratories, watch a necropsy and talk with the scientists about wildlife, pathogens and tracking down emerging diseases. Driving time — 20 minutes total. NOTE: This tour is full.Tour Leaders:Beth Daley, Staff Reporter, Health/Science Department, TheGlobe Boston Susanne Rust, Reporter,Journal Sentinel Milwaukee Speakers:Tony Goldberg, Professor of Epidemiology, University of Wisconsin-MadisonJeff Hall, Wildlife Virologist, National Wildlife Health Center, U.S. Geological SurveyHon Ip, Wildlife Virologist, National Wildlife Health Center, U.S. Geological SurveyCarol Meteyer, Wildlife Pathologist, Disease Investigations, U.S. Geological SurveyLaurel Neme, Author, Animal InvestigatorsTonie Rocke, Wildlife Epidemiologist, National Wildlife Health Center, U.S. Geological SurveyKurt Sladky, Professor, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin-MadisonPeter Vanderloo, Veterinarian and Associate Director, Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Independent Hospitality Receptions and E-news & Education Gallery
After a day of adventure, wind down with old friends and new acquaintances as you stroll through the E-news & Education Gallery and talk with the various hosts of our Independent Hospitality Receptions throughout the ballroom level of the hotel. Festivities kick off immediately following your return from tours. (Lists of receptions and exhibitors will also be in your registration folder.)
Location: Ballroom Level, 2nd Floor
Friday, October 9
The Madison Concourse Hotel and Governor’s Club, One West Dayton Street, Madison, Wisconsin.
As a journalism organization that believes in an open society, SEJ each year welcomes a diverse group of attendees to our annual conference. Attendees include representatives of business, government and environmental groups, as well as working journalists, academics and students.
Because non-journalists are here, you may see or hear presentations or responses to presentations that you might not expect from mainstream journalists. The presentations and any responses do not necessarily reflect the views of SEJ or any of its members.
As our guest, we would ask you to respect our interest in open discussions of environmental issues by thanking all participants in sessions you attend and not disrupting presentations of views you disagree with.
Finally, please respect our rule that SEJ members are given preference during question-and-answer sessions.
Registration
7:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Sign up for Beat Dinners and Mini-tours at the nearby SEJ table. If you didn't sign up ahead of time for the Saturday evening party or Sunday breakfast program, there may still be room — please check with registration.
Location: Ballroom Level, 2nd Floor
SEJ Information Table
Sign up here for Beat Dinners and Mini-tours. Find information about membership and services, pick up copies of SEJournal, TipSheet, FOI WatchDog and other publications.
Location: Ballroom Level, 2nd Floor
E-news & Education Gallery Literature Space
Location: Ballroom Level, 2nd Floor
Continental Breakfast
Location: Ballroom Level, 2nd Floor
Breakfast Breakout Sessions
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Join Andy Revkin and friends for a discussion on the challenges and opportunities in trying to convey subtle global trends that matter hugely to environmental and social progress on a crowding planet but are a terrible fit for the conventional news process. These include climate change from a progressive buildup of long-lived gases and the loss of biodiversity (mostly in invisible nibbling), as well as "slow drips" such as avoidable mortality from a lack of sanitation and predictable "hard knocks" that are mainly covered after the fact. Coverage.Moderator: Andrew Revkin, Environment Reporter, The New York TimesSpeakers:Jonathan Lash, President, World Resources InstituteJane Lubchenco, Undersecretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere, and Administrator, National Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationRoom: Capitol Ballroom A
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Environmental journalism has become a popular training focus in journalism schools around the country. But with the increasingly volatile nature of the business of journalism, instructors and professors face a growing challenge in predicting the characteristics of an environmental journalist's toolkit that will serve her or him well in the 21st century. This session is designed to emphasize interaction among participants. Please come prepared to share your strategies for 21st-century training.Moderator: Sharon Dunwoody, Evjue-Bascom Professor, School of Journalism and Mass Communication, and Associate Dean for Social Studies in the Graduate School, University of Wisconsin-MadisonRoom: Parlor 629, 6th Floor guest room area
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This breakout breakfast session will offer reporters and EPA press officers a chance for a candid exchange of views on issues of mutual interest. Can the Obama Administration improve on frustrating Bush-EPA press practices and provide timely release of information, especially during emergencies; free access to staffers, especially scientists; and responsive communication with all environmental reporters, including those beyond the Beltway? There will be a short panel discussion followed by a longer conversation driven by Q&A. Both EPA headquarters and regional press offices will be represented.Moderator: Joseph Davis, Freelance Journalist and WatchDog Project Director/TipSheet Editor, Society of Environmental JournalistsAllyn Brooks-LaSure, EPA Deputy Associate Administrator for Public AffairsPhillippa Cannon, Media Relations Team Leader, EPA Region 5Mark MacIntyre, Senior Public Information Officer, EPA Region 10Room: Capitol Ballroom B
Opening Plenary — Countdown to Copenhagen
8:45 - 11:00 a.m.
This December’s gathering of world leaders and climate scientists in Copenhagen is expected to be the most important climate change conference since the signing of the Kyoto Protocol 12 years ago. What do you need to know about the United Nations Climate Change Conference as you prepare stories about greenhouse gases, cap and trade or flooding back home? Will the U.S. warm up to any agreement? What about China?
Vice President Al Gore will kick off this session with a keynote address laying out the science community’s claims and concerns, as well as what’s at stake in Copenhagen. Q&A with the audience will follow. A plenary session with the speakers below will convene immediately thereafter and respond to Mr. Gore’s call to action. Coverage.
Moderator: Andrew Revkin, Environment Reporter, The New York Times
Speakers:
Jane Lubchenco, Undersecretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere, and Administrator, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
James Rogers, Chairman, President and CEO, Duke Energy Corporation
Congressman James Sensenbrenner (R-WI)
Nancy Sutley, Chair, White House Council on Environmental Quality
Changhua Wu, Greater China Director, The Climate Group
Room: Madison/Wisconsin Ballroom
University of Wisconsin-Madison Bookstore
9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Visit our onsite bookstore, where you will find a variety of books for sale, published by SEJ members, invited speakers and University of Wisconsin professors.
Location: Ballroom Level, 2nd Floor
Beverage Break
11:00 - 11:15 a.m.
Location: TBA
Concurrent Sessions 1
Moderator: Don Hopey, Environment Reporter, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Michael Hendryx, Research Director, Institute for Health Policy, West Virginia University
Network Lunch
Concurrent with the small-group discussions, the following three breakout sessions are first-come, first-served. Lunches will be available in each breakout room.
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What are the market forces transforming information into news in much of modern media? And what are the implications for coverage of climate change and other serious environmental issues? All the News That's Fit to Sell author James T. Hamilton goes into the economic forces revolutionizing news organizations and spells out the implications for both "legacy" and "new" media alike across the print-to-broadcast-to-digital spectrum. Coverage.Moderator: Bud Ward, Editor, The Yale Forum on Climate Change & the MediaSpeakers:Roger Dower, President, Johnson FoundationSharon Dunwoody, Evjue-Bascom Professor, School of Journalism and Mass Communication, and Associate Dean for Social Studies in the Graduate School, University of Wisconsin-MadisonJames Hamilton, Professor of Political Science and Economics, Duke UniversityRoom: Capitol Ballroom A
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Humor helps us live and get on with the jobs of life. Whether it's a pun, the unexpected reverse or extreme exaggeration, telling the truth using humor puts everyone in touch with the best medicine. Laughter blows our minds and helps audiences remember lines from the story told. Grasping the severity of the situation and understanding it more fully is the result. Of course laughter speeds the read and makes audiences in all mediums give more of their attention to your news. With our dwindling oil supply, I say save oil — go naked. What could a story with that lede be about?Moderator: Debra Schwartz, Author, Writing GreenSpeaker:Thomas Henry, Environmental Writer/Columnist, The (Toledo) BladeRoom: Parlor 629
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Journalists, educators and students, join us for lunch to find out what the SEJ Mentor Program is all about. Meet some of the mentors and "mentees" who have formed one-on-one partnerships designed to improve environmental journalism. Learn how to get the most from a mentoring relationship. SEJ mentors are veteran journalists who have agreed to field questions, help shape stories, and provide career advice via e-mail, phone, or in person. Mentees are journalists just starting out or expanding their skills to new media. The Mentor Program is primarily aimed at helping professional journalists but also accepts applications from college and graduate students who have demonstrated a serious interest in environmental journalism. Both current and prospective participants in the Mentor Program are welcome to attend.Moderator: Dawn Stover, Freelance JournalistRoom: Parlor 638
Pick up your lunch in the Madison/Wisconsin Ballroom on the 2nd Floor of the hotel before taking your seat.
- Carbon Trading: Risky Business or Viable Opportunity to Cut Greenhouse Gases?
Carolyn Whetzel , BNA; Mark Schapiro, Center for Investigative Reporting; Jennifer Weiss, Climate Action Reserve - Prelude to Copenhagen: Final Report on International Polar Year Research. Nancy Bazilchuk, Freelance Journalist
- TV Weathercasters as Environmental Sources and Resources.
Kris Wilson, University of Texas at Austin - Citizen Scientists Track Climate Change. Catherine Cooney, Freelance Editor/Reporter; Jake Weltzin, USA-National Phenology Network; Abraham Miller-Rushing, The Wildlife Society
- What’s Killing So Many U.
S. Bats?Beth Daley, The Boston Globe; Dave Blehert, U.S. National Wildlife Health Center, U.S. Geological Survey - Wetlands Ecology: The Mute Swan Debate.
Christine Heinrichs , Author - The Midlife Crisis of the Wilderness Act.
Don Hopey , Pittsburgh Post-Gazette; Jerry Greenberg, The Wilderness Society - The Top 5 Under-reported Stories Since the First Earth Day. Mark Larson, Humboldt State University; Tia Nelson, Wisconsin Board of Commissioners of Public Lands (and daughter of Earth Day founder Gaylord Nelson)
- Ecotourism: Boon or Bane for Threatened Places? Wendy Redal, University of Colorado and Freelance Journalist
- Finding Common Ground: Labor, Outdoor Sporting Groups, and Environmental Organizations. Ron Seely, Wisconsin State Journal; George Meyer, Wisconsin Wildlife Federation; Forrest Ceel, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers>
- Beyond the Smell: Farm Air Pollution. Tim Wheeler, The Baltimore Sun
- Networking and Resources for Doing Environmental Stories in Rural Areas. Al Cross, Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues
- Dead Zone Update: Are Solutions Possible? Bill Allen, University of Missouri
- Endocrine Disruptors: It’s What’s for Lunch. Francesca Lyman, Journalist and Author; Robert Moore, University of Wisconsin-Madison; Susanne Rust, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
- Pollution Without Borders: Who Takes It On? Peter Gorrie, Toronto Star and Freelance Journalist
- Appropriate Environmental Technology for Developing Countries. Tyghe Trimble, Popular Mechanics
- Will Billions for High-speed Rail Pry People Out of Their Cars? Dee J. Hall, Wisconsin State Journal
- SEJ "Big Sky" 2010 — University of Montana, Missoula. Jim Bruggers, Conference Co-Chair, SEJ Board Member, and The (Louisville) Courier-Journal; Rita Munzenrider and Dan Pletcher, University of Montana
- SEJ 2011: Miami, Florida. Jeff Burnside, Conference Chair, SEJ Board Member, and WTVJ (Miami, FL); Sanjeev Chatterjee, Blyth Daylong, and Rose Mann, University of Miami
- SEJournal: Comments and Contributions. Adam Glenn, SEJournal Editorial Advisory Board Member
- The FAQs on SEJ's New Fund for Environmental Reporting.
Christy George , President;Bill Kovarik , Rep. for Academic Membership; Rebecca Daugherty, Rep. for Associate Membership - A Freelance Agenda for SEJ.
Peter Fairley , SEJ Board Member and Freelance Journalist - Do We Need a High Country News for the
Midwest ? Bill Berry, Freelance Journalist; Curt Meine, Aldo Leopold Foundation - Climate Change: How Can U.
S. Fish & Wildlife Serve Us? Dave Spratt, Greatnorthernoutdoors.net; Jason Holm and Chris Tollefson, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service - How State Open-records Laws Can Be a Journalist’s Best Friend.
Robert McClure , InvestigateWest; Robert Dreps, Godfrey & Kahn
Concurrent Sessions 2
Room: Senate Room A
Beverage Break
3:30 - 3:45 p.m.
Location: Ballroom Level, 2nd Floor
Afternoon Plenary — Meet the New Bosses, (Not) the Same as the Old Bosses?
SEJ Membership Meeting
Beat Dinners
ADVANCE SIGN-UP REQUIRED! Sign up for the dinner of your choice at the SEJ Information Table. Sorry, no wait list.
Meet-up and Transportation: Please select your dinner group carefully. Notify your dinner leader immediately if you are unable to attend, and cross your name off the sign-up sheet. Meet your dinner leader in the Madison/Wisconsin Ballroom on the 2nd Floor of the Madison Concourse Hotel and Governor’s Club, One West Dayton Street, at 7:00 p.m. Reservations are for 7:30 p.m. All prices are for entrees only. Any side dishes, tax, tip, and drinks are separate. Some restaurants may not issue separate checks. Be prepared to keep track of the cost of your meal. Please tip your servers well. ENJOY!
Discussion Topics
- Q&A with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Sam Hamilton. Julia Yarbough, WTVJ (Miami, FL). Ovations (Madison Concourse Hotel and Governor’s Club, One West Dayton Street), 608-294-3031. Contemporary American, $10-30. Max. group: 24
- Moving EJ Stories from Nonprofit Media to Mainstream. Marla Cone, Environmental Health News. Bellini (private room downstairs), 401 East Washington, 608-250-0097. Traditional Italian, $10-30. Max. group: 10
- Using Old Works Progress Administration (WPA) Guides to Find Fresh Local Stories. David Taylor, Author and TV producer. Brocach Irish Pub (upstairs), 7 West Main St., 608-255-2015. Irish/American, $10-20. Max. group: 6
- Freelancers-by-Chance, Meet Freelancers-by-Choice. Thomas Hayden, Stanford University and Freelance Journalist. Buraka African Restaurant (back room), 543 State St., 608-255-3646. Authentic African/Ethiopian food, $10-20. Max. group: 10
- Should Journalists Abandon Objectivity in Wired, Troubled Times? Stephen Ward, University of Wisconsin-Madison. Husnu’s Restaurant, 547 State St., 608-256-0900. Turkish/Italian, $8-15. Max. group: 8
- Sustainability and Social Media: Much A-tweet About Nothing? Emily Gertz, Freelance Journalist, Editor, and Content Strategy Consultant. Buraka African Restaurant, 543 State St., 608-255-3646. Authentic African/Ethiopian food, $10-20. Max. group: 6
- Burdens of Proof: Covering Environmental Crime in the Courts. Nadia White, University of Montana. Casa de Lara (back area), 341 State St., 608-251-7200. Mexican, $10-15. Max. group: 8
- Supercharging the Classroom and Our Students. Bob Wyss, University of Connecticut. Café Continental (private room), 108 King St., 608-251-4880. Mediterranean French, $15-35. Max. group: 12
- Green Charter Schools, Sustainable Colleges, and the Environment Beat. Ron Steffens, Green Mt. College; Senn Brown, Green Charter Schools Network. Casa de Lara (upstairs), 341 State St., 608-251-7200. Mexican, $10-15. Max. group: 6
- Can Instant-Gratification Humans Handle Long-Term Sustainability? Earon Davis, Independent Journalist and Educator. Brocach Irish Pub (upstairs), 7 West Main St., 608-255-2015. Irish/American, $10-20. Max. group: 6
- The Creature Beat — Reporting at the Intersection of Animals, Humans and Nature. Adam Glenn, Independent Journalist and Digital Media Consultant; Deborah Blum, University of Wisconsin-Madison. Chautara Restaurant (upstairs), 334 State St., 608-251-3626. Himalayan/Nepalese, $10-25. Max. group: 8
- Nuke McNuggets: A Top 10 Look at What’s Hot and What’s Not in the Nuclear Industry. Tom Henry, The (Toledo) Blade; Len Ackland, University of Colorado at Boulder. Gino’s Italian Restaurant (private room), 540 State St., 608-257-9022. Italian/Pizza, $8-20. Max. group: 8
- A Sea Change in Attitudes About Offshore Wind? David Biello, Scientific American; Simon Mahan, Oceana. Casa de Lara (upstairs), 341 State St., 608-251-7200. Mexican, $10-15. Max. group: 6
- Renegade Ways to Cover the Energy Independence Beat. Christine Woodside, Freelance Journalist. Casa de Lara (upstairs), 341 State St., 608-251-7200. Mexican, $10-15. Max. group: 6 15.
- Simple Indigenous Strategies for Coping with Worldwide Drought. James Workman, Author. Buraka African Restaurant, 543 State St., 608-255-3646. Authentic African/Ethiopian food, $10-20. Max. group: 6
- Restoring Trout Streams in the Upper Midwest. Chris Bowman, Freelance Environmental Writer. Brocach Irish Pub (upstairs), 7 West Main St., 608-255-2015. Irish/American, $10-20. Max. group: 6
- Separating Scientific Facts From Seemingly Cool Ideas. Roger Witherspoon, U.S. Black Engineer and Information Technology; Bill Freudenburg, University of California, Santa Barbara; Becky Lang, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Gino’s Italian Restaurant (private room), 540 State St., 608-257-9022. Italian/Pizza, $8-20. Max. group: 10
Saturday, October 10
The Madison Concourse Hotel and Governor’s Club, One West Dayton Street, Madison, Wisconsin. Afternoon mini-tours in the field.
As a journalism organization that believes in an open society, SEJ each year welcomes a diverse group of attendees to our annual conference. Attendees include representatives of business, government and environmental groups, as well as working journalists, academics and students.
Because non-journalists are here, you may see or hear presentations or responses to presentations that you might not expect from mainstream journalists. The presentations and any responses do not necessarily reflect the views of SEJ or any of its members.
As our guest, we would ask you to respect our interest in open discussions of environmental issues by thanking all participants in sessions you attend and not disrupting presentations of views you disagree with.
Finally, please respect our rule that SEJ members are given preference during question-and-answer sessions.
Registration
7:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Sign up for Mini-tours at the nearby SEJ table. If you didn't sign up ahead of time for the Saturday evening party or Sunday breakfast program, there may still be room — please check with registration.
Location: Ballroom Level, 2nd Floor
SEJ Information Table
Sign up here for Mini-tours. Find information about membership and services, pick up copies of SEJournal, TipSheet, FOI WatchDog and other publications.
Location: Ballroom Level, 2nd Floor
E-news & Education Gallery Literature Space
Location: Ballroom Level, 2nd Floor
Buffet Breakfast
Morning Plenary — Non-profit News: A Sustainable Survival Strategy for Environmental Journalism?
Environmental Reporting Program, New York University
Concurrent Sessions 3
Speakers:
Beverage Break
Concurrent Sessions 4
Lunch and Plenary — Water: The 21st Century's Most Valuable Resource?
Mini-Tour Adventures
- Green Buildings Worthy of God?
The Unitarian Meeting House, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, along with a LEED-Gold addition to this National Landmark, are a stop on the road to the ecological-design equivalent of Parnassus, billed as “the greenest building in North America.” The LEED-Platinum-certified Aldo Leopold Center was erected as a pinnacle of green building knowledge in tribute to the father of the Land Ethic, and to the main challenge to which Leopold devoted his life, as he wrote, “the oldest task in human history: To live on a piece of land without spoiling it.”
Tour Leaders: Francesca Lyman, Freelance Journalist; Susan Lampert Smith, Science Writer, University of Wisconsin Health
Speakers: Shirley Inhorn, Friends Meeting House Tour Coordinator; Betsy Liotus, Director, Communications and Marketing, Benedictine Women of Madison at Holy Wisdom Monastery; Gregg Tucek, Project Manager, Oscar J. Boldt Construction, Aldo Leopold Center; Michael Utzinger, Associate Professor of Architecture, University of Wisconsin, and design team consultant, Aldo Leopold Legacy Center and Friends Unitarian Meeting House addition - Military and the Environment: Badger Ammo Depot
From prairie to propellants and back… A vast and once-beautiful prairie is being restored to some of its former glory. The Army is cleaning up a 7,348-acre site used to manufacture explosives during World War II and the Korean and Vietnam conflicts — for use by the public, the Ho-Chunk Nation and an agricultural research agency. The clean up at the Badger Army Ammo facility has made considerable progress, but neighbors continue to worry about possible contamination of their water supplies. Military sites across the country face similar clean-up issues and controversies with nearby residents.
Tour Leaders: Tom Meersman, Environment and Natural Resources Reporter, Minneapolis Star Tribune; Anita Weier, Freelance Reporter, former Environment Reporter, The Capital Times, Madison
Speakers: Craig Karr, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources representative at Badger, coordinating planning and future land use; Joan Kenney, Environmental Coordinator, Badger Army Ammunition Plant; Laura Olah, Executive Director, Citizens for Safe Water Around Badger; Randy Poelma of the Ho-Chunk Nation - Baraboo River and Dam Removal
One of the longest rivers restored through dam removal, the Baraboo River now flows freely for more than 100 miles from its headwaters to its confluence with the Wisconsin River. We will stroll the waterfront in the picturesque city of Baraboo, visiting the sites of two former dams to learn about the economic, environmental and recreational benefits of removing these and several other dams. The restored river is attractive not only to the city but also to aquatic life including walleye and sturgeon.
Tour leaders: Ron Seely, Science & Environment Reporter, Wisconsin State Journal; Dawn Stover, Freelance Writer/Editor
Speakers: Denny Caneff, Executive Director, River Alliance of Wisconsin; Emily Stanley, Associate Professor, Center for Limnology, University of Wisconsin-Madison; Joe Van Berkel, County Conservationist, Sauk County - Black Earth Creek Restoration and Monster Trout
Black Earth Creek, one of the Midwest's most prized trout streams, has seen its share of struggles in the last decade. We'll join local officials and advocates who have worked closely on the creek's restoration and protection as they highlight recent projects; the impact development, flooding and manure runoff have had on the stream; and what local environmental agencies and organizations are doing to monitor water quality and restore the habitat. The tour also will note areas of special geological interest as well as early human history of the area.
Tour leaders: Chris Bowman, Freelance Writer; Gena Kittner, Suburban Reporter, Wisconsin State Journal
Speakers: Barbara Borns, past President, Black Earth Creek Watershed Association; Patrick Sutter, Dane County conservationist; Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources representative TBA - Limnology Center and Research Boat
Ringed by the city, Lake Mendota exemplifies the problems seen in lakes around the world. Cruise aboard the research vessel Limnos and walk along the edge of the Lakeshore Nature Preserve with scientists from the Center for Limnology and the University of Wisconsin at Madison, and learn about thick blooms of toxic bacteria from nearby farms, invasive species introduced by boaters and anglers, and observable effects from climate change. Limnology, the study of freshwaters, originated in Madison, and Lake Mendota is among the world’s most studied lakes. In the event of rain or heavy wind, participants will meet indoors at the Hasler Laboratory. Otherwise, prepare for outdoor activity on open boats, piers and trails.
Tour Leaders: Saul Chernos, Freelance Journalist; Elizabeth Koerner, Producer, Wisconsin Public Television
Speakers: Steve Carpenter, Director, Center for Limnology, University of Wisconsin; Dave Harring, Boat Pilot and Instrument Maker, Center for Limnology, University of Wisconsin; Jim Kitchell, Professor of Zoology, University of Wisconsin - Biofuels, Ants and Virent Energy Systems
Learn about the plant-based fuels of the future at the Department of Energy’s Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center (GLBRC). There, scientists and engineers will introduce us to the environmentally sustainable technologies they are developing to convert everything from sunlight, cornstalks, wood chips, and perennial native grasses into energy sources for cars and electrical power plants. Researchers’ interests range from biomass processing to bioprospecting (e.g., discovering new bacteria, yeasts, and enzymes that will improve biofuel production — including harnessing the cellulose-breakdown capabilities of communities of leaf-cutting ants that feed and groom fungus). Representatives from Madison-based Virent Technology will also be on hand to discuss their new technology for producing biofuels that are nearly identical to conventional gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel. Virent is collaborating with Royal Dutch Shell to open a 10,000-gallon-a-year pilot facility later this year.
Tour Leaders: Kellyn Betts, Writer, Environment, Science & Technology; Corliss Karasov, Freelance Journalist
Speakers: Tim Donohue, Scientific Director, Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center and Bacteriology Professor, University of Wisconsin-Madison; Wes Marner, Chemical Engineer and GLBRC Project Director; Garret Suen, Postdoc in Bacteriology - Biking and Urban Green Space
Note: $18/person bike fee payable at bike rental site. Please try to have exact payment.
Madison is one of the most bike-friendly cities in the Midwest, so why not see some of what makes it so bikeable? We'll meet near downtown on the shore of Lake Monona, and follow the Isthmus Path through the East Side of town. We'll see what's become of the former rail line, including: a former rail yard destined to become a city park, community gardens where trains used to roll, a former iron works-turned-community center, and a vacant fertilizer plant destined to become a residential neighborhood. We'll also hear about Madison's effort to achieve Platinum Status through the League of American Bicyclists Bicycle Friendly Communities Program.
Tour Leaders: Diane Hawkins-Cox, Freelance Broadcast Journalist, and former Senior Producer, Science and Technology Unit, CNN; Michael Leland, News Director, Wisconsin Public Radio
Speaker: Mark Clear, Madison Alderman and Platinum Biking City Planning Committee Member
Saturday Night Party at the Leopold Center
Aldo Leopold Legacy Center, Baraboo, Wisconsin
5:30 - 10:00 p.m.
Pre-registration and $35 fee required.
© Legacy Center photo by Mark Heffron of the Heffron Group.
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If you’re an Aldo Leopold fan, you can’t miss this pilgrimage. And, if you don’t know who he is, then you must come and learn. Leopold's "Shack," located near the Center, is arguably one of the top environmental icons in the world, the place where Leopold conceived his land ethic and ideas for A Sand County Almanac. With the sounds of swirling geese and trilling cranes on the Wisconsin River as backdrop, the setting is soothing and sobering. If that’s not enough, then perhaps you’ll be enticed by the brand new, yet rustic, Leopold Legacy Center, the top LEED-certified building in the entire U.S. Imagine wining and dining under beautiful wooden beams milled from the very trees that Leopold and his children planted decades ago on nearly the same spot. Still not enough? Well, then, the kicker: We’ll have a “slowfood” extravaganza with some of the best beer, wine and organic fare that Wisconsin has to offer, followed by bluegrass music, bonfires, dancing and lots of downhome banter in the heart of "Sand County."
Principal Sponsor: The Johnson Foundation at Wingspread. Special thanks to the Organic Valley Family of Farms cooperative and Lakefront Brewery for their in-kind support of the University of Wisconsin-Madison for this event, and to The Leopold Foundation for hosting this evening reception.
Sunday, October 11
University of Wisconsin-Madison Arboretum, 1207 Seminole Highway, Madison, Wisconsin.
Location: Staging and departure from Assembly Room, 1st floor of hotel, behind grand staircase. Look for SEJ signs!
Buses will depart the Madison Concourse Hotel at 7:30 a.m. and return to the hotel before 1:00 p.m. Please make travel plans accordingly.
Breakfast, Leopold and Arboretum Tours
“The Shack,” where Aldo Leopold conceived his land ethic and ideas for A Sand County Almanac. Photo © Leopold Legacy Center.
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Post-Conference Tour: The Other Side of Wisconsin
As SEJ’s Annual Conference winds down and hundreds of people are catching cabs to the airport, a small group will be boarding a bus to the wilds of northern Wisconsin. The Institutes for Journalism & Natural Resources, widely considered the premier organizer of expedition-style journalism fellowships in North America, has agreed to conduct SEJ’s Post-Conference Tour, October 11-14, 2009. The Lake Country Institute will focus on several newsworthy destinations in the state's forested lake country, just as fall colors should be at or near their peak. Leading the program will be IJNR president Frank Allen and Peter Annin, IJNR’s associate director, who is also a co-chair of SEJ’s 2009 Annual Conference. In a break from SEJ tradition, this year’s tour was offered as a competitive fellowship program instead of on a basis of first-come, first-served. Journalists who are SEJ members in good standing and who are registered to attend the 2009 SEJ conference in Madison were eligible to submit an application to IJNR. In an unprecedented arrangement, IJNR covered all travel, lodging and meal costs for those journalists who are selected to participate in this year’s post-conference tour. A description of the fellowship program, including detailed application procedures and contact information, can be found here. Special thanks to the Institutes of Journalism and Natural Resources, Frank Allen, President, and The Joyce Foundation for organizing and supporting this year's post conference tour.