Writing has long been a means of exploring, connecting & understanding the natural world. Nature writing provides an opportunity to build a sense of place within a larger community. But how does environmental destruction impact that connection & sense of place? Have poisoned rivers, fracking, broken ecosystems, mass extinction & climate change altered the very nature of nature? How does environmental destruction impact the essence of nature writing? This 4-week course redefines traditional definitions of nature and nature writing. It looks at the complexity of environmental issues, reviews various forms of expression & asks us to reflect on our own experiences of nature &expand those reflections into coherent and well-formed essays using concrete details, point of view & vivid scenes. The course will focus on Taos Land Trust’s Rio Fernando Park, a damaged piece of agricultural land located in the center of Taos, New Mexico. With guest speakers and guides we will study these 20 acres from a historical, ecological & public policy perspective and gear our work towards eventual publication. Taos writer Jim O’Donnell is an award winning wilderness advocate, author and conservation photographer based in Taos, New Mexico. His work has appeared in National Geographic Maps, Discover, Scientific American, Ensia, Sapiens, BBC Travel, Grist, Sierra, New Mexico Magazine, and YaleEnvironment360 among others. Jim is the author of “Notes for the Aurora Society: 1500 miles on foot across Finland” and a wide range of environmental essays and fiction short stories. Learn more at: http://www.jimodonnellauthor.com/ and https://www.jimodonnellphotography.com/ Time: 8.00am – 12.00pm, Saturdays, May 5, 12, 19 and June 2nd 2018 Location: Rio Fernando Park, Taos Land Trust, 410 LA POSTA ROAD, TAOS, NEW MEXICO 87571(www.taoslandtrust.org) Price: $200/SOMOS members, $230/Non-members, minimum 5, maximum 12 students. Deposit of $25 due one week prior