Anthropocene: Humanity’s Impact on Bio Systems
Thursday, February 20, 2020
4:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Location
Cannon Beach History Center & Museum
Categories
The Cannon Beach History Center & Museum will host Professor Scott Fitzpatrick as part of their annual off-season lecture series. Fitzpatrick will be talking about humanity’s impact on bio systems, ancient and present. The presentation will take place on Thursday, February 20 at 4:00 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.
Scott M. Fitzpatrick is a Professor in the Department of Anthropology and Associate Director of the Museum of Natural and Cultural History at the University of Oregon. He is an archaeologist who specializes in the prehistory and historical ecology of island and coastal regions, particularly the Pacific and Caribbean. Much of his research has focused on prehistoric colonization events, seafaring strategies, and adaptations to smaller islands, exchange systems, and human impacts on ancient environments. Dr. Fitzpatrick is the founding Co-Editor of the *Journal of Island and Coastal Archaeology* and has published several books and more than 120 journal articles and book chapters.
There is a general consensus that we are now living in a new geological epoch called the “Anthropocene”; a time marked by human domination of Earth’s bio systems. While the exact timing of this is still debated, there is no question that humans have caused widespread, and in some cases, irreversible damage to the environment. In this talk, Scott will discuss these issues using islands as case studies, which serve as ideal model systems for examining how Homo sapiens, through various cultural processes, have modified, disrupted, and permanently altered these pristine ecologies.
This event is free and open to the public and has been sponsored by Cannon Beach Vacation Rentals, Clatsop County and Martin North. Seating for Fitzpatrick’s presentation is very limited, so please arrive a little early to get a seat, grab a cup of coffee or tea, and peruse the museum before the lecture starts at 4:00 p.m. Doors are closed at 4:15 p.m.