EN Thompson presents water statewide through lens of photographer

In the final E.N. Thompson Forum on World Issues of the semester, Michael Forsberg will speak about conservation from his standpoint as a nature photographer. The lecture, "Pulse of the Plains: A Photographer's Journey Connecting Water, Wildlife and Landscape" is Dec. 6 at 7 p.m. at the Lied Center for Performing Arts. This year's E.N. Thompson lecture series is on water and global security.

There are two more lectures in the series in the spring semester.

"This is just a midpoint in the series," said Katie Cervantes, E.N. Thompson Forum coordinator.

Forsberg, a native Nebraskan and UNL alumnus, was chosen to speak on the series because he has shown his understanding of the role of water in the region through 15 years worth of nature photography. His work, with National Geographic — and other publications such as Audubon, National Wildlife and Natural History — has focused on the Great Plains.

The region is changing, as people interact with nature. Sandhill cranes and the Platte River Basin are two of Forsberg's major projects that can show people the motivation for so much interest in conservation and water issues. This isn't in contrast to other speakers in the lecture series. It is a complement, as people don't all have the time, or camera equipment, to document changes in the plains.

The Platte River Basin, which runs through the Sandhills, was documented in a time-lapse photography project by Forsberg, along with Michael Farrell, a special projects manager for NET Television. The multimedia project will be featured in Forsberg's presentation, along with other photography works.

"Michael Forsberg brings an environmental conservation photographer's view to the forum," Cervantes said. "He's not only a local success, he brings a wealth of knowledge about the Great Plains."

The Keystone XL pipeline brought a lot of attention to the Sandhills of Nebraska. Cervantes said conversation topics are "things we can all learn more about."

While Forsberg's presentation at the Lied Center is free and open to the public, a private reception for the E.N. Thompson International Scholars learning community will be held earlier at 5:30 p.m. in the Van Brunt Visitors Center.

Linda Major, assistant to the vice chancellor of Student Affairs, said that the Q&A session has been a part of the lecture series for the past six years. "Students have been preparing for this event for weeks," she said.

Forsberg and his wife, Patty Forsberg, run a photography gallery in the Lincoln Haymarket.

Free tickets for the event are available by calling the Lied Center or visiting its website: http://www.liedcenter.org.

DemetriaStephens@

  DailyNebraskan.com