The Language of Conservation: Poetry in Library and Zoo Collaborations

Literary Nonfiction. Environmental Studies. Demonstrating that poetry can inspire transformative understandings of the relationship between the individual and the natural world, this volume includes essays by poets Sandra Alcosser, Joseph Bruchac, Alison Hawthorne Deming, Mark Doty, W.S. Merwin, Pattiann Roger, and many others.

This book charts territory that lies between science and the humanities, exploring fertile new ground for public discourse. In a time of unprecedented threat to the environment, THE LANGUAGE OF CONSERVATION asks: What can scientists and poets discover be working together? How can they join their voices to engage the public? What role can diverse cultural institutions play?This volume tells the story of an alliance between key institutions in six cities. It traces a ground-breaking collaboration between libraries and zoos working together to bring one of humanity's greatest tools—poetics language—to the service of conservation.

Containing lush color photographs, evocative poetry, and extensive bibliographies, THE LANGUAGE OF CONSERVATION details the planning, implementation, and results of a project designed to produce a replicable model for libraries and zoos everywhere, laying out practical strategies for similar collaborations and projects, as well as broader implications.