Noted environmentalist Norman Myers coming to campus

Internationally-known environmentalist Norman Myers will visit Virginia Tech Monday, Oct. 18 and deliver two public talks. Virginia Tech's College of Natural Resources and the School of Public and International Affairs will host his campus visit.

Myers will speak on "Mass Extinction of Species: Why We Should Care, What We Can Do About It" at 3 p.m. in the Fralin Biotechnology Center Auditorium, located on West Campus Drive on the Blacksburg campus. A reception will follow the seminar in the Fralin Atrium.

"Our Environmental Prospect: Time of Breakdown or Breakthrough?" will be the topic of his lecture at 8 p.m. in 100 McBryde Hall (located on Drillfield Drive). This event is sponsored by several university organizations, including the Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics, the Department of Geography, the Sigma Xi Society, the Center for Environmental Applications of Remote Sensing, and the Office of International Research, Education, and Development.

"Myers is widely known for his services to the global environment," said Bob Bush, associate dean for research in the College of Natural Resources. Myers is the recipient of the United Nations Environment Prize, the Volvo Environment Prize, and the Blue Plant Prize, and is one of only two environmental scientists worldwide to receive all three awards. Myers, a consultant on the environment and development, has served as senior advisor to the Secretaries-General of the 1986 World Commission on Environment and Development, the 1992 Rio Earth Summit, the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development, the 1997 World Food Summit, and the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development.

He has authored or coauthored several books, including Towards a New Greenprint for Business and Society (1999), Perverse Subsidies: How Tax Dollars Can Undercut the Environment and the Economy (2001), and New Consumers: The Influence of Affluence on the Environment (2004)

The College of Natural Resources at Virginia Tech consistently ranks among the top five programs of its kind in the nation. Faculty members stress both the technical and human elements of natural resources and instill in students a sense of stewardship and land-use ethics. Areas of studies include environmental resource management, fisheries and wildlife sciences, forestry, geospatial and environmental analysis, natural resource recreation, urban forestry, wood science and forest products, geography, and international development.