Sat, Nov 11
|Redmond
Saturday Speaker Series - After the Blast: Mount St. Helens 40 Years Later
Presented in partnership by the Redmond Historical Society and Humanities Washington. Please note this is an in person program. A recording will be available for one month following the event.
Time & Location
Nov 11, 2023, 10:30 AM
Redmond, Old Redmond Schoolhouse, 16600 NE 80th St, Redmond, WA 98052, USA
About the Event
On May 18, 1980, the world watched in awe as Mount St. Helens erupted, killing 57 people and causing hundreds of square miles of destruction. Everyone thought it would take ages for life to return to the mountain, but scientists who visited soon after were stunned to find plants sprouting up through the ash and animals skittering around downed trees.
Ecologists have since spent decades studying life’s resilience in the face of seemingly total devastation. Through their work, the eruption of Mount St. Helens has become known as the greatest natural experiment in Pacific Northwest history. In his talk, Eric Wagner takes you on a journey through the blast zone. He explores not just the surprising ways plants and animals survived the eruption, but also the complex roles that people have played, all while showing how fascinating Mount St. Helens still is 40 years after the blast.
Speaker bio:
Eric Wagner (he/him) is a writer and biologist. He holds a PhD in biology from the University of Washington, where he studied penguins. He is the author of three books, including After the Blast: The Ecological Recovery of Mount St. Helens. His writing has appeared in The Atlantic, Orion, and High Country News, among many other places. Wagner lives in Seattle.
