Welcome to ForUM, the e-newsletter for University of Montana staff, faculty and administrators. ForUM is published weekly during the academic year except during scheduled academic breaks.
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Environmental Journalists at UM This Week
Top Obama administration officials, leading scientists, business leaders and environmental advocates from around North America and Europe will be in Missoula this week for the Society of Environmental Journalists 20th annual conference, hosted by UM.
The Oct. 13-17 gathering will explore a wide range of local, regional, national and international environmental and science issues and offer professional training in new media skills for working journalists. More than 500 people are expected to participate.
"We are excited by the opportunity to host some of the world's top environmental journalists during this special event," UM President George M. Dennison said. "They will learn much about our University research and our state during their time here."
SEJ is an international organization of more than 1,500 working journalists, educators and students dedicated to advancing public understanding of environmental issues by improving the quality and visibility of environmental affairs reporting. Members work in a variety of mediums, including television, radio, print and online.
A limited number of passes are available for UM faculty or staff members who would like to attend one or two of the conference sessions. They will be issued on a first-come, first-served basis. To request a pass, e-mail Rita Munzenrider at rita.munzenrider@mso.umt.edu.
Conference Agenda
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Researchers Publish Forest Study Findings
Historically logged forest sites are denser and potentially more prone to severe wildfires and insect outbreaks than unlogged, fire-excluded forests and should be considered a high priority for fuel-reduction treatments, according to a new UM study.
Anna Sala and Cameron Naficy, the lead researchers in the study, published an article on these findings in the most recent issue of the journal Ecological Applications. Sala is a professor in UM's Division of Biological Sciences, and Naficy graduated with a master's degree from UM in 2008.
Sala and Naficy's study compared logged, fire-excluded sites to unlogged, fire-excluded sites in forests mainly consisting of ponderosa pines. The study covered a broad region spanning the Continental Divide of the Northern Rockies, from central Montana to central Idaho.
The findings contradict much of the conventional wisdom defining current U.S. forest policy, which assumes that increases in forest density, which in turn increase the susceptibility to severe wildfires or insect outbreaks, are primarily caused by fire suppression.
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'CHINA Town Hall' at UM Oct. 18
China's role in the world -- from its economic behavior, position on diplomatic matters and expansion of its military to its activities in Africa and the U.S.-China relationship -- is in the news and at the center of foreign policy discussions around the nation.
To help Americans understand this dynamic relationship and have their questions answered by leading experts, the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations will conduct a unique 50-city event, "CHINA Town Hall: Local Connections, National Reflections," on Monday, Oct. 18.
The town hall will begin at 6 p.m. in Missoula at UM's James E. Todd Building Room 210. It is free and open to the public. The Missoula event is co-sponsored by UM Continuing Education, the Maureen and Mike Mansfield Foundation, the Montana World Affairs Council and the National Committee on United States-China Relations.
Featured speaker U.S. Ambassador Jon M. Huntsman Jr. will discuss the U.S.-China relationship in a live webcast from Beijing. He will then respond to questions from audience members. The webcast will be followed by an on-site presentation by Chinese human rights activist Dimon Liu, who will give a related talk on "Human Rights Activism and Human Rights Policy."
For more information, call the Mansfield Center at 243-2988.
Mansfield Center
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Submissions must reach University Relations, 317 Brantly Hall, by noon Tuesday for inclusion in the following week's newsletter. Be sure to note that the submissions are for ForUM. E-mail submissions may be sent to campnews@mso.umt.edu. Items will be included as space permits. For more information, e-mail Brenda Day, ForUM editor.
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