Bringing ‘bioneers’ to Wisconsin

Bioneers, a leading-edge environmental movement that uses solutions inspired by nature and human ingenuity to support sustainable lifestyles and communities, will be introduced to Wisconsin at a Nov. 13-14 conference in Fitchburg.

Founder Kenny Ausubel coined the word “bioneers” in 1990 to describe “an emerging culture of social and scientific innovators who are mimicking nature’s operating instructions to serve human ends while enriching the web of life,” according to the Bioneers Web site.

Bringing Bioneers to Wisconsin, a statewide conference, is designed to address the question of “how can we get from where we are right now (“here”) to where we want to be (“there”)?” Seeking to spark imaginative conversations about a just and sustainable tomorrow, key issues relating to food, water, energy, transportation and clean air will be addressed.

Confirmed keynote speakers include Phil Lewis, a University of Wisconsin–Madison professor emeritus; Denver community planner Peter Park; and Joan Garland of the International Crane Foundation in Baraboo, Wis. In the Bioneers tradition, video of the plenary sessions from the 2008 Bioneers Conference will be interwoven with talks and discussion sessions. Art, music and local food will also be featured.

Lewis, a renowned urban planner and professor emeritus of landscape architecture at UW–Madison, will be presented with the first Bringing Bioneers to Wisconsin Award.

Sustain Dane and the BioPharmaceutical Technology Center Institute (BTCI) are serving as co-coordinators and are joined by the Kailo Fund, Promega Corp. and Organic Valley as lead sponsors of the event.

Bringing Bioneers to Wisconsin is open to the public, and the registration fee is $75, discounted to $35 for students and senior citizens.

It will be held at Promega Corp.’s BioPharmaceutical Technology Center, located at 5445 E. Cheryl Parkway in Fitchburg Center, off of South Fish Hatchery Road. For more information and to register, visit http://www.bringingbioneerstowi.org.