Miles to present 'What Would John Muir Think About National Park Wilderness Today?' Feb. 13 on campus

John Miles, a professor at Western Washington University's Huxley College of the Environment and a 2014 project scholar for Whatcom READS!, will present "What Would John Muir Think About National Park Wilderness Today?" at 4 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 13, in Western Libraries Special Collections.

Miles, an original member of the Huxley College faculty in 1970, has served in many capacities at WWU, including department chair and dean. His teaching has focused on environmental education and the humanities applied to the study of environmental problems and issues.

Among his courses are Environmental Ethics, American Literature of Nature and Place, and the History of Conservation in the United States. He has written and edited books about the North Cascades, region (Koma Kulshan and Impressions of the North Cascades) and national park history (Guardians of the Parks: A History of the National Parks and Conservation Association and Wilderness and National Parks: Playground or Preserve). An avid climber, backpacker, and backcountry skier, John has explored firsthand much American wilderness and continues to do so.

Special Collections is located on the sixth floor of Wilson Library.

This program was made possible in part by a grant from Humanities Washington, a state-wide nonprofit organization supported by the National Endowment for the Humanities, the state of Washington and contributions from individuals and foundations.