Conservancy Presents Colombia: Culture, Critters and Conservation

Boise and Ketchum presentations are free to the public

BOISE and KETCHUM, IDAHO — November 17, 2009 — Can monkeys save a village? Can armadillos sustain a family through years of violence and bloodshed?

The Nature Conservancy’s Matt Miller will present two free programs focusing on the stories of the Colombian people and how they are charting a new future of hope in their country. In Colombia, conservation offers a hopeful future in a land notorious for its violence.

Rancher Eduardo Martinez lived in fear of his life for years on the Llanos grasslands of Colombia. Now he's charting a new future for his ranch and family. Hear his story this December in Hailey and Ketchum. Photo © Matt Miller/TNC

Colombia: Culture, Critters and Conservation

BOISE
6:30 pm Tuesday, December 8
Foothills Learning Center (directions)

KETCHUM
6 pm Tuesday, December 15
The Community Library (directions)

Matt Miller spent a month in Colombia working with conservationists as part of a fellowship he received from the Conservancy. He radio tracked monkeys, rode horseback across endless grasslands, visited remote ranches that were off limits to foreign visitors for decades and listened to people eager to share their stories.

“Colombia is well known to people in the United States due to violence, kidnapping and the drug trade,” says Miller. “But that is an incomplete picture. Colombia is a country of abundant wildlife and beautiful cities. And it’s a place where I heard some incredibly inspiring stories. I hope you join me as I share those stories of hope and conservation.”

The event is free to the public. No registration is necessary.

The Nature Conservancy is a leading conservation organization working around the world to protect ecologically important lands and waters for nature and people. The Conservancy and its more than 1 million members have protected nearly 120 million acres worldwide. Visit The Nature Conservancy on the Web at www.nature.org.