The Conference on Environment and Community began in 1989 at Weber State University, then Weber State College. (Those of you who are counting will note that the years since then add up to more than 14. The conference did miss a couple of years; hence, this is the 14th edition.) Several faculty members at Weber, representing different disciplinary perspectives, especially Mikel Vause (literature) and William McVaugh (psychology), had the idea for an interdisciplinary conference as part of Weber’s centennial year celebration. Based on their mutual interest in mountain climbing and wilderness, they organized the North American Interdisciplinary Wilderness Conference.

They began with modest expectations, anticipating that a couple dozen scholars might respond. To their delight, in Mike Vause’s words, “People came out of the woodwork!” About 100 participants from a broad spectrum of disciplines and backgrounds made the first conference a solid success, and the organizers decided to offer the conference annually.

That first year also set the pattern for the conference’s featured speakers. Each year those speakers have not only been outstanding scholars or activists, but have also, in keeping with the interdisciplinary emphasis of the conference, represented many different approaches to wilderness and environmental issues. Examples of just a few of the featured speakers from various years include L. David Mech (wolf ecology and restoration), Cheryl Charles (environmental education), William Kittridge, Rick Bass and Ann Zwinger (nature/environmental writers), Maxine Hong Kingston (literature), Max Oelschlaeger and J. Baird Callicott (environmental philosophy), Reed Noss (conservation biology), John Lemons (ecology), David Abrams (interdisciplinary scholar), Rebecca Solnit (journalism), Pattianne Rogers (poetry), and Steven Trimble (photographer). Other speakers have included forest service supervisors, ranchers and environmental activists.

It’s also important to note that one result of that first conference was the anthology, Wilderness Tapestry: An Eclectic Approach to Preservation (University of Nevada Press, 1992), which published some of the papers presented that first year. In addition, scholars networked, collaborated, and produced numerous other books, papers and conferences. So the event has been a seminal one for interdisciplinary environmental research.

After several more years of the conference, and with continuing interest by scholars and others, Mike and Bill decided to share the organizing effort. Scott Slovic (literature) at the University of Nevada- Reno agreed to organize the conference, alternating years with Mike and Bill at Ogden. The first Reno-based version was in 1994, after which it moved back and forth between the two institutions.

Although no one has done any research about it, the continued success of the conference probably rests on several interrelated factors. First, participants share a common interest in the environment and/or wilderness, regardless of their specific disciplinary approach. Also, they are all attracted to interdisciplinary work, probably because serious thinkers about the environment quickly realize that interdisciplinary approaches are necessary in that area of study. Third, the conference is smaller compared to others (e.g., MLA, APA), giving it a more personal feel; past participants describe it as friendly.

During the early 1990s, there was a loosely organized advisory board for the conference. Scott, Bill and Mike, along with the advisory group, realized that although the conference’s title focused on wilderness, participants were actually working on a much broader range of environmentally related topics and issues, from ecocriticism to ecofeminism, from environmental ethics to natural history. So in 1996, the conference title was changed to “Conference on Environment and Community” to reflect that broad array of interest.

Around the same time, several advisory board members advocated moving the conference around the U.S. After a couple of years of sporadic discussion, everyone involved agreed to do so; and Wayne Ouderkirk (environmental philosophy) agreed to organize the conference in 2004, with the sponsorship of Empire State College (SUNY) in Saratoga Springs, NY. He subsequently twisted the arm of his Empire State College colleague, Elaine Handley (writing and literature), who agreed to work with him in that effort.

Currently, there is no specific location identified for the next edition of the conference, which should be held in another part of the country. It has yet to be held in the Midwest, the Southeast, on the West Coast, or in Canada. Anyone interested in organizing a future conference (2005? 2006?) should talk with Wayne Ouderkirk and other past organizers.