“Imperiled Species Conservation in the Southern Appalachians,” the first lecture in the 2002-03 Environmental Lecture Series, will be held at 4 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 4, in Room 228 of Robinson Hall on the University of North Carolina at Asheville campus.

The lecture series, sponsored by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the UNCA Department of Environmental Studies, will be held the first Wednesday of each month. The lectures are free and open to the public.

Other lectures include “Restoring the Environmental and Economic Vitality of the French Broad River,” presented by Riverlink, Oct. 2; “Air Quality in the Southern Appalachians: Challenges and Opportunities,” presented by the Southern Appalachian Mountains Institute, Nov. 6; “Achieving Balance: The Management of Our National Forests,” presented by the USDA Forest Service, Dec. 4; “Moving People in the Mountains: The Growing Challenge of Transportation,” presented by the Land-of-Sky Regional Council, Feb. 5; “Meeting the Needs of the Appalachian Trail, America’s Greatest Footpath,” presented by the Appalachian Trail Conference, March 5; “Invasive Plants: Changing the Face of the Southern Appalachians,” presented by Equinox Environmental, April 2; and “The Role of Conservancies in Protecting Our Natural Heritage,” presented by The Nature Conservancy, May 7.

Western North Carolina is home to plants and animals found nowhere else in the world, to the highest peaks and to some of the most significant old-growth forests in the Eastern United States. Also, it is home to invasive plants, suffers from decreased air quality, and is a region grappling with population growth issues. This lecture series will look at some of these issues and what is being done by the people of Western North Carolina to resolve them.

“This lecture series is an introduction to some of the challenges our region is facing and, perhaps more importantly, some of the solutions that are being forwarded and put into action,” said Kevin Moorhead, chair of UNCA’s Environmental Studies Department. “I hope it will provide a starting point for those interested in working for the future of our mountains.”

The lecture series is the result of a partnership between UNCA and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Asheville Field Office, which is responsible for administering the Endangered Species Act in Western North Carolina.

Brian Cole, state supervisor of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Ecological Services Offices in North Carolina, said his organization is dedicated to protecting the nation’s fish, plant, and wildlife resources.

“The success of those species depends on a number of factors, including water and air quality and a host of land-management issues,” he said. “We hope this lecture series will inspire individual involvement in responding to the challenges our region faces.”

For more information, contact Gary Peeples, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 828.258.3939, ext. 234; or Kevin Moorhead, UNCA, 828.232.5183.