National Wildlife Federation President to Speak at Allegheny College

MEADVILLE, Pa. –  Larry Schweiger, president and CEO of the National Wildlife Federation, will present a free public talk, “Last Chance: Preserving Life on Earth,” on Monday, March 8 at 7 p.m. in Quigley Hall auditorium at Allegheny College.

Schweiger—whose book, “Last Chance: Preserving Life on Earth,” was published in 2009—will discuss the impact of climate change on wildlife and humans. His presentation will address climate change in a variety of contexts: from Lake Erie to the icebergs of Greenland, and from Congress to America’s classrooms and farmlands. Schweiger seeks to remind people that they have a duty to act as the Earth’s caretakers, not just its inhabitants.

The National Wildlife Federation (NWF) is America’s largest conservation organization, with 48 affiliates and more than four million supporters. Schweiger became head of the NWF in 2004. He previously served as president and CEO of the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, where he pioneered and promoted programs to expand ecological research and community outreach in high priority conservation areas.

Schweiger also is an active community leader, having served on more than 40 governing boards, commissions and committees. He currently serves on the boards of the Alliance for Climate Protection, the NWF Action Fund and the H. John Heinz III Center for Science, Economics and the Environment.

In addition, Schweiger has received numerous awards for his efforts in conservation, including the Distinguished Service Award for Special Conservation Achievement from the NWF and the Conservation Service Award from the Christian Environmental Association. He was selected as Pittsburgher of the Year in 2000 and Pennsylvania’s Environmental Professional of the Year in 2002.

Part of Allegheny’s Year of Social Change, Schweiger’s presentation is sponsored by the Department of Environmental Science and the Center for Political Participation. A book signing will follow the lecture. For more information, contact the Department of Environmental Science at (814) 332-4844.