Biophilia Network
Biophilia: Connecting to Nature When it’s Stinky, Slimy, Scaly and Squishy: The Most Lovable of the UnLoved!
Note: This week's biophilia meeting will be in the Center for Sustainable Landscapes classroom. You can access this location by turning into the Phipps employee parking lot by the Christopher Columbus statue on Schenley Drive Extension.
Join us Thurs., July 10 at 6 p.m., for our in-person and virtual Biophilia meeting, where we will be discussing how sometimes the best things come in a truly oddball package! Take the hellbender, the state amphibian of Pennsylvania, but with nicknames like snot otter, lasagna lizard, mud devil and devil dog, maybe it hasn’t always been recognized as the water quality mascot that it truly is. What about the house centipede, that often eerily shows up in our bedrooms and showers, startling what is otherwise a calm space? You may have never thought to thank them for their work keeping cockroaches and termites in check. Or what about the delightfully stinky first of blooms of early spring, the skunk cabbage? With the power to melt snow and draw in flies, they certainly need some appreciative love! The wild world is full of scaly, squishy, slimy things that at first glance we might think are eerie and unnerving; but sometimes, we just need to see them in a new light. We are all part of nature and we all have a unique place – so join us for a squirmy evening of exploring some of the most lovable of the unloved neighbors in nature!
Not able to join us in person? We will also be streaming the event via Zoom! Register here.
Meetings are free to attend; however, advance registration is required via email. Although this speaking event can be viewed at home, participants are invited to join others in-person to view the presentation at Phipps’ Center for Sustainable Landscapes classroom. Click the button below to reserve your spot today.
Meet the Speakers:
Dr. Maria Wheeler-Dubas
Dr. Maria Wheeler-Dubas is a life-long nature enthusiast with a passion for conservation education. She has worked in museums, zoos and public gardens for over twenty years, and nothing is more rewarding to her than sharing the wonders of the wild world. When not at work, she is usually exploring a park with her dogs and husband adventure buddy.
Information for virtual attendees: The Zoom meeting will begin promptly at 6 p.m. (EST), 3 p.m. (PST). After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
Designed as a series of posts on the Phipps blog and a hashtag for use on Twitter and Instagram, #bioPGH is a new social call-to-action for people throughout the region to more closely examine the beauty and importance of the nature around them.
The Biophilic Mind is a blog focused on presenting primary-source articles at the intersection of human health and the natural world. The Biophilic Mind aims to highlight high quality, recent research about the connections between well-being and nature.
Inspired by the Biophilic Cities initiative, the Biophilia: Pittsburgh Directory seeks to present an overview of the biophilic organizations, events, activities and projects in Pittsburgh, to aid the public in enhancing their connections to nature and discovering collaborative opportunities.
In this archive, you may access presentation materials and video recordings from previous installments of our monthly Biophilia: Pittsburgh meeting series. Additions will be made often, so visit regularly for the latest materials to deepen your Biophilia: Pittsburgh experience.
Biophilia: Pittsburgh meets monthly at Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens where, over delicious small-plates and light refreshments, an expert guest speaker discusses ways of connecting people to nature and showing how these connections can improve our lives in the interest of sharing ideas and identifying opportunities.
Our Goals
• To welcome and inspire others with the concept and principles of biophilia
• To foster collaboration and learning between professionals from a wide variety of disciplines
• To communicate biophilic principles in action-oriented ways to a wider audience for exponential and regional impact
What Is Biophilia?
The term “biophilia,” which literally means “love of life,” was coined by social psychologist Erich Fromm and popularized by biologist E.O. Wilson, who defined it as “the innately emotional affiliation of human beings to other living organisms.”
The implications of biophilia extend across a vast array of disciplines including design and engineering, nutrition, psychology, public health, education, biology and the humanities. Biophilia is expressed all over the world every day, through complex collaborations such as the design and construction of buildings and landscapes; and intimate, personal encounters including nature hikes and home gardening.
Photo © Paul g. Wiegman, Phipps staff
