Plainfield, VT — The natural world is not separate from us—we are woven into it. As climate disruption accelerates and the boundaries between human and nonhuman systems blur, new ways of seeing, thinking, and relating are needed. Living Systems, a three-part author series hosted by Cutler Memorial Library, invites the community to explore ecology not only as science, but as lived experience, cultural memory, and ethical challenge.

Each event features a contemporary author whose work engages deeply with questions of interconnection—between people and place, species and systems, knowledge and responsibility. Through essays, reporting, storytelling, and critical inquiry, these writers challenge audiences to reflect on how we live now—and how we might live otherwise.

Event Schedule:

Zoë Schlanger — Tuesday, September 23 at 6 PM (Live Remote Q&A)

Journalist for The Atlantic and author of The Light Eaters: How the Unseen World of Plant Intelligence Offers a New Understanding of Life on Earth, Schlanger will explore the surprising ways plants perceive and respond to the world. Participants can ask questions and engage in a conversation that will challenge assumptions about the plant kingdom.

Ethan Tapper — Tuesday, September 30 at 6 PM (In-Person)

Forester and author of How to Love a Forest: The Bittersweet Work of Tending a Changing World, Tapper will share insights into the delicate, often surprising relationships between humans and forests, highlighting the challenges and rewards of caring for these vital ecosystems.

Bryan Pfeiffer — Tuesday, October 7 at 6 PM (In-Person)

Naturalist Bryan Pfeiffer, known for his Vermont radio program For the Birds, will present his 21-year search for the elusive Elfin Bog Butterfly—the first confirmed sighting in the state. Blending natural history, personal narrative, and reflections on the human condition, Pfeiffer’s talk celebrates curiosity, discovery, and our connection to the living world.

Together, these conversations will explore what it means to listen to the living world, to learn from it, and to imagine futures that move beyond extraction toward relationship.

This series is free and open to all. Events are hosted at the Plainfield Town Hall and Opera House and are presented in collaboration with the Plainfield Conservation Commission, made possible by a grant from the Echo Center.

Contact:

Angela Ogle, Director, Cutler Memorial Library

802.454.8504, angela.m.ogle@cutlerlibrary.org, cutlerlibrary.org