UCSB professor Peter Alagona will host a talk about his new book, The Accidental Ecosystem: People and Wildlife in American Cities, at St. Mark’s-in-the-Valley in Los Olivos on March 2, starting at 7 p.m.
Alagona’s book addresses topics centered on wildlife populations in cities in North America. Since World War II, cities throughout the U.S. have attracted unprecedented numbers of wild animals, according to the book. Today, most American cities have more wildlife in and around them than at any other time in history.
A professor in the environmental studies program at UCSB, Alagona previously studied at UCLA, Harvard, and Stanford before teaching in Santa Barbara. He is the author behind two books on American environmental history and human relations with wildlife, as well as more than 50 articles. Alagona is also the founder and facilitator of the California Grizzly Research Network, which conducts research on the past and potential future of brown bears in California, according to press materials.
Alagona’s talk at St. Marks-in-the-Valley will be held in Stacy Hall and will also be streamed via Zoom. This program is hosted by the Santa Ynez Valley Natural History Society. Call (805) 693-5683 or visit syvnature.org for more info on the event.
This article appears in Mar 2-9, 2023.
