News & Events

Moab Information Center 2021 Lecture Series

At the Moab Information Center Auditorium

Free to the public

June 10 – Walt Dabney:  Public Lands; Where, Why, and How?

Join former National Park Ranger and Superintendent and Texas State Parks Director, Walt Dabney for answers to these, and more, questions:  Where did our Public Lands come from? Why do the western states have lots and other states almost none? How were states formed? What does the Constitution say about these lands? What was the effect of the Homestead Act and the Railroad Act? How were      National Parks and Forests established? Why are these lands held “in common”, so important to us today? These and other questions and past and current issues are addressed in this hour-long presentation. Questions and discussion time to follow.

July 8 – Robert Anderson:  Founding Fathers; The Creation of Canyonlands National Park

The vision of Charlie Steen, Bates Wilson, and  Stewart Udall paved the way for the creation of Canyonlands National Park. Charlie Steen represents the Atomic Energy Commission who provided access to the White Rim Sandstone via the White Rim Road. Bates Wilson Represents the vision of having a National Park that would protect the confluence. Wilson wanted to protect a million acres of wild canyon country and generate a sustainable economy via tourism. Stewart Udall provided the political support needed in order to push the idea of a National Park through Congress. Join Park Ranger, Robert Anderson, as he discusses each of these men and their vision for Canyonlands National Park.

July 22 – Jeff Moore:  Vibration and the Lifecycle of Natural Arches; Decoding the Language of Stone

***Jeff Moore is a CNHA Discovery Pool Grant Recipient***

Rock arches are dynamic, sensitive, and fragile landforms, and are constantly broadcasting their state health; we need only listen with the right set of tools to experience and begin to interpret this language. The iconic arches of Utah’s red rock desert are constantly in motion, trembling in resonance with the forces of the Earth. The natural frequencies of vibration are in turn controlled by geometry and material properties and combine to reveal a distinct vibrational fingerprint unique to every landform. Sped up and amplified, we can now experience these vibrations as sound, hearing the hidden voice of Utah’s red rock icons and forming the basis for a new, non-invasive method of structural health monitoring. Our team measures the ambient vibration of prominent rock arches and towers in Utah. Our results help inform questions of conservation and public safety for some of the world’s most revered geological landmarks and provide a new way for visitors to engage with these dynamic rock formations aiming to inspire a spirit of respect and care.