Feb 24
Mesilla Valley Film Society Mesilla, NM
TicketsDr. Magda Garbowski
Assistant Professor of Functional and Restoration Ecology, New Mexico State University
Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind — Coexistence in a Toxic World
Program Description
Ecological restoration is the “process of assisting the recovery of an ecosystem that has been damaged, degraded, or destroyed” and the science and practice of ecological restoration are expanding rapidly. However, science shows us that ecosystems can often heal themselves, even without human intervention. Our Science on Screen discussion following Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind will begin with a short talk by restoration ecologist, Dr. Magda Garbowski, focused on the fundamentals of restoration ecology and trade-offs of passive vs. active restoration approaches. This will be followed by a general discussion focused on the role humans’ play – or ought to play – in restoring damaged ecosystems.
Film Synopsis
Warrior and pacifist Princess Nausicaä desperately struggles to prevent two warring nations from destroying themselves and their dying planet.
One thousand years have passed since the Seven Days of Fire, an apocalyptic war that destroyed civilization and created the vast Toxic Jungle, a poisonous forest swarming with giant mutant insects. Now, only small pockets of humanity survive. One pocket is the kingdom of the Valley of the Wind, where a princess named Nausicaä (voiced by Sumi Shimamoto) explores the jungle and communicates with its inhabitants, including the gigantic, armored trilobite-like creatures called Ohm. She hopes to understand the jungle and find a way for it and humans to coexist. Acclaimed filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki (Howl's Moving Castle) co-wrote and directed this anime adventure film.
About the Speaker
Dr. Magda Garbowski, Assistant Professor of Functional and Restoration Ecology at New Mexico State University. With her research, Magda aims to clarify the mechanisms driving biodiversity and ecosystem change. She then seeks to apply this understanding to management, conservation, and restoration of rapidly changing landscapes for the benefit of both nature and society.