Hoff to speak at museum

The Barnes County Historical Society Lecture Series Season 11 presents professor Don Hoff of Valley City State University speaking on “The Upper Amazon Basin/Peru” at 7 p.m. Sept. 18 at the Barnes County Historical Society Museum, 315 Central Ave. N., Valley City.

In the summer of 2008, Hoff traveled to Peru with a one-day stop in Lima and then took the Andes flight to the largest city on the upper Amazon drainage basin, Iquitos. After an overnight stay there the group of educators traveled by boat up the Amazon and Napo rivers. The goal of the group was to study the animals, plants, people and ecology of the region and to use Global Positioning Systems and Geographic Information Systems technology to create maps for a local ecotourism enterprise. They mapped a forest canopy walk which is one of the longest and highest in the world and other forest trails. A local native man accompanied them as a naturalist and guide.

Hoff is starting his seventh year as a professor at VCSU. When not teaching, he likes to hunt, fish, do carpentry and travel. He previously taught at Velva and Manderee, N.D., Kwajalein in the Marshall Islands, Minot State University, and the University of North Dakota. He currently teaches Earth science/geology courses, science teaching methods and chemistry. He supervises science student teachers. Hoff is also the state coordinator for the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching program. His wife, Sharon, works at Valley City High School. They have one son, Ryan.

All lectures are at the Barnes County Historical Society Museum and held in conjunction with Valley City State University. They are free and open to the public.

For more information, contact Wes Anderson at 701-845-0966.

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