ECIMN February CE Seminar "Fire, Fields, and Forgotten Foods"
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ECIMN Continuing Education Seminar "Fire, Fields, and Forgotten Foods: Uncovering the Deep-Time Connections between People and Prairies in Illinois "
Date: February 16, 2026
Time: 7 pm
In-person Location: Champaign Extension Auditorium
801 N Country Fair Dr., Champaign, IL
Zoom: Link provided in your registration confirmation email.
Date: February 16, 2026
Time: 7 pm
In-person Location: Champaign Extension Auditorium
801 N Country Fair Dr., Champaign, IL
Zoom: Link provided in your registration confirmation email.
Presenter: Dr. Michael Aiuvalasit
Description: How did Indigenous peoples shape the prairies of Illinois long before European settlement? And what are the “lost crops” that sustained communities in the Midwest for millennia? This presentation explores the deep-time relationships between people, plants, and prairies. Drawing on evidence from ancient seeds, soils, and charcoal, we reveal how human ingenuity and ecological knowledge transformed Illinois landscapes, and how this knowledge may transform communities today.
Description: How did Indigenous peoples shape the prairies of Illinois long before European settlement? And what are the “lost crops” that sustained communities in the Midwest for millennia? This presentation explores the deep-time relationships between people, plants, and prairies. Drawing on evidence from ancient seeds, soils, and charcoal, we reveal how human ingenuity and ecological knowledge transformed Illinois landscapes, and how this knowledge may transform communities today.
Presenter Bio: Dr. Aiuvalasit is an environmental archaeologist with the Illinois State Archaeological Survey, where he investigates long-term interactions between humans and ecosystems. His research focuses on how Indigenous communities managed landscapes and built communities adapted to environmental change.
Should you require accommodations or have questions, please email Melissa Berg at mkberg3@illinois.edu as early as possible.