Kevin Starner, author of “The God's Country Naturalist” book series, will speak about the inspirational impact of Ned Smith and how it led to the writing of his latest book, A Year in the Field. Modeled after Ned Smith's Gone for the Day, A Year in the Field takes readers on a seasonal journey across the mid-Atlantic, with stops at some of the most well-known and widely recognized natural areas east of the Mississippi River. Drawing on outdoor experiences from both his personal life (e.g., hunting, fishing, hiking, camping, bird watching, etc.) and his work as an environmental scientist, he compiled a yearlong nature journal that seeks to illustrate how endlessly fascinating and thoroughly entertaining the great gift of nature can be.