#11 J. Drew Lanham

Dr. J. Drew Lanham is an author, ornithologist, and professor of wildlife ecology at Clemson University. His research focuses on songbird ecology, as well as the African-American role in natural-resources conservation. He is active on a number of conservation boards including the South Carolina Wildlife Federation, South Carolina Audubon, Aldo Leopold Foundation, BirdNote and the American Birding Association.

Dr. Lanham is a widely published author and award-nominated poet, writing about his experiences as a birder, hunter and wild, wandering soul. His 2016 book, The Home Place: Memoirs of a Colored Man’s Love Affair with Nature, describes his upbringing in South Carolina, his family history, and his lifelong affinity for nature. He writes “In me, there is the red of miry clay, the brown of spring floods, the gold of ripening tobacco. I am, in the deepest sense, colored.”

We discussed Drew’s rural upbringing and his family, his professional life, identity, birdwatching, hunting, and his interpretation of the Land Ethic. I really enjoyed learning his perspective through the book and this conversation. If you’re interested in Dr. Lanham’s work, consider reading The Home Place and his latest, Sparrow Envy: A Field Guide to Birds and Lesser Beasts.

“In his debut memoir, self-described “eco-addict” J. Drew Lanham explores the connection between trees and family trees, birds and brethren, and most importantly of all, the place where mother nature and human nature meet. Taken together, it makes for a unique reading experience; one in which the book’s meditative qualities far surpass any semblance of a conventional plot. Let the reader be warned, there are no fireworks here—simply the musings of an African-American naturalist who, throughout his lifetime, has trained himself to marvel at the minor. Trust me, that is enough.” - The Los Angeles Review