NEWPORT — The MAC Center for the Arts will host a new exhibit titled “Ecosystem Services Through an Artist’s Eye,” which is a collaborative event with the Orleans County Natural Resources Conservation District and the Memphremagog Watershed Association.
The show will be open to the public from June 4 to July 3 in the Downstairs Connection at the MAC, located at 158 Main Street, in Newport.
Ecosystem services are defined as “the benefits provided by ecosystems to humans.”
Many key ecosystem services, such as nutrient cycling, carbon sequestration, pest regulation, and pollination, sustain agricultural productivity so farmers often take on the role of stewards of ecosystem services.
The state of Vermont does not have a comprehensive way to monitor, evaluate, and monetize the ecosystem services provided by agriculture.
The theme of this year’s conservation art show will raise awareness of this emerging field of environmental economics and acknowledge the work that farmers are doing to sustain and enhance the ecosystems of the NEK.
The unique exhibition features artwork from around the state specifically focusing on the concept of ecosystem services.
The exhibit is free and open to the public during regular business hours at the MAC, open Tuesday through Saturday, from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
The exhibit is underwritten by a grant from the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets.
For more information please visit www.maccenterforthearts.com, call 802-334-1966, or contact Emily Finnegan at 802-624-7022 or [email protected].
