For decades, our appreciation for natural beauty has been tempered by an awareness of its impermanence. Our environment, its species, and the very climate in which we live all exist under conditions of duress. In this month’s lecture, we will hear from Pulitzer prize winner E.O. Wilson, one of the most influential biologists of the last 70 years and pioneer of the field of sociobiology. His lecture, delivered in 2001, addresses the dangers facing our environment, strategies for slowing its decline, and the importance of preserving our natural capital.