Come hear about protecting and enhancing special places from Mike Cipra, executive director of the Northcoast Regional Land Trust. Friends of the Arcata Marsh is sponsoring this free public lecture starting at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, November 18 at the Arcata Marsh Interpretive Center. Mike’s presentation, entitled ““Lay of the Land: Protecting wild & working landscapes,” will discuss this Arcata-based nonprofit’s role in preservation, conservation tools, and community projects that are working to protect wild and working landscapes and get people more connected to the land. The mission of the NRLT – which is over 15 years old and has helped conserve more than 25,000 acres -- also encompasses conservation education, planning, and wetland restoration. Mike has worked as an education ranger for the National Park Service, manager of the California Desert Program for the nonprofit National Parks Conservation Association, a planner for Death Valley National Park, and more recently as the community partner liaison for HSU before joining the land trust staff. For more information or to guarantee a seat, call (707) 826-2359.