Learn about Great Lakes from environmental writer

The McHenry County Soil and Water Conservation District will host Peter Annin, author of the book "Great Lakes Water Wars," at 7 p.m. Oct. 18 at the McHenry County College auditorium, 8900 Route 14, Crystal Lake.

He will talk about his book, which deals with the increasing social, economic and ecological challenges being placed on the Great Lakes. Pollution, international treaties, overuse and politics will be just a few of the discussion topics.

A veteran conflict and environmental journalist, Peter Annin spent more than a decade reporting on a variety of issues for Newsweek. For many years, he specialized in coverage of domestic terrorism. He also covered droughts in the Southwest, hurricanes in the Southeast, wind power on the Great Plains, forest fires in the mountain West, as well as the "dead zone" in the Gulf of Mexico.

Since January 2000, he has been an associate director of the Institutes for Journalism and Natural Resources, a nonpartisan national nonprofit that organizes educational fellowships for midcareer environmental journalists.

Attendees at the free forum will learn about the ongoing struggles over the Great Lakes and how they may affect the future of McHenry County's water resources.