Native American Heritage Month with presenter Doug Wood

We are celebrating Native American Heritage Month with presenter Doug Wood November 18th in the Gearheart Auditorium from 12:25-1:45.

DOUG WOOD is a biologist retired from the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protections Watershed Assessment Program after 33 years of public service. He earned a bachelor-of-science degree in Wildlife Management from West Virginia University in 1977. He has been researching 18th century eastern American cultures and their environments since 1987.

His ancestral threads intertwine from Cherokee, Scotch-Irish, English, and German homelands. One of his two major areas of interest is characterized by the questions, How did such diverse cultures impact the Appalachian Mountains environment, and how did that environment alter those cultures through the 18th century frontier phase of history? His other major interest is in the exchange of technologies, goods, ideas, and cultural practices between the diverse cultures that occupied the frontier during the 18th century.

Doug and his wife, Dianne Anestis, regularly conduct historic and nature interpretation workshops for interpretive staff of the National Park Service and state parks in several states. They also have made such presentations at a variety of professional development workshops in the Mid-Atlantic region. In 2003, Doug was awarded a research fellowship from the WV Humanities Council to study Man Killer Ostenaco, a Cherokee war captain who fought on behalf of the British colonies during the French amp; Indian War.

The fellowship research culminated in his acceptance to the councils roster of History Alive! Presenters. In that role, Doug has made over 100 presentations in five states to raise awareness of French amp; Indian War history in general and Cherokee involvement in the war in the mid-Atlantic region in particular.

Doug and Dianne annually participate in ten or more historical reenactments of 18th century events that were critical to eastern American Indian history.