Laurence Cotton

Laurence Cotton is a practicing public historian and documentary filmmaker. With his academic background in cultural anthropology, and field work in Latin America and the South Pacific, Laurence has also worked with contemporary tribal leaders across the U.S., on matters pertaining to cultural and natural resources.

 

As a historian, Laurence brings several areas of expertise: terrestrial and maritime exploration, encounters between first peoples, explorers and settlers, and environmental and landscape history. As a documentarian, Laurence is an accomplished writer/producer of historical and biographical films, most of which tell "America's story" as he puts it. Several of his films have appeared on public television.

 

Laurence is also a trained interpretive naturalist, and he is passionate about the outdoors, and in particular he is a specialist in the history and role of public parks in our lives--all parks--city, county, state and National Parks. As a staff person and volunteer in the conservation arena, Laurence has worked to protect natural spaces at home and abroad, and to protect the cultures of indigenous peoples. Laurence brings the experience of two decades of work on small ship cruise vessels, on the rivers, lakes and coastlines of North America.