As part of this year’s Big Read in the St. Croix Valley, St. Croix 360 founder Greg Seitz offered a special online presentation and update on his book about the St. Croix River watershed on April 14, 2026. Greg shared the ideas that inform this project, offered a sneak peek of some stories he is writing, and talked about his experience as a Pine Needles artist-in-residence last summer. There was a question-and-answer session after his presentation.

Greg announced in July 2025 that he is writing a book for the University of Minnesota Press that seeks to serve as a “deep map” of the St. Croix watershed. This book will document the human and natural history of the region as it seeks to describe the overall sense of place. Greg is in the midst of this project and excited to share his progress and lessons from the work.

Documenting the region’s stories with depth and detail, curiosity and love, is Greg’s goal. Deep mapping provides a framework for his research and writing. He also uses visual maps and geospatial software to research and reveal the connections between people and stories across space and time.