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Leopold observed, “There is yet no ethic dealing with man’s relation to land and to the animals and plants which grow upon it. Society must develop an ecological conscience." Although that conscience was not realized by many during Leopold's life, those thoughts led people in future generations to take action. Rachel Carson, who wrote the book Silent Spring and is known as the mother of the modern environmental movement, includes Leopold's A Sand County Almanac on her "Essential Environmental Reading List," alongside the works of Henry David Thoreau, Dr. Seuss, and Edward Abbey. "Placing what should be preserved above what is economically expedient remains relevant today," said Carson in tribute to Leopold, and when we consider the scope and severity of environmental problems we currently face, Leopold's work remains an incredible important influence in environmental policy today.
Ecological conscience: It bothered us when the Cayuhuga River spontaneously burst into flames 500 yards in the sky and when DDT reduced the population of Bald Eagles in the US to approximately 25. The bother turned to activism and the message momentarily got through to our policy-makers. Between the years 1970 and 1973 Congress passed the Clean Air and the Clean Water Act, The Endangered Species Act, and established the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency). All of these pieces of monumental environmental legislation can be traced back to Aldo Leopold. And Aldo Leopold can be traced back to his education, beginning in many ways in Lawrenceville Prep in New Jersey. According to the school's director of sustainability Samuel H. Kosoff, "The Lawrenceville School has undertaken a 'Green Campus Initiative' seeking a holistic approach to campus sustainability...The campus in particular with the legacy of alumni Aldo Leopold, provides a unique opportunity for students to gain a new dimension to their learning experience, and an increased appreciation for the natural world."
A similar initiative inspired by Leopold at Bloomsburg University.
Leopold defined conservation as “a state of harmony between men and land.” This demonstrates his desire for a healthy relationship between the needs of human beings, animals, and nature. Aldo leopold's work continues to compel Americans on many campuses, arboretums, refuges, forests, plains, and prairies to coexist upon the land with scientific morality as our judgment, not just our wants and needs. Leopold wrote, "Like winds and sunsets, wild things were taken for granted until progress began to do away with them. Humans are behaving as gods, choosing what deserves to exist and what does not. What man does not realize is that those elements that he deems unimportant are actually integral to the continuance of those that he does need." A healthy environment requires are all parts a part of together, Leopold knew this and he taught it. The lesson is his lead, what we do with it, his legacy.
Who was Aldo Leopold? He was conservationist, forester, philosopher, educator, writer, activist, and outdoor enthusiast. More importantly, he established an "ecological conscience," gave a voice to the mountain, and a hope to the wolf's wild howl.
Ecological conscience: It bothered us when the Cayuhuga River spontaneously burst into flames 500 yards in the sky and when DDT reduced the population of Bald Eagles in the US to approximately 25. The bother turned to activism and the message momentarily got through to our policy-makers. Between the years 1970 and 1973 Congress passed the Clean Air and the Clean Water Act, The Endangered Species Act, and established the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency). All of these pieces of monumental environmental legislation can be traced back to Aldo Leopold. And Aldo Leopold can be traced back to his education, beginning in many ways in Lawrenceville Prep in New Jersey. According to the school's director of sustainability Samuel H. Kosoff, "The Lawrenceville School has undertaken a 'Green Campus Initiative' seeking a holistic approach to campus sustainability...The campus in particular with the legacy of alumni Aldo Leopold, provides a unique opportunity for students to gain a new dimension to their learning experience, and an increased appreciation for the natural world."
A similar initiative inspired by Leopold at Bloomsburg University.
Leopold defined conservation as “a state of harmony between men and land.” This demonstrates his desire for a healthy relationship between the needs of human beings, animals, and nature. Aldo leopold's work continues to compel Americans on many campuses, arboretums, refuges, forests, plains, and prairies to coexist upon the land with scientific morality as our judgment, not just our wants and needs. Leopold wrote, "Like winds and sunsets, wild things were taken for granted until progress began to do away with them. Humans are behaving as gods, choosing what deserves to exist and what does not. What man does not realize is that those elements that he deems unimportant are actually integral to the continuance of those that he does need." A healthy environment requires are all parts a part of together, Leopold knew this and he taught it. The lesson is his lead, what we do with it, his legacy.
Who was Aldo Leopold? He was conservationist, forester, philosopher, educator, writer, activist, and outdoor enthusiast. More importantly, he established an "ecological conscience," gave a voice to the mountain, and a hope to the wolf's wild howl.