Aldo Leopold: The Man and His Legacy

by Thomas Tanner (Editor)

Aldo Leopold (1887 – 1948) was an American writer, philosopher, naturalist, scientist, ecologist, forester, conservationist, and environmentalist. He was a professor at the University of Wisconsin and his textbook Game Management (1933) was the foundation for that field. The book A Sand County Almanac (1949), is widely regarded as a landmark - a blend of the literary heritage of Thoreau and the scientific tradition of modern wildlife management. Leopold was influential in the development of modern environmental ethics and the movement for wilderness conservation. His ethics of nature and wildlife preservation had a profound impact on the environmental movement, with his ecocentric or holistic ethics regarding land. He emphasized biodiversity and ecology and was a founder of the science of wildlife management.

175 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 1987

Reviews

[Max Dunn · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.1

I unexpectedly recieved this book once I became a member of the Soil, Water and Conservation Society. Each chapter is written by someone close to or influenced by A. Leopold so some are better than others. I particularly enjoyed Roderick Nash's section due to his exceptional writing style, critical analysis into Leopolds's life, and dashes of philosophy.

[Henry DeForest · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book to be incredibly useful in putting the work of Aldo Leopold into the context of the real world. This is less of a proper biography and more of a consideration of how various industries and mindsets have been shifted as a result of a Leopoldian way of thinking. That isn't to say that the book didn't go over his life at all, as this subject is given its due diligence (for instance, the final chapter offered some heart-warming anecdotes from his family), but much of this book concerns the Land Ethic specifically. Overall, I would say if you have spent time pondering the themes of A Sand County Almanac, this book serves as a wonderful companion piece.