Like winds and sunsets, wild things were taken for granted until progress began to do away with them. Now we face the question whether a still higher "standard of living" is worth its cost in things natural, wild, and free.For us of in the minority, the opportunity to see geese is more important than television, and the chance to find a pasque-flower is a right as inalienable as free speech. --Aldo Leopold
Iowa native, Aldo Leopold, truly enjoyed exploring outdoors and
sharing his observations with others throughout his life. He is considered the
"father" of the wildlife management profession.
Leopold was a conservationist, forester, philosopher, dedicated teacher,
writer and outdoor enthusiast. Leopold's goal in his popular wildlife ecology
course was "to teach the student to see the land, to understand what he
sees, and enjoy what he understands."
Leopold’s writing inspires others to look at the natural environment
through a “lens” of appreciation and respect.
The Aldo Leopold
Foundation provides a vast array of tools to help you use Leopold’s writings
in your classroom. Resources include fact sheets and discussion guides for
Leopold’s most well know publication, A Sand County Almanac, lesson plans, and
access to the Aldo Leopold Archives which
includes unpublished manuscripts, journals, correspondence, sketches,
photographs, and implements he used on the land.
Activities to use while studying
Aldo Leopold:
- Enviro-Ethics- Students develop and use a “personal code of environmental ethics.”
- Philosophical Differences- Students select a wildlife or environmental issue and visit with the community about their views and opinions.
- Wildwork- Students explore wildlife-related careers.
- Dragonfly Pond- Students evaluate the effects of different kinds of land use on wetland habitats.
- Living Research: Aquatic Heroes and Heroines- Students identify people who have made contributions to conserving or preserving aquatic environments.
Note: This blog will discontinue this spring.
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