A Sand County Almanac
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A Sand County Almanac is a book written by Aldo Leopold, published in 1949. Leopold died in 1948 while extinguishing a brush fire so he was never able to see his work published. It is considered to be a landmark book in the conservation movement, describing the lands around Leopold's home in Sand County, Wisconsin and his thoughts on developing a 'Land Ethic'.
[edit] Structure
In the original publishing, Leopold begins with the actual Sand County Almanac, which is divided into twelve segments, one for each month. He then gives anecdotal stories and observations about flora and fauna's reactions to the seasons, meanwhile tying in conservation topics.
The second section of the book, Sketches Here and There, discusses a few other wildernesses in the U.S. and how conservation, or lack therof, is affecting them.
Leopold ends the book with "Land Ethic," his plan for conservation.
[edit] Leopold's Points
Land is not a commodity to be possessed, rather, humans must have mutual respect for Earth in order to not destroy her.
Humans will never be free if they have no wild spaces in which to roam.
The book has been read by millions and printed over 2 million copies. It has informed and spurred the environmental movement and a widespread interest in ecology as a science. It is perhaps best known for the following quote concerning ecological ethics: "A thing is right when it tends to preserve the integrity, stability, and beauty of the biotic community. It is wrong when it tends otherwise."
