This Day in History: 1887-01-11

Aldo Leopold born this day in 1887. A forester, conservationist and author, Leopold is especially known for writing Sand County Almanac in 1947 and advocating a “land ethic” dealing with the relationship to the land, the animal and plants in an ecosystem. The book was a major contribution to the development of environmental ethics. He said: “The land ethic simply enlarges the boundaries of the community to include soils, waters, plants, and animals, or collectively: the land…[A] land ethic changes the role of Homo sapiens from conqueror of the land-community to plain member and citizen of it. It implies respect for his fellow-members, and also respect for the community as such.”