Aldo Leopold’s The Land Ethic was a fantastic read. It was written almost seventy years ago and still applies to todays society. Mans relationship with the land has always been one of pure exploitation without regard for the health and sustainability of the land itself, its animals, and plant life. Leopold describes the various ethics that exist between society and individuals, or organizations and individuals, and then makes a good point to explain that no ethic applies between man and aquatic areas or the land. He uses the Golden Rule(to do unto others as you would unto yourself) to describe societies code of conduct, but also argues that the same Golden Rule is lacking in The Land Ethic. 

 In the chapter titled The Ethical Sequence, Aldo Leopold very vaguely explains the rights and wrongs that should apply to governing the land. He states that “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”. It is hard to decipher exactly what he means, but there is mention of “enlarging the boundaries of the community to include soils, waters, plants, and animals, or collectively: the land”. Humankind pays no heed to the land it so needs to sustain life. Humans perceive all aspects of land and water to be used for pure gain whether it is used in transportation, agriculture, or for disposal.

The Land Ethic implies that the role of man and its relationship change from one of the conqueror and land owner, to a member or citizen of it. Leopold argues that the use of conservation education is lacking. That it is through experience that an ethical relationship can be formed, and central to Aldo Leopold’s idea is the notion that mans direct contact with nature is imperative to building an ethical agreement with the land. 

I hold my own philosophy that is almost completely parallel to Leopold’s with the exception of our economic uses for land. I only say that because the population and carrying capacity are exponentially higher today than they were in the 1940’s. The planet hold’s such a dense population that the extrapolation of natural resources is imperative to feeding man. Doing away with fracking, ocean trawling, and reducing carbon emissions is necessary, but to deny the use of agriculture to feed humanity would be near impossible. Through education programs that involve experience, I believe we can develop a deeper appreciate for Mother Nature as a society. Not just in the US, but across the globe.

The term “Land Owner” will have to be done away with, and our understanding  of our use of the land will have to change dramatically. Men and their governments will have to see our relationship with the land as one of symbiosis rather than one of ownership.  Leopold wrote that our relationship with the land is “strictly economic” and I agree with that wholeheartedly. An example of mankind’s effect on nature can be seen in our use of aquatic resources. Less than 1% of Earths fresh water is found in Lakes and Rivers, yet nearly 40% of those are too polluted to swim in, let alone drink.  There is over 1.2 trillion gallons of pesticides, sewage, and industrial waste which are disposed into these waters annually. Financial gain is at the top of our list instead of making conservation efforts to preserve these beautiful bodies of water that are necessary to sustaining our lives. If this is to continue, within the next few years, there will greater water shortages, but minimal efforts have been made to bring this to the publics attention.  By exposing the general public to our current state of water usage, I believe more proactive measures will be taken. 

Leopold says we must extend our community’s sensibilities to all members of the community. By that he means taking into account our affects on plant life, both aquatic and terrestrial. In modern society, that would mean taking accountability for our energy usage and how that directly affects the natural world. Carbon emissions are one of the key factors effecting climate change today. Cutting down energy use, ceasing all oil usage, and developing an understanding of how our energy use impacts the land is the only way any positive change can be made. 

Leopold mentions preserving the integrity of the biotic community. What I believe he meant was that our use of natural resources should be mindful and kept to a minimum so as to not disturb natural ecosystems. If our dynamic with the land disturbs an ecosystem, it is then “wrong”. If our interactions with the land are damaging then they should be discontinued. I do not think Leopold meant that the land is more valuable than the individual, just that all life forms, human and nonhuman, should be kept at a state of healthy equilibrium. 

Both beauty and ethics are motivating for me in terms of my relationship with the land. The point of conservation-which is an ethical matter-is to preserve the beauty of the natural world which provides so much to sustaining our lives. If one is lucky enough to go outside and experience its beauty, then it is that much more enriching.  I think both self interest and non-human elements are factored into my personal land ethic. I say that because I have been lucky enough to enjoy the great outdoors, and maybe it is selfish of me to want to continue to enjoy its splendors. I believe it is in everyones best interest to preserve the natural world because using it the way that we are is selfish  and unfair to other non-human life forms that cannot defend themselves against mans greed. The non-human elements of life have proven to be self sustaining, but cannot make the same efforts that man can to preserve them. For those reasons both interests are taken into consideration in my land ethic. 

Reading The Land Ethic was an incredibly useful exercise. Had I not read it, I do not think I would have reflected on my own approach to issues of conservation. In the chapter titled The Land Pyramid Leopold’ wrote out his three ideas that: “(1)The land is not merely soil. (2) The native plants and animals kept the energy circuit open; others may or may not.  (3) That man-made changes are of a different order than evolutionary changes, and have effects more comprehensive than is intended or foreseen” (Leopold 218) His first point was that the land may not be a sentient being, but all living organisms matter to life which he states in his second statement. The second statement that all  living organisms  are part of the energy circuit means that plants and animals contribute to the life cycle. This chapter, and these points are what really enlightened me in my reading. I have always been aware of the importance of nature for my sake, but how much it contributes to my daily life was never anything I thought too deeply about. 

I will definitely be forwarding The Land Ethic to friends and family. Its concepts should be integrated into our education system so that kids from an early age can establish an understanding and appreciation for the natural world. Along with teaching The Land Ethic, our population needs to get outside, experience the great outdoors, and incorporate outings as part of their lives. I believe this will help build a deeper relationship with Man and Mother Nature. This will only further conservation efforts.