Aldo Leopold
Leopold's Preserve
"That land is a community is the basic concept of ecology, but that land is to be loved and respected is an extension of ethics."
— Aldo Leopold
Considered by many as the father of wildlife management and of the United States' wilderness system, Aldo Leopold was a conservationist, forester, philosopher, educator, prolific writer, and outdoor enthusiast.
Aldo Leopold conceived of a book geared for general audiences examining humanity's relationship to the natural world. A little more than a year after his death Leopold's collection of essays A Sand County Almanac was published. Included as the finale to this book, Leopold's 'Land Ethic' defined a new relationship between people and nature and set the stage for the modern conservation movement. With over two million copies sold, it is one of the most respected books about the environment ever published, and Leopold has come to be regarded as the most influential conservation thinker of the twentieth century.
Leopold understood that ethics direct individuals to cooperate with each other for the mutual benefit of all. One of his philosophical achievements was the idea that this 'community' should be enlarged to include non-human elements such as soils, waters, plants, and animals, "or collectively:
this page online
Leopold's legacy continues to inform and inspire us to see the natural world "as a community to which we belong."
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Arts, Letters, Music • Education • Environment • Horticulture & Forestry.
Location. 38° 48.43′ N, 77° 39.425′ W. Marker is near Haymarket, Virginia, in Prince William County. Marker is on James Madison Highway (U.S. 15) just south of Market Ridge Boulevard, on the right when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 6739 James Madison Hwy, Haymarket VA 20169, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 2 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. On Hallowed Ground (about 500 feet away, measured in a direct line); The Battle of Buckland Mills (approx. 0.3 miles away); Farm Life (approx. one mile away); St. Paul's, Episcopal (approx. one mile away); In This Area Are Buried (approx. one mile away); In Memory of the Union Soldiers (approx. one mile away); Colonial Roads (approx. 1.1 miles away); Haymarket During the War (approx. 1.1 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Haymarket.
Additional commentary.
1. 'Community' and Feminism
Aldo Leopold's definition of 'community'
Credits. This page was last revised on January 2, 2021. It was originally submitted on January 2, 2021, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 286 times since then and 22 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on January 2, 2021, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
