Analysis of A Sand County Almanac by Aldo Leopold - Book Report/Review Example

A Sand County Almanac by Aldo Leopold book review The book “A sand County Almanac”, written by Aldo Leopold is one of the most comprehensive publications that talk about environmental conservation as well as the need for more conscience with regard to our land use activities. The initial chapters of the book primarily focus on the descriptions of nature and the various interactions between animals and plants which are necessary for their own survival. The author particularly attempts to create a social environmental awareness towards the utilization of land and other environmental resources. The main theme of the book is cultivation of land ethics in which people should develop a culture of engaging in a sustainable environmental conservation in their activities rather than focus on the monetary gains of their land use. Throughout the book, Leopold argues that land is like a system in which all of the living organisms are part of and therefore every one must take all the necessary care to ensure a long term sustainability of our land uses as well as the preservation of environmental diversity (89). As most people and researchers try to give various theories and philosophical standing, many are of the idea that from the thematic topics written by Leopold in his book “A sand county Almanac”, provide the basis for explaining the philosophical stand towards environmental conversation. By telling the story of how he follows a skink from where it has been hiding when conditions are not favorable up to the time it emerges as the environmental changes take effect. In addition the story gives us an insight of diminishing of plant species of Silphium fields that are destroyed. This explains the extent to which the relationship in an ecosystem has an impact to the environment. Towards the middle chapters of the book, the author comprehensively discusses the ecology of his small farm in Wisconsin, a place he describes as a sand country characterized by low soil fertility. The themes of the book surround around three main ideas. The first and foremost talks about land being made up of living things and there exists a relationship between land and the living things in general. This complex interaction of land and humans is what has been used to bring out the relevance of both parties and how they have an influence to each other. This kind of relationship though taken for granted is explored in the book to bring relevance to the current environmental conservation strategies and explains why certain aspects of nature have diminished. Leopold also believed that the beauty of nature in several parts of the United States has been significantly compromised as a result of our poor land use ethics and lack of effective forestry policies. To communicate this massage, Leopold highlights the important connection between wilderness and wildness by discussing the effects of our wildness with regard to our focus on the monetary value of our land use activities rather than on the conservation of wilderness. For example the author recounts his initial days as a forest official in New Mexico and Arizona in the 1910s where he learnt the importance of wilderness conservation after watching the extinction of the only remaining Wolves in the Arizona forests. The experience enabled him to become one of the Americas staunchest advocates for wilderness conservation and protection. Some of Leopold’s essays in the book also discuss the urgency of the need to create more wild spaces as well as the fact that the world stand to lose its biodiversity if our land use ethics. Although the book was published several decades ago, the massage of the author regarding environmental protection, proper land use ethics as well as the conservation of natural resources and biodiversity. Generally Leopold’s work has significantly influenced modern conservation and protection movements for wildernesses. As a result of his advocacy, many acres of land in several regions across the United States are currently under protection. Both the federal and state agencies are increasingly adopting the land use and development ethics that were championed by Aldo Leopold. This is likely to help minimize the loss of millions of to development projects such as built environments at the expense of the conservation of nature. According to the author, we should begin environmental conservation by saving the small pierces of land around us before focusing our attention on the larger environmental achievements. In this regard, some of the little activities that can significantly contribute towards the greater environmental conservation include discouraging our neighbors from scrape landscaping, lobbying for the enactment of policies that discourage sprawling build environments such the current unregulated construction of Wal-Mart stores everywhere. The housing developments particularly in the urban centers should also be regulated to ensure that that they meet the environmental conservation standards. Leopold was also against the education system which trades environmental awareness with the things he considered as of lesser worth (20). In stead of teachings, he effectively uses his experience to highlight important concepts of environmental conservation. His sentiments in the story reflect his interest in human relationship with the environment. On the other hand, his philosophical thought is that human beings cause distraction to vital species without noticing the imminent consequences of their action. It is with the same concern that he tells of sawing of an oak. The tree that is destroyed by lightening, to the amazement of the reader he does not blame the lightning, but rather decides to give a perspective when the same tree is cut down. In one of the stories discussed in the book, the tree had with stood so many environmental factors. He analyses the cutting of the rings of the tree and compares it to human life to arrive at a reflection that nature need not to be forgotten when thinking of history. As the tree is cut each layer explains the complexity of both human and natural relationship between the trees and the surrounding human setting. From this thematic approach it comes out clearly that land is a community. By critically showing the relationships that there is between various organisms and land the author brings to our perspective the complex interaction that modern science explains as ecology. From the events described in the book, it clearly comes out that land should be something that has to be loved and appreciated irrespective of its productivity potential. On the other hand, the description of the geese in November serves to highlight land ethics from a beauty point of view. In broadening our thinking on the value of land, from his argumentative ideas it is depicted that land is a source of our human culture rather than simply an economical asset. The land ethic which he takes to include community concepts according to the book takes into consideration the biosphere as a whole which is made up of soil water and living things. From this kind of story flow and mind blogging thoughts small things appear relevant in understanding the relationship between land and the human life. Additionally Leopold’s love for nature is well exhibited in the book when he remembers his earlier life and the canoeing experience. With increased deforestation as a result of human settlement and urbanization this things are diminishing at a high rate. It is this love of nature shown in the book that has become a center stage of propelling the ideas of environmental conservation forward. In his argument of he states that by planting a pine in its simple form is an act of creation (86) and road side beauty but does not take into consideration balance for species can be a recipe for disaster. As a result of the authors love for nature, he urges individuals to develop more forestation strategies in an effort to ensure environmental conservation. With increased environmental degradation it is this perspective that to my opinion is still important in realization of the potential that the land we have can be productive in many more ways. In order to ensure environmental sustainability various scholars and researchers have critically evaluated the concept of land ethic as described in the book and have consequently concurred that behavioral change towards conservation is urgently needed. People who have a personal attachment to land and who appreciate the complex relationship that is established between land and man guard the environment more jealously. Nature has helped explain human culture in various settings and not until we conserve the same we will have nothing to relate with to shape our history. In order to strike a balance between land and man and find harmony as per the sentiments of Leopold, it requires more education and awareness coupled with love for nature. Despite the current challenges of climatic changes, floods and problems associated with modern science and approach to modern technological advancement in farming, it is still essential to conserve the environment in order to appreciate the natures best. Not until this is done then the works Leopold would have been in vain. There will be little to appreciate and to play part in the current world in realization of the potential of land and the bigger role we play. Although critics often point out at Leopold’s love for sport hunting as a threat to environmental conservation, Leopold was opposed to the use of technological devices such as guns in hunting because he believed that such tools to do not give the Animals a fare chance of survival. Leopold argued that overhunting is bad since it can result in the extinction of some endangered animal species. In his argument of he states that by planting a pine in its simple form is an act of creation (86) and road side beauty but does not take into consideration balance for species can be a recipe for disaster. Far much as the writer is a love of nature he urges for well thought out a forestation strategies in an effort to ensure environmental conservation. Despite the fact that social context which was in place during Leopold’s time may be different from our contemporary periods, the massage is still relevant to the present as well as the future conservation activists. Conclusion In conclusion, Leopold’s work not only provide the important lesson regarding wilderness ethics but his discussions of how he effectively revitalized his farm also serves as an important lesson to environmental conservationists. I particularly agree with in Leopold’s assertion that saving the wilderness can only be successful if we create a social environmental awareness whereby everyone will be conscious about the small little things that are needed to preserve the environment from being wasted. Work cited Leopold, Aldo. A Sand County Almanac. New York: Random House Publishing House, 1966. Print. Read More