A Sand County Almanac by Aldo Leopold - Coursework Example

?Question A Sand County Almanac ed by Aldo Leopold is among the most important works on ecological restoration that any land manager, ecologists, and those involved in movements that promote ecological restoration must study. Leopold’s pioneered ecological restoration in 1934 when as a leader at the University of Wisconsin at Madison bought a collection of abandoned farmland and transformed it into native ecological communities. Leopold foresight in ecological restoration yielded fruits as revealed by the pines that now grow and occupy the abandoned farmland, Leopold’s 120 acres of land. Leopold ecological restoration ideas were greatly influenced by Thoreau idea. Indeed, Leopold was an active participant in the ecological restoration as evidenced by his activities. By 1935, prior to the acquisition of the farm, the number of nesting pairs of sandhill cranes in Wisconsin were 25. This was one of his major concerns and he thereby corresponded with people in Wisconsin that have knowledge of sandhill cranes. The collective effort of Leopold and his colleague has yielded positive fruits as there are 12,000 sandhill cranes in Wisconsin as of today. Prior to Leopold acquisition of the farm, there were no otter neither was there wolves spotted on the farmland. These extirpated wildlife has made a comeback. Lutra Canadensis has reappeared and there are otter in the otter pond. Likewise is the presence of radio-collared wolves noticed in the farmland. Leopold benefited from his ecological restoration of an insignificant farmland. For instance, from an insignificant tree oak Leopold got firewood, exercise, family teamwork, and a history lesson. Leopold also preserved the economically worthless Draba by avoiding the planting of pines in area that favors the growth of these plants. The planting of 48,000 pines in thirteen years, indeed, demonstrates Leopold commitment to ecological restoration. Various groups are involved in the ecological restoration and these include the Germantown High School and the Leopold Foundation that collaborates with International Crane Foundation. In fact, the Germantown High School has successfully raised $15,000 to fund ecological restoration in addition to restoring the prairie by planting seeds collected from the Leopold farmland. The International Crane Foundation works towards the preservation of the world’s fifteen species of crane and towards the protection of crane habitat. Leopold through his writing and experiment at the abandoned farmland has built a legacy for himself. In the forestry community, Leopold is highly regarded. For instance, the idea that landowners are responsible to the land is attributed to Leopold. Despite his lesser influence in Britain, Leopold is still known among British restorationists. The Leopold farmland is a pilgrim center that means different things to different people The resultant relationship between humans and the environment leads to the ecology not mending itself. Left alone, ecology restores itself but human interaction prevents this restoration. .Question 2 Although, A Sand County Almanac contains no panaceas, no blueprints for mass action, it has planted the seed of ecological responsibility and land ethics in me. I now understand that I own ecology a duty in helping to preserve it and keeping it healthy not only for posterity but for my own benefit. I also now understand that land is not a property to be used but my partner in the food chain. It has instilled in me the intellectual and emotional altitude to preserve all of nature. The whole concept is ethics. Ecological ethics is the intellectual and emotional altitude that restricts our freedom of action in the struggle for existence. As opposed to philosophical ethics, there is no concept of social or anti-social behavior rather it is a mode of guidance that direct our use of natural resources such as land. An ethical human being does not regard land as his property rather as part of his existence. Land ethic revert the role of Homo sapiens as landowner or conquerors to that of plain members or citizens. As conquerors, man will finally destroy themselves like all historical conquerors. As citizens, the complex biotic interaction between man and the land is known and can be used for the benefit of man and posterity. Land ethic demands that humans regard land as a community not their property. Thus man must establish a balance between himself and land. This state of balance is termed conservation. The years of propaganda on conservation notwithstanding, very little has been done on ecological conservation. While the need for more education on conservation is important, it is equally vital that the substance of the education be result-oriented. Landowners should be made to understand the importance of obeying the law, voting wisely, participating in ecological conservation organizations, and engaging in conservation practices that is beneficial to their land. The government also has a role to play and landowner should be aware of the role of government; however landowner should not complicate the role of government. The content of the conservation education should not incorporate the concepts of right or wrong; should avoid the assignment of obligation and demand for sacrifice without changing the prevailing value system. The landowners should be made to write the rule themselves and by so doing they are may learn faster than expected. Like philosophical ethic, land ethic is still governed by self interest and that explain why no rule have been written even when the landowners were promised incentives if they could write the rule that will save their lands. Thus an internal change at the intellectual and emotional levels is necessary if land ethic is to be achieved. In fact, a when economic self-interest is the foundation of ecological conservation, no meaningful result is accomplished given that certain essential but non-economic components of the land will be ignored in the conservation planning. In fact all elements of the land community are essential for the healthy functioning of the land. Unless landowners have a holistic view that all components of the land are essential no success will be achieved in land ethic. Land, indeed, in part of man’s community. Land ethic demands that the economic role of land be secondary while is biotic relationship to man be considered primary. Indeed, land is part of the energy circuitry that encompasses soil, plants and animals. Land is part of the biotic pyramid. In this pyramid, the larger bottom layer is made up of soil, on which plant is resting. The insect layer rests on the plant while birds and rodents rest on the insects. This continues to the apex that is made up of the large carnivore. Man and other omnivores occupied an intermediate layer. This pyramid shows the dependency of man’s source of energy on land and thus land is part of the energy circuitry. When changes occur in the flow of this energy, adjustments are made in many part of the pyramid to accommodate the change. Evolution and man can induce this change. Man-induced changes are violent and rapid as well as having larger scope compare to evolutionary changes that are slow and localized. Changes in the energy circuitry can be induced by altering the composition of floras and faunas. For instance, killing of large carnivores shorten the pyramid. By depleting the soil of its fertility (energy) changes can also be induced. This later change is induced by excessive farming that depletes soil nutrients and lead to erosion. World-wide transportation of plant and animal across the world market also induce changes by pooling localized energy worldwide. Land ethic incorporates the concept of ecological conscience, which in turn demands that individuals are responsible for maintaining a healthy land. A healthy land has the capacity of renewing itself and the prime objective of conservation is to preserve this capacity. Thus the responsibility of all landowner is to become conservationist. Question 3 How does transportation of plants and animals induce changes in the energy circuit in the pyramid? How do native plants and animals keep the energy open whereas other may or may not? What is the effect of organic farming on the energy circuitry in the pyramid? (How does it affect it?) Read More