When I first noticed this book, I dismissed it for its odd title, unsure how it could be relevant to the issues I was interested in. However, after seeing it pop up repeatedly on lists of important books on environmental issues, I thought I’d give it a try.
It turned out to be a true gem. I now understand why A Sand County Almanac is considered a classic of environmental literature. Despite its 1949 publication date, it remains one of the most influential books on environment and conservation today.
The book was written by Aldo Leopold, an American ecologist, forester and conservationist. Much of the text comprises his descriptions of the land, first around his farm in Wisconsin and then in other parts of America, Canada and Mexico. As he takes the reader through the seasons and across the landscapes, Leopold conveys in an honest and very visceral way the sense of beauty and wonder he feels at his experiences in nature. His writing is delightfully crafted, painting an immersive sensory picture without ever seeming overly sentimental.
Throughout the book, Leopold shares his musings on the relationship between humanity and nature and reflects on the degradation of the land at our hands. He contends that this degradation is brought about by our current set of land-use ethics, in which we view the land as a commodity to be owned and exploited purely for the satisfaction of economic self-interest. We fail to appreciate nature as one great interconnected community which we are a part of and upon which we depend and consequently we have little sense of obligation to protect, nurture or give back to it.
Leopold sets out his ideas on environmental conservation, culminating in his advocacy of a ‘Land Ethic’. In this he proposes a cultural paradigm shift; an enlargement of our current set of ethics, such that we regard ourselves as part of a community that comprises not only other human beings, but also all of nature: ‘the soils, waters, plants, and animals, or collectively: the land.’ He hopes for humanity to develop sense of responsibility and stewardship over the land. The essence of the Land Ethic is captured in the most well-known quote of the book:
‘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.’
Although it was written more than 60 years ago, A Sand County Almanac is ever more relevant today. At a time when we see accelerating loss of biodiversity and environmental degradation, it seems clear that if we wish to halt the destruction, the environmental consciousness we are beginning to develop must continue to evolve and become a fundamental part of our ethics and understanding of our place in the world.
For further information or to purchase this book, click here > A Sand County Almanac
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