Megan's Nature Nook
Nature Notes, Phenology, Photography, Fun Facts, Trips, Maybe Even a Bad Joke or Two... and More!
I know it’s mid-January and I am a little late if you have already set your New Year’s Resolutions, but instead of a resolution, this one is more of a goal. For the year 2020, my goal is to read a chapter of Aldo Leopold’s book A Sand County Almanac each month. Each chapter corresponds with a month of the year and talks about what is going on in nature at that time. I’ll be walking through the year with Aldo and seeing nature through his eyes. I had read this book as an undergrad for one of my wildlife classes, but that was all in one chunk, so it will be interesting to read it throughout the year as the seasons change. Aldo Leopold Aldo Leopold is known to many as the father of wildlife ecology. He was a conservationist, forester, philosopher, educator, writer, and outdoor enthusiast. He came up with the “Land Ethic” which calls for a positive and caring relationship between people and nature. Aldo was born in Burlington, Iowa in 1887 and had a love for nature at an early age. He attended Yale Forest School and graduated in 1909. After graduation he worked for the U.S. Forest Service in Arizona and New Mexico. In 1924 he and his family moved to Madison, Wisconsin as part of a job transfer. In 1935 they bought a worn-out farm along the Wisconsin River near Baraboo, Wisconsin. They would spend their weekends there at “the Shack” as they worked on ecological restoration experiments; Leopold documenting the changes. Leopold was quite the writer and wrote a textbook along with articles for professional journals and magazines. A week after finding out that his manuscript for A Sand County Almanac would be published, he died on April 21, 1948 from a heart attack while fighting a grass fire on a neighbor’s farm. About a year after his death the book was published and has become a highly regarded book about the environment. For a more detailed biography, visit AldoLeopold.org Join Me! It is an easy goal for the year, reading just a few pages a month. Take a little time to slow down and appreciate the everyday happenings of nature that we often overlook. There are multiple editions of A Sand County Almanac, with the difference being what collection of essays is after the “A Sand County Almanac” section. Any of these editions will work, and I encourage you to read the essays included in your edition. You can find A Sand County Almanac at your local bookstore, numerous places online in print or digital download, or even at your local library. The Book A Sand County Almanac was first published in 1949. Throughout the book, Aldo Leopold documents the happenings and changes in nature around the Shack near Baraboo, Wisconsin throughout the year. JANUARY: January Thaw FEBRUARY: Good Oak MARCH: The Geese Return APRIL: Come High Water, Draba, Bur Oak, Sky Dance MAY: Back from the Argentine JUNE: The Alder Fork JULY: Great Possessions, Prairie Birthday AUGUST: The Green Pasture SEPTEMBER: The Choral Copse OCTOBER: Smoky Gold, Too Early, Red Lanterns NOVEMBER: If I Were the Wind, Axe-in-Hand, A Mighty Fortress DECEMBER: Home Range, Pines above the Snow, 65290 Let me know what you think of the book! Fun Facts
Visit the Leopold Shack You can visit the Leopold Shack and see the landscape that inspired Aldo. The Leopold Center is just down the road and has exhibits on Leopold’s life and legacy. Enjoy a walk through the prairie or woods along one of their hiking trails. The Center is open year-round and located near Baraboo, Wisconsin and Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin. You can take a scheduled tour or explore on your own. Visit the Aldo Leopold Foundation website to learn more. Get Started Find yourself a copy of A Sand County Almanac and join me in this nature reading journey. I’m starting off reading indoors under a warm blanket, but come Spring you’ll be able to find me outside soaking up the sun with a copy of A Sand County Almanac in my hands. Happy Reading! P.S. After reading the book, check out the 2011 documentary Green Fire: Aldo Leopold and a Land Ethic for Our Time about Aldo Leopold’s career and how he influenced others. You can find it on the Aldo Leopold Foundation’s website.
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