RE: NANFA-- Harper's article

Jay DeLong (thirdwind_at_att.net)
Wed, 21 Feb 2001 10:44:12 -0800

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Good points, Rob. I think she was referring to the large scale ecosystem
destruction that has occurred in the 50 years since Leopold wrote Sand
County Almanac and The Land Ethic. Though Leopold's writings have had
meaningful effects on scattered idealists and organizations (of course his
writings have shown many that they aren't alone in their awareness,
allowing them to organize and share and plan with others), such "ethics"
have not made it to lawmakers and developers. Species extinctions are now
occurring at the fastest rate in history. She mentions living near a
lagoon with a beach named Turtle Beach because sea turtles breed
there. Condos now encircle the lagoon, and she talks about how the turtle
volunteers ask that the condo owners turn off their lights when the young
turtles are emerging so the young turtles can detect the barely luminescent
ocean waters, but most of the condo owners aren't even there because their
homes are just investments, and they have their lights on timers.

--
Jay DeLong
Olympia, WA

>"She invokes the ideas of Aldo Leopold (whom she laments "has had about as >much affect on the American conscience as a >snowflake")" > >---- >I can agree with this on some levels but while he may not have reached "the >masses" with his message, can you imagine how much less positive effect >there would have been on our environment if he hadn't reached many of us? I >reread A Sand County Almanac about every other year and peruse it for >specific quotes and thoughts almost monthly. I derive a lot of motivation >and internal fortitude from his writings. I like to think that I manage to >reach a few people and do some good for our world just as all of my >colleagues in the Nature Center field do. Add to that, all of the >biologists, ecologists, wildlife managers, even foresters and other natural >resource managers who are doing their jobs and spreading the message of >environmental conservation and you see that, while Aldo might not have made >the best sellers list and hasn't had the readership of more popular authors, >his effect on our world is vast, yet subtle and long term. > >For any who may not be familiar with Leopold and his works, I highly >recommend A Sand County Almanac as a "must" read. > >Rob Denkhaus >Fort Worth Nature Center & Refuge

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