Happy Birthday Aldo Leopold - 

Considered by many to be the father of wildlife ecology and the United States’ wilderness system, Aldo Leopold was a conservationist, forester, philosopher, educator, writer, and outdoor enthusiast. Among his best known ideas is the “land ethic,” which calls for an ethical, caring relationship between people and nature.

I grew up hiking, camping, backpacking in the pacific northwest and didn’t realize the significance of Aldo Leopold until much later in life. In the early 2000s I was fortunate to be able to take a trip to New Mexico and hike in the Gila Wilderness Area and the Aldo Leopold Wilderness Area. Both were championed by Mr. Leopold, with the Gila being created in the first batch of wilderness areas in 1964. The one named after him came along in 1980. 

It is, to me, one of our strengths as a nation. The outdoor areas we choose to protect for the natural life that exists in those places and for our enjoyment is something I am grateful for.

https://www.aldoleopold.org