land ethic

Aldo Leopold developed his land ethic due to his relationship with his land. He saw the beauty of the land and the animals that inhabit it. His land ethic arose as a way of protecting the land he loved by extending humanistic ethics onto the land. Like Leopold, we all develop an ethical view towards the land as we grow up. Depending on experiences, land ethics are widely varied from individual to individual. Growing up, I developed my own personal land ethic. I grew up in the suburbs of Rochester Minnesota but always wanted to move further out into the country. I have always wanted to have a plot of land with a large forest that I could spend time exploring and playing in. Instead, I had a small yard in which to explore and have fun, at least for most of the year. In summers, my family would spend a great deal of time in our lakeside cabin in northern Wisconsin. It was here that I got to experience more of the natural exploration I always desired. I could go fishing, catch crayfish and minnows, paddle around the lake, go snorkeling, swim, and explore the lake environment. This time spent outdoors was always a very important part of my life and influenced the way I see the natural world. For me, the natural world was worth protecting in terms of the recreational activities it offered for me and my family. Harming the environment through pollution or littering ruins experiences in nature for me and everyone else. Looking back, my lake cabin also influenced my ethical views towards animals as well. Fishing on our lake was often a challenge and I never caught many fish. Whether this was due to overfishing or not, I still don’t know to this day. In my mind, however, overfishing was the problem and people taking too many fish was why I could never catch anything. I always felt that wildlife needed to be protected so that others could enjoy it and should not be exploited by the few. Like Leopold, my land ethic was formed by my relationship with the land as I grew up. The lessons I learned at my lakeside cabin have shaped my attitudes towards the environment to this day.