66 NEBRASKA CATTLEMAN January 2025 PERSPECTIVES A Sand County Almanac Lessons for Contemporary Conservation After 75 years HEIDI OBERMEYER | CONTRIBUTING WRITER A Sand County Almanacwas published in 1949 at a time of extreme upheaval in the United States and the world as people and landscapes recovered from World War II. 2024 marked the 75th anniversary of the book’s publication, and author Aldo Leopold’s perspectives remain just as relevant today in a world filled with similar upheaval and complex challenges, particularly in agriculture and conservation. Although the timeline of A Sand County Almanac’s publication was bittersweet – Leopold died suddenly just a week after a publisher reached out to accept the manuscript – Leopold’s persistence later in life to articulate what he had learned from 40-odd years of experience in conservation formed the foundation of modern approaches to conservation and land management. In light of Leopold’s lasting impact on conservation and the books’ anniversary, Colorado State University convened a distinguished panel of speakers to discuss A Sand County Almanac and how its central themes – man as a key player in conservation of wild places and the concept of a land ethic – continue to impact debates around conservation and land use today. Historian Curt Meine began the discussion by explaining how Leopold’s work across conservation projects both big and small – from his time spent with the U.S. Forest Service in the Mountain West to the care and stewardship of his dilapidated Wisconsin farm – shaped how he thought Panel moderator Ken Shockley, left, asked questions of Stephen E. Strom, Ph.D., Lesli Allison, Erik Glenn and Robbie LeValley, left to right, regarding issues surrounding contemporary conservation. Historian Curt Meine gave an overview of Aldo Leopold and his work on conservation. CONTINUED ON PAGE 68
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