Harmony between Men and Land: Aldo Leopold and the Foundations of Ecosystem Management

Evolving from both Gifford Pinchot and his utilitarian philosophy of wise use, and John Muir and the preservation philosophy of wilderness, Aldo Leopold espoused--and practiced--integrating a degree of wildness into the working agricultural landscape. As newly published essays show, his articulation of "land health" prefigures current definitions of ecosystem health, and the practices he preached anticipate today's prescriptions for ecosystem management. Although the science of ecology has evolved and terminology has changed, Leopold's formulation may help both standardize and institutionalize the concept of ecosystem health, and his example may inspire an ambitious new goal in public and private land management.

Keywords: Ecosystem Management,Education,Social Issues

Publisher: Journal of Forestry.May 2000. v. 98 (5)

Category: Forestry