Recently, I spoke at Laborastory, an event for science geeks at the Spotted Mallard in Melbourne. Laborastory is a monthly get together where five people from various backgrounds in science tell stories of their science heroes. I spoke about my science hero, ecologist and conservationist, Aldo Leopold.
Aldo Leopold developed the field of wildlife ecology while teaching at the University of Wisconsin, Madison from 1929-1948. Many in conservation and ecology are familiar with Leopold’s collections of writings in A Sand County Almanac– for those that are not, do yourself a favor and pick up a copy A.S.A.P. Leopold’s literary gifts to us are poetic descriptions of the ecological dramas take place on his Midwestern farm and philosophical musings on environmental ethics. His writings provide a foundation for ecological economics and the U.S environmental movement of the 1960’s-70s.
Today a read through A Sand County Almanac transports me to my youth, conjuring up Midwestern prairies and oak woodlands landscapes, surprising me with its continued relevancy, nearly 65 years after it was first published. Most importantly Leopold delivers inspiration when I need it in a field of work and research that can, at times, be quite challenging. That’s what heroes are for right? Who are your conservation heroes? Who delivers inspiration when you need it? E.O. Wilson? Rachael Carson? David Attenborough? Wangari Maathai?
Feel free to tweet us back your conservation heroes @consciRMIT or post a comment here on the blog.
