Leopold A Land Ethic

"In short, a land ethic changes the role of Homo-sapiens from conqueror of land-community to plain member and citizen of it. It implies respect for the fellow-members, and also respect for the community as such..." Leopold

I think many people can agree with the author when he says this. growing up we always hear that humans are the superior race of animals. And that may be true in many ways but we are part of this planet as much as all the other species that have been here long before us. We have taken the planet as if we own it. We have killed many species of animals as well as plants sometimes for necessity and sometimes for sport. We should not think just because we have evolved more than other species and consider ourselves superior that we are owners of the planet and we may choose to do with it what we please. We are merely another member of a community and must learn to share every resource provided to us.

"The less violent the man made changes, the greater the probability of successful readjustment in the pyramid." Leopold

I think that no matter how violent, the changes we make to an environment will affect the species that live in it. The best thing to do would be not to make anymore changes to the environment. Or to make sure that if we are going to make changes to plan ahead and think of all the life we might be destroying and find ways to preserve that life. In class we learned how Florida environmentalist saw how much destruct6ion change would bring to the land and they fought to keep part of the land reserved. But not a lot places thought or simply cared about what and who change would affect.

"One of the requisites for an ecological comprehension of land is an understanding of ecology, and this is by no means co- extensive with 'education'; in fact, much higher education seems deliberately to avoid ecological concepts."

I dont understand what the author means by "much higher education seems to deliberately to avoid ecological concepts." I think that not only in our class but other classes ecological awareness is taught and is a subject that can be discussed about in any subject. I think that as we grow we are starting to better understand the land and we are staring to appreciate it more everyday. We are taking precautions when building making sure that all life is accounted for when making changes to an environment.