Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
HeacceptedafortuitoustransfertoanewUSFSlabinMadisonin1924andwith-
in a few years had revolutionized how we view the natural world. His belief in a
cause-and-effect relationship with the land led him to a two-year survey of game in
North America and his founding of game-management theory.
By 1933, he was named the chair of UW's new game-management department.
PartofhisjobwastoexamineandbasicallyrepaircentralWisconsin,whichhadbeen
laidwasteduringpreviousgenerationsofmisinformedagriculturalexploitation.Leo-
pold's tenure oversaw reforestation, wetland restoration, establishment of state and
county forests, game preserves, parks, and more.
A SAND COUNTY ALMANAC
While covering thecentral regionforhiswork,Leopold foundtheperfect retreat. He
spent most of the rest of his life in examination of this land. The result is his even-
handed and scientifically pragmatic masterpiece for which he is justly famous, set-
ting down what is now referred to as land ethic, the origin of modern-day land-use
management.
A Sand County Almanac
was in essence a florid, cheerful way of describing the
symbiotic nature of humans and the land. What we today couch in multisyllabic jar-
gon (biodiversity or ecoawareness), Leopold recognized intuitively.
One fantastic way to get a glimpse of the lands he so adored is to travel
Rustic
Road 49,
Levee Road—10 miles stretching along the Wisconsin River between WI
33andHighwayTandpassingthroughtheAldoLeopoldReserve.Youcanalsotake
self-guided tours of the land (free) or guided tours (Saturdays April through Oct.,
$15) of the original
shack
and the wondrous new
Aldo Leopold Legacy Center
a
mile away via a trail. Check out
www.aldoleopold.org
for information.
Historic and Scenic Tours
Thedowntown
Main Street Historic District
containsmorethan60buildingsintheMath-
ias Mitchell Public Square. A printed guide is available at many locations throughout town
for a small fee.
