A Sand County Blog

Explore the latest in conservation thinking and practical land stewardship with special insights, stories, and reflections.

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2026 Phenology Calendar Celebrates Family Legacy

An annual tradition returns earlier than ever! Learn about the 2026 Phenology Calendar, which celebrates the legacy of Aldo's daughter, Nina Leopold Bradley, and the impact of her phenological observations.

Conservation History Ignored to Weaken the Endangered Species Act – by Dr. Stanley Temple

Senior Fellow Dr. Temple outlines the history of endangered species protections through the decades―and why the current proposals to undo the meaning of "harm" will have devastating consequences.

Honoring Estella

Invest in the Estella B. Leopold Presidential Endowment and ensure the land ethic thrives for generations to come.

Planting History in the Sand Counties

The Shack is no stranger to a few (thousand) trees being planted. But these apple saplings are part of Sauk County's storied history, and the plantings are part of a large-scale effort to restore and honor lost human-land connections.

Birding Your Way to Biotic Communion

Education Fellow Ariana Zimney explores how the teeny tiny birds of "65290" fame can inspire a larger, more interconnected worldview.

Camp Long Run: Aldo Leopold and the Yale Forest School Camp of 1907

Originally published in Forest History Today, this article by Julie Dunlap explores an underappreciated period in the formation of Leopold's conservation awareness: a fieldwork summer camp during his studies at the Yale Forest School.

Learning an Earth-Grown Language

A lyrical exploration of land and relationship by Fellow Cadence Eischens, inspired by her Leopold Week interview with poet Camille Dungy

The Incredible, Edible Land Ethic

How food nourishes generosity, community, and love for the land.

The Value of Land

Fellow Ari Zimney reflects on Leopold's essay "The Outlook" and the idea of philosophical value in the context of her own relationships to the land.

Maple Syrup Success: Insight to Smoky Lake Maple Products and Getting Started with Maple Syruping

The Sugar Maple is an important timber species in Wisconsin — but in the coming months it will be more prized for its sap.

Transcribed Shack Journals Now Live!

Ever wonder what the Leopold family was up to on this day at the Shack, or what Leopold wrote when lightning struck the Good Oak? Now you can find out by exploring the original Shack Journals in an easy-to-access digital format!

Chainsaw-in-Hand

The essay "Axe-in-Hand" from A Sand County Almanac is perhaps the closest thing the stewardship team has to a guidebook on land management. But deciding which trees to fell―and why―doesn't get any easier just because our tools are faster.

Live out Your Land Ethic with My Wisconsin Woods

In partnership with The Aldo Leopold Foundation, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, American Forest Foundation, and the U.S. Forest Service, My Wisconsin Woods is a program designed to assist property owners in their land management, connect landowners, and allow for everyone to build their own land ethic.

Jack's Summer of Monitoring

Wildlife monitoring fellow Jack Lindaas spent his summer in the fields and prairies, gathering data. His surveys will help establish baselines for future prairie restoration projects.

Excerpt from Seventh Generation Earth Ethics

A vignette on Joe Rose of the Bad River Ojibwe and his connection with the land - from the book Seventh Generation Earth Ethics by Patty Loew.

A Voice for Conservation: Metalcore Meets Leopold

Shane Murphy, young conservationist and drummer for metalcore band Vacant Voice, unites his two passions in a new song inspired by Aldo Leopold.

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