Where Ethics Meet Earth

What do you see when you look at a rock? A mountain? A sandy beach? 

For some, these are merely a blank stage for the more interesting goings on of nature. For geologists, though, they are surprisingly active figures in a long and tumultuous earthly history that is still unfolding.  

This difference is thanks to what geologist Marcia Bjornerud calls seeing in four dimensions—the habit of looking at landscapes not only for the features and lifeforms they support today, but as products of ongoing change over a much vaster, more-than-human timescale. Learning to see this way, Bjornerud contends, is one key to becoming a better environmental citizen. 

Join us on September 10 as geologist and author Marcia Bjornerud—author of Turning to Stone and Timefulness—takes the Land Ethic Live stage to share how thinking like a geologist can expand your worldview and provide insights into the environmental crisis. Tag along as we explore geology through the lens of Aldo Leopold's own "Sand County," a region shaped by a rich history of sandstone bedrock, glacial meltwaters and great rivers.  

This program is a special presentation brought to you, in part, by our promotional partners at High Country News—the nation's leading source of news on the West.

For every human being on the planet, there are roughly 1.4 billion individual insects. But aside from the odd pesky mosquito or charming bumble bee, how often do we humans really consider them?  

According to entomologist Barrett Klein, it ought to be more often! Throughout history, insects have markedly shaped human culture—from serving as valuable sources of food, pigment, and fiber, to inspiring our greatest feats of engineering, art, and design. And though they are vastly underappreciated and facing significant challenges today, we still stand to learn much from their abundant wisdom.  

Join us on October 8 as entomologist, artist, and author Barrett Klein (Insect Epiphany) brings the fascinating world of insects to the Land Ethic Live stage, sharing how these six-legged creatures have shaped human culture for millennia and how learning to appreciate their vital roles in the biotic community can strengthen our own land ethics. Enjoy a lively presentation from Barrett followed by audience Q+A and, if we're lucky, a peek at Barrett's incredible artistic collaborations with insects!

In its 250-year history, America has birthed plenty of revolutionaries. In the realm of conservation, though, few names come close to Aldo.

In an era when extractive land use was threatening America’s lands, waters, wildlife, and ways of life, Aldo Leopold took innovative action to change how we relate to and treat the land. From securing the nation’s very first wilderness area in the Southwest to pioneering prairie restoration and wildlife ecology back home, Leopold revolutionized American conservation through a unique blend of science, spirituality, ethics, and language.  

But just how did a nature-lover with a knack for storytelling come to fundamentally change how we treat the land? And is this conservation revolution over, or do we have something more to learn?  

In celebration of the nation’s 250^th anniversary, join us on Land Ethic Live to hear from environmental journalist and author Ben Goldfarb (Eager, Crossings) as he shares the ripples of Aldo’s revolutionary wisdom in today’s world. Listen in as Ben shares insights from his new essay about Leopold in Smithsonian Magazine’s special edition on American revolutionaries, and how Leopold intersects with contemporary environmental issues—from beavers to the roadless rule.  

Do you consider the fungus among us?  

Our scientific understanding of mushrooms and other fungi has been shaped and impeded by mycophobia, a condition of fear and revulsion to the peculiarities of this kingdom of life. However, fungi show us cooperative, alternative, entangled, interdependent, and more-than-human modes of living that are worth studying, imitating, and learning from.

Join us on Thursday, August 13 to hear from mycologist Dr. Patricia Ononiwu Kaishian—author of Forest Euphoria: The Abounding Queerness of Nature—as she shares the fascinating, though often-misunderstood, world of fungi and how rethinking our relationship with these incredible organisms can help us appreciate and build a healthier, more diverse biotic community. Enjoy a presentation featuring Kaishian’s insights from a lifetime spent studying these underappreciated species and stick around for the live Q+A to talk all things fungi!  

This event is a fundraiser for the Aldo Leopold Foundation, open only to new and existing donors. Make a gift of $25 or more to gain access.

From deer camp and fishing trips to walks through the woods, spending time outdoors is a quintessential part of Midwestern culture. And no one knows that better than Wisconsin’s own Charlie Berens—a comedian, best-selling author, and journalist known for his wildly popular sketch and stand-up comedy that spotlights the Midwest (Manitowoc Minute).

Join us for a donor-exclusive special edition of Land Ethic Live where we’ll talk with Charlie about how he uses comedy to connect people, how he explores —and exploits— Midwestern culture, and how his own land ethic is evolving. Laughs and learning guaranteed—it'll be a hoot – Oh, yeah, you betcha!

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