We are catalyzing a national conservation movement by caring for the birthplace of the land ethic, raising up the next generation of leaders, and educating audiences across the country.
At the Aldo Leopold Foundation, we are a dynamic community, united by a shared passion for conservation and environmental stewardship. Our mission revolves around the fusion of time-honored wisdom and contemporary initiatives as we endeavor to nurture a harmonious coexistence between humanity and the natural world. As champions of a land ethic, we aim to inspire a profound connection to the environment, empowering individuals and communities to actively engage in the flourishing of our precious ecosystems.
We own and care for the original Leopold Shack and surrounding lands, as well as the Leopold Archives housing Aldo’s original writings, sketches, photographs, artifacts, and more. We celebrate Leopold’s legacy and serve as a clearinghouse of information regarding his life, work, and ideas.
We thoughtfully maintain the pines, prairies, and floodplain forests that make up the historic Leopold Shack property and the surrounding 3,400 acres. We also partner with neighboring landowners, agencies, and conservation groups to protect and conserve the larger landscape.
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Through hands-on and digital programming, we inspire our community to be better land stewards, provide opportunities to explore connections to the natural world, and demonstrate the land ethic in action. In this way, we honor Aldo Leopold’s legacy as a gifted and passionate educator.
We directly mentor young leaders entering the field of conservation and foster outreach on a global scale, working through educators and other ambassadors to help awaken an ecological conscience and land ethic in others.
Aldo Leopold's land ethic challenges us to see the land not as a mere commodity, but as a community to which we belong. It is our goal to demonstrate this ethical relationship between people and the natural world, emphasizing the interconnectedness of all living things. Through this lens, conservation becomes a moral responsibility rather than just a utility-based choice.
The future of conservation lies with the next generation. Through our free library of learning resources, we hope to inspire and empower learners and educators to take conservation into their own hands.
Enjoy gorgeous photos of Wisconsin flora and fauna, eloquent Leopold quotes, and illuminating sidebar panels from Senior Fellow Dr. Stan Temple. In the 2025 edition, explore how different species adapt to warming temperatures and find ways to stay within their thermal niches. This calendar is rooted in the Leopold family's passion for phenology, the study of periodic plant and animal life cycle events.
The Aldo Leopold Foundation was founded in 1982 with a mission to foster the land ethic through the legacy of Aldo Leopold, awakening an ecological conscience in people throughout the world.
