Timeless, But Always Accurate

By Ari Zimney

For many folks, A Sand County Almanac is the book that evolves as they, too, evolve. A book that accompanies the reader as they grow through life, all while maintaining its stature as a foundation for land conservation and the land ethic.  

I have quickly come to recognize, having only read A Sand County Almanac once through in its entirety, that the visitors I get to interact with daily all have a unique experience associated with reading the book. Some have copies that rest perpetually by their bedstands, others get their books from rummage sales, already well loved. Others just heard about Aldo Leopold yesterday and stopped in to learn all they could on their impromptu visit.  

As I meet more and more wonderful people, a common theme emerges. Many people discovered Aldo Leopold in college, reading A Sand County Almanac in different classes. And then, like many things in college, they lose touch with its teachings, only revisiting the book within the last 10 or 20 years. This anomaly persists, as it did with my dad. He read A Sand County Almanac when he studied forestry at UW-Stevens Point, but recalls not putting much thought into it. Over the years, he has gone back to the book, understanding more and more of its lessons each time. Just recently he reread it again, reflecting on the essays much more this time; he had more appreciation for the stories and observations Leopold so passionately wrote about.   

And maybe that is the key—to continue to reread A Sand County Almanac over and over until it begins to influence the way we live our lives. To take time to sit with this powerhouse of a book and allow ourselves to be transformed. To notice which essay speaks to us now more than before. To appreciate how crisp the writing is and how it still holds true to certain values in the thinking community. One visitor described A Sand County Almanac to me as, “...timeless, but always accurate,” and what a truth that is.  

This phrase made me pause and reflect. The personal transformation that I’ve seen happen for many because of this timeless book is clear. So many turn to this book for consolation, wisdom, literary philosophy, and ecological commentary. A book so well-written and thought-provoking that we are still talking about it 75 years later, and with a fervor so intense that perhaps even Aldo Leopold would be astounded! A book that has touched generations already—grandmother to grandchild, or father to daughter, as I experienced. An artfully rich and observationally dense book, A Sand County Almanac has truly timeless qualities, and maintains accurate ideas and visions to put into motion today. 

But what can we say for A Sand County Almanac as a scientifically accurate book today? Based on technical scientific research and accurate observational notes, A Sand County Almanac upholds ecological principles with dense philosophical inquiry. The conservation issues Leopold presents us with are actionable—anyone can adopt them and begin to live out a land ethic. Ahead of its time when published in 1949, A Sand County Almanac introduces ideas we are just beginning to grapple with on a large scale: land conservation, wildlife ecology, habitat restoration, community with the land—the list goes on and on. These foundational ideas and concrete solutions have come together through the work of an evolving, thinking community. As Leopold states, “the land ethic changes the role of Homo sapiens from conqueror of the land-community to plain member and citizen of it.” What a beautiful community to be part of! 

After just graduating college in May of 2024 and newly integrating into the Leopold Foundation family, I feel overwhelmed when I read A Sand County Almanac. But I am beginning to see that understanding grows with time. And it makes me wonder, when I read this book in 10, 20, or 40 years, how will my understanding expand? A Sand County Almanac will not change, thank goodness, but as I grow up and read it from time to time, I will change. I will bury myself in the ecological database Leopold has created and my eyes will well up with tears when I read "Marshland Elegy," remarking on how Leopold feared the loss of the beloved Sandhill Crane. The heartbeat of the book will continue to echo through eternity, remaining timeless, but always accurate. And the thinking community will continue to grow and evolve with it, expanding the land ethic one person at a time. This lifetime mission is underway: to revel in the land ethic and make it each our own, to transform and be transformed all in one.

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