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Land ethics is what conservationists and ecologists practice to protect the earth from human being's indifference and savagery. However land ethic was a concept first developed by forester Aldo Leopold in his section 'The Land Ethics' that formed part of a book, Sand county Almanac. According to Leopold land ethic.".. reflects the existence of an ecological conscience, and this in turn reflects a conviction of individual responsibility of the health of the land. Health is the capacity of the land for self-renewal. Conservation is our effort to understand and preserve this capacity." (p. 221). The main idea behind land ethic is manifold. The author believes that land must not be seen as a commodity but as part of the community in which human beings live. Land is a sacred entity that must be cherished and therefore the ethical implication connected with land use must not be ignored. It was due to this simple philosophy that gave rise to the immensely important concept of ecosystem. Leopold further asserted that human beings were not superior to others in their ecological system since every one has an important role to play especially the land. The idea that "The Whole informs the part" was also critical to understanding Leopold's land ethic. The author maintains that man needs to understand and appreciate the other members of the universe in order to determine his place in it. The one important lesson that land ethic seeks to instill in the reader is that "A thing is right when it tends to preserve the integrity, stability, and beauty of the biotic community. It is wrong when it tends otherwise." In short, Leopold wants us to develop a relationship with land and nurture it the way we nurture all other relations. The bond between man and land should be based on appreciate, admiration, care and respect.
Reference
The Land Ethic" from Leopold, A Sand County Almanac, Oxford University Press, 194
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