Calendar |
July 31:
Expert Tour-Behind the Scenes |
Aug. 7:
Expert Tour-Leopold Center Architecture |
Sept. 4:
Expert Tour-Land Stewardship on the Leopold Reserve |
Sept. 12:
ALF Annual Volunteer Day |
The Woodland School |
In the coming year, we are offering an array of Woodland School classes to advance your land stewardship practice, from the classics—chainsaw safety, prescribed fire—to new opportunities like birding the Leopold Memorial Reserve with experts. We hope you'll let one pique your curiosity and join us in the field! Fall classes will be posted in the first week of August. |
Support the Work of the Foundation |
Become a key partner in helping us spread the land ethic, advance the science of land health, preserve the Leopold shack and farm, and train new leaders for the future of conservation. Join today! |
Visiting the Leopold Center |
Check out our 2009 tour schedule to decide when you'd like to visit us this summer! |
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Leopold Education Project Conference Draws Educators from 18 States
 Last month the Leopold Center welcomed a large group of educators, conservationists, and naturalists from 18 states across the country for the National Leopold Education Project Conference. A program started by Pheasants Forever, the Leopold Education Project (LEP) is a national network of teachers who use educational materials based on A Sand County Almanac in formal and informal settings. This was the first year that the Aldo Leopold Foundation helped orchestrate the conference with Pheasants Forever, and both organizations are thrilled at the opportunity the conference partnership provided to spread Leopold’s ideas to new audiences. Sessions covered a wide range of topics, including hands-on activity based workshops, stories of successful conservation and education projects, and inspirational talks on how Leopold’s ideas inspire our communities to be more connected. In one corner of the campus, conferees learned how to use photography to tell their stories to stakeholders and funders to strengthen support of their programs. In another, participants took notes on a successful overnight program for education centers marketed to not only students, but parents alike, called “Leave No Family Inside.” Trading success stories and challenges brought participants together to share inspiration in Leopold’s landscape, but also in each other. This gathering will be held annually at the Leopold Center in late June of each year. Know someone who teaches about the environment in a formal or non-formal setting? Be sure to tell them to sign up for our e-newsletter, where we will announce the dates for next year’s conference early this fall! Read more about the conference and see photos here.
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 Film About Predators Features Aldo Leopold
Lords of Nature: Life in a Land of Great Predators, a new documentary by filmmakers Karen and Ralf Meyer, tells the story of a science now discovering top carnivores as revitalizing forces of nature, and of a society now learning tolerance for beasts they once banished. They find that what Leopold warned seventy years ago, scientists from around the world now confirm: That a land lacking its top predators is a land subject to decay. And vice versa a land with the great beasts in sufficient numbers is a land far more diverse and resilient. But the obvious question remains of whether and how to incorporate the big predators into societies facing conflicts and fears with their return. Watch the trailer. |
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ALF Seeks Artists for Art Discovery Day
 Following on the enormous success of last year’s Leopold Center Art Discovery Day, the Aldo Leopold Foundation is beginning to prepare for this year's event. This year we will continue to collaborate with the team of eight local and regional artists whose work was featured at Art Day 2008 to select and invite 6 new local and regional artists who's work reflects Leopold's idea of a land ethic to participate. Leopold Art Discovery 2009, which will take place at the Leopold Center on Saturday, November 7, will feature presentations, demonstrations, and time for individual interaction with each artist. With these talented artisans as a guide we hope to inspire people to think more critically about the ways their lives impact the natural world, and how art inspires them to deepen that connection.
• Applications due August 15th. Download an application here.
• A selection committee will review proposals, and selections will be made by August 31st.
• Artisans are encouraged to bring samples, do demonstrations, propose interactive workshops for the public, and bring original work to exhibit and sell on Leopold Art Discovery Day.
• Each participating artisan will receive a small honorarium
The Leopold Center Art Discovery Day is supported by a grant from the UW Extension Arts and Culture Committee.
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 Stan Temple Speaks to Leopold Leadership Program
Aldo Leopold was one of the most influential conservation leaders of the 20th century. He generated pioneering ideas about our relationship with the natural world, vigorously challenged the status quo when necessary, communicated his views effectively to diverse audiences, ranging from land owners to government leaders, and he did this while setting an enviable standard of professional integrity. The Aldo Leopold Leadership Program, sponsored by Stanford University, was created in 1998, and the Aldo Leopold Foundation has been a partner in this endeavor since the beginning. The program's goals are to provide leadership and communications training for environmental scientists from a range of fields to ensure they have the necessary skills to serve as leaders and communicators, to increase the involvement and visibility of environmental scientists in public outreach by linking them with decision makers and opinion shapers, and to encourage academic institutions to recognize and reward outreach by environmental scientists who communicate effectively with decision makers and other external audiences.
Each year, a new cohort of Leopold Fellows is selected for rigorous training, and one of the first items on their agenda is an orientation to Aldo Leopold's life and legacy, especially why he is a good role model for environmental scientists. A representative from ALF presents this part of the program; In recent years ALF Senior Fellow Dr. Stan Temple, whose 32 years occupying the academic position once held by Aldo Leopold give him key insights into Aldo Leopold's legacy and how to be a conservation leader, has presented this part of the program. In June, Stan traveled to Connecticut to speak to this year's participants. Participation in this important program is just one way that ALF achieves a key part of it's own strategic mission: "To cultivate leadership for conservation."
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Learn From the Experts!
August 7: Leopold Center Architecture with Joel Krueger
1:00 – 3:00pm.Joel Krueger was the project manager for the Leopold Center building project, and is an associate architect at The Kubala-Washatko Architects in Cedarburg, Wisconsin. A graduate of UW- Milwaukee with a Master's of Architecture, his expertise and passion for green architecture and sustainability go hand in hand. Joel's commitment to the environment is reflected the design of all the buildings he's worked on, minimizing wasted materials and maximizing energy efficiency. Get an exclusive in-depth tour of the architecture of the Leopold Center by the man who directed its design. Register here.
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Volunteer Profile: Diana Haertel
“Born and raised in Milwaukee, I always knew I had a strong connection to the land. I spent as much time as possible at the local parks and lakefront. It was a wonderful refuge from the bustle of the big city. Being a casualty of the recession of 1982 I found a job in Baraboo. My new employer gave me a half-day off to find a place to live. With map and newspaper in hand I began my search. That search brought me to Levee Rd. I couldn’t believe the beauty! I felt destiny had brought me to this place. I soon discovered the Leopold Shack was my neighbor. I had never heard of Aldo Leopold before but soon picked up a copy of A Sand County Almanac. His words echoed as I’d gaze upon the river. Nina Leopold Bradley would invite the neighbors to the Shack from time to time and welcomed us to hike the trails. The landscape was so beautiful it was a joy.
As I watched the development of the Leopold Center, came to the lectures on its progress, I wanted to be part of this extraordinary facility. I’ve always been an artist and as a volunteer I created the trail markers at the Shack for those on self guided tours. I love this area! Sharing in the Leopold legacy is both an honor and a privilege.”
Want to volunteer for the Foundation? We have a new list of volunteer projects, so whether you have a few hours one day or want to come out regularly we'll find something for you to help with! Contact Kathy Pelzek at 608.355.0279 for more information.
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Notes From the Field
 Alanna Koshollek, ALF Stewardship Coordinator, and her team of land stewardship interns, have been recognized for their stellar work battling invasive species by the County Board. They were crowned this year's Sauk County Weed Champions! Alanna and her crew are entirely responsible for control of invasive species on the 2,000 acre Leopold Memorial Reserve and have worked with landowners throughout the county giving advice on sound control methods. In 2005, Alanna worked with staff ecologist Steve Swenson to develop an intensive protocol for managing garlic mustard as an intern herself, and has since added a sophisticated GIS mapping element to increase the efficiency of the effort. She has now begun implementing similar protocol for other invasive plants as well. Each year, she supervises 2-3 land stewardship interns who are largely responsible for putting the plans into action and gathering data that will help us learn more about how invasives can be effectively controlled on a large scale and across property boundaries in the future.
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