What is Aldo Leopold Weekend?

Many conservation and education professionals have read the classic work A Sand County Almanac, but its message is not just for people that work in natural resources. Aldo Leopold Weekend is an event designed to make Aldo Leopold and his ideas more familiar to the general public.

Aldo Leopold weekend celebrations are spreading like a prairie fire across the land thanks to a small community in central Wisconsin. On March 4, 2000, the citizens of Lodi congregated to read A Sand County Almanac aloud, cover to cover. The Friends of Scenic Lodi Valley (event organizers) dubbed the gathering “Lodi Reads Leopold.” Reading started at noon and ended at 10 that night. The session spanned two locations, involved 35 readers and was so inspiring that they decided it should be an annual experience.

During the 4th annual Lodi Reads Leopold, George Meyer, former Secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and a “celebrity reader” wondered aloud why every community in the state wasn’t reading Leopold that weekend. State Legislator Mark Miller shouted from the audience, “I’ll introduce that legislation.” That spark caught on, burning bright with bi-partisan support throughout the Legislature to recognize Wisconsin’s most noted conservationist. One year later, in March of 2004, Governor James Doyle signed legislation designating the first weekend in March Aldo Leopold Weekend across Wisconsin.

Now communities across the state are coming together with a variety of activities and festivals to celebrate Leopold’s ideas and demonstrate their individual and combined commitment to Leopold’s vision of a Land Ethic as part of their community.

Leopold Weekend will always have its roots in public readings, but event schedules have blossomed and expanded to include activities that involve the whole community.

Get involved today!

The Aldo Leopold Weekend celebration can be replicated in communities across the nation and the Aldo Leopold Foundation can provide you with information and support. To learn more about how you can be involved, read the online event planner guide and join our Yahoo Group to receive e-mail updates about when new materials are available each year . You may also contact Jennifer Kobylecky, Education Coordinator at the Aldo Leopold Foundation, at 608-355-0279 for more information.