Are you a Wisconsin teacher interested in helping young people develop and voice an environmental ethic? Would you also like your students to build their writing skills?
Announcing the 2017 Wisconsin Aldo Leopold Writing Contest, a program that introduces students to the ideas of famed Wisconsin conservationist, Aldo Leopold, and invites them to participate in the evolution of his “land ethic” through the written word.
Widely regarded as one of the 20th century’s greatest conservation thinkers and a pioneer in the field of ecological restoration, Leopold was also a gifted and inspiring writer.
He articulated his vision of a “land ethic” – that people would come to see nature, or “the land,” as “a community to which we belong” – in his most famous work, A Sand County Almanac.
The 2017 contest invites students to read “The Land Ethic” essay from A Sand County Almanac, and then reflect on and write about the following topic:
Tell us the story of a local leader who exemplifies Leopold’s land ethic
Participants are also encouraged to get involved in a local Aldo Leopold Weekend celebration, which will take place throughout Wisconsin from March 3 to 5, 2017. The top six essayists will receive cash awards presented at the Aldo Leopold Legacy Center in Baraboo, WI.
The deadline for contest submissions is March, 17, 2017. For more information, including submission guidelines and additional resources for teachers and students, visit the Wisconsin Aldo Leopold Writing Contest webpage.
Being held for the second time this year, the contest is presented by the Aldo Leopold Foundation and Aldo Leopold Nature Center with support from the Cedar Lakes Conservation Foundation and CTI Meeting Technology.