The Right to Belong

A Reflection on Aldos The Land Ethic

Sandra Florence
BIOL-1120-F16

Figure 1: Environmental Community

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Aldo Leopolds, The Land Ethic, raises the question of what it means to be part of a
community that includes more than just an anthropocentric perspective. He recognized that there
was a generally accepted standard of ethics for the way individuals relate to other individuals in
the community, but there was not a clear or definable standard of ethics for how individuals
relate to the land and its plant and animal inhabitants. Leopold writings expanded on Pinchots
Utilitarian view of resource conservation. His writings facilitated a dialogue about who has a
right to belong in the moral circle and why. Do humans have a hierarchal right to conquer the
land and use it for purely economic benefit? Do the plants and animals belong to human beings,
or do they have intrinsic value in their own right? Leopold asserts that the land, plants and
animals have intrinsic value. In this land ethic all species have a right to belong in the moral
circle and deserve to be respected.
Leopold explores what it means to be a member of the land-community. Beyond intrinsic
value or right to belong, the land is a system of interdependent parts. He eloquently paints a
picture of the land pyramid whose energy begins with the sun and flows through the biota as an
energy circuit. Each layer of the pyramid is dependent on the one below it. Over time, what
started as a pyramid with few layers has evolved, adding more layers and complexity. Human
beings are one part of the whole. When there is a change in one part of circuit, the other parts
must adjust to the change. Evolutionally changes usually develop slowly and the circuit has the
ability to adapt. However, changes to the circuit have been dramatically impacted by man and the
invention of tools. The Industrial Revolution brought us into a different era and enabled us to
make rapid changes to the circuit. This has resulted in far-reaching changes to the structure that
if left unchecked could have a devastating impact on the environment.

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Conservation is a state of harmony between men and land.(207) Leopold asserts that
the conservation efforts at the time were to: obey the law, vote right, join some organization,
and practice what conservation is profitable on your own land; the government will do the rest.
(207) Its interesting that Aldo Leopold doesnt give us a list of action items or attempt to
propose new government regulation to conserve and protect our environment, his writing
inspires us to consider the land community the same way we consider the human community. He
asks us to treat the land with the same love and respect we give to our family: It is
inconceivable to me than an ethical relation to the land can exist without love, respect, and
admiration for land and a high regard for its value. (223)
Until a few years ago, I had no conservation philosophy. I took for granted most
everything in the biotic and abiotic community. It wasnt until I moved to Washington that I
even started to consider the concepts surrounding conservation. It began when I received my
brochure on recycling. I was shocked that I would be expected to dispose of things in so many
different ways. Who knew that AA batteries should not be thrown in the trash? Truthfully, I
thought about how inconvenient it would be to keep everything separated and remember how to
dispose of the various items. I was also stunned to learn that my neighbor was fined over
$50,000 for removing mature trees from his property and he was required to replace them. A
pivotal moment for me came when I participated in an environmental ethics class. I read the
Land Ethic among other writings and began to think about my relationship with the land as well
as all the inhabitants of the land. I am coming to realize how important each part of the Biotic
Pyramid are and the role I play in preserving, protecting and respecting each member.
We are dependent and interdependent with the land and its communities. My philosophy
is evolving from an appreciation for the land because of what it gives to me, to a love for and

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understanding of its intrinsic value. I have come to believe that we are not here to conquer the
land. Behaving as if we are is self-defeating. I dont begin to think that I understand the vast
complexities of the ecosystem. But I do know that the things I do have an impact. I want to live
in harmony, being careful what I take and what I give back.
I understand that I am late to the party. Enlightened individuals have sought to give
nature a stronger voice for centuries. For much of my life, I thought of the environmentalists as
extremists. That conclusion came from glimpses of behavior or quotes I saw on the news, but I
never took any time to deliberate on their point of view. As I and other members of society
consider conservation philosophies, we experience more widespread acceptance and
understanding of the green movement. As a society, we still abuse the land for our economic
benefit. However, organizations like the Sierra Club, Greenpeace International and the National
Wildlife Federation (among many others) are helping us understand our relation to the land.
Topics like Global Warming, Fracking and Species Extinction are polarizing. But, science is
supplementing the spiritual and this is having a positive impact on our actions.
Human beings are members of a moral community that are an interconnected web. The
land ethic simply enlarges the boundaries of the community to include soils, waters, plants, and
animals or collectively: the land.(204) Extending respect to all members of our community,
both human and nonhuman, are alive and well in Washington. Actions to keep plastic out of
Puget Sound, reducing dependence on oil, supporting renewable energy and protecting the
natural environment enjoy widespread acceptance and support. Seattle has set aggressive goals
to reduce waste, recycle and reuse. All of which I support. I am careful about recycling and I
have begun to compost.

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I agree with Aldo Leopolds sentiment 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.
(224,225) Humans are innately selfish and much of our attitudes and actions place a priority on
doing those things that serve our own needs and wants. Over time, this has led to environmental
degradation. I recently viewed a documentary, Blue Gold: World Water Wars, that documents
the environmental issues impacting our fresh water supply. I was shocked to learn how many
areas of the world suffer from the impact of desertification. Selfish human behavior including
polluting, over mining underground aquifers, blocking rivers and destroying wetlands is having a
startling impact on our worldwide fresh water supply. Ironically, the selfishness innate to
humans may actually be a catalyst that helps the environmental movement. As we start to realize
what we stand to lose by our actions, we will more fully embrace doing the right thing.
Selfishly, I want my grandchildren to enjoy the same quality of life that I enjoy.
Much like John Muir, I believe that natural areas nurture the human spirit and whole
heartedly support the call to support wild places. That said, I would like to say that I am more
motivated by a duty to preserve than I am inclined to preserve and protect for aesthetic reasons.
But, I am not there completely. Most of my life, I have had a love for the beauty that surrounds
us. I have been fortunate to live in the beautiful states of Utah and Washington whose landscapes
are awe inspiring. That said, until a few years ago, I had never thought about my relationship
with the land. I really had no ecological conscience no sense of duty. I am progressing and the
sense of obligation I feel is enhancing my motivation to protect and preserve.
One of the things that has stirred my conscience is the concept that the land community
and its inhabitants all have intrinsic value. It started with thoughts about hunting and animals.

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As I consider who and what belong in the moral circle, I feel torn. In my heart, I put the whole
land community in the moral circle. But, my actions still lag in self-interest.
I first read The Land Ethic a couple of years ago. I was touched by Leopolds writings
and I am grateful for a professor that helped me understand some of the important points he
makes. Reading it again for this assignment has given me new appreciation, especially when I
read it in conjunction with the lessons on biodiversity. I recall many, many years ago feeling
completely annoyed about tax dollars consumed in the battle over building the Legacy Highway
in Utah. My relationship to the land at the time was completely centered on my love and
appreciation for its beauty. The area in question did not make it on my list of aesthetically
wonderful areas in Utah. I simply had no understanding about why it mattered to build a road
through this section of the wetlands. It wasnt until this assignment, reading through the Land
Pyramid section, that it dawned on me why it mattered.
While pondering this assignment, I struck up a conversation with my fianc and
attempted to discuss my new understanding of the Land Pyramid. He believes it is a fallacy,
mother-nature will adapt to human interactions and we dont really need to be concerned with
ecosystem integrity. I invited him to read The Land Ethic. This had led to many debates over
the last few weeks. He believes that we should be good stewards of the land, but only for the
self-interest of humans. I dont deny that my own self-interest is an obstacle, but I am more and
more convinced that all members of the ecosystem have a right to belong to the moral circle.
Fueled by my desire to really understand (and possibly my desire to win the fianc debates,) I
have started reading the writings of Thoreau, Emerson, Leopold, Muir, Mendes and Pinchot. I
am not ready to live in a cabin in the woods like Thoreau and I dont fully relate to Emersons

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view of nature as a temple for communing with the spiritual world. However, although I
recognize I am only at the edge of understanding, I feel it changing me.

Works Cited
NIH. (n.d.). Environmental Community. Advancing Environmental Justice. National
Institutes of Health: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.