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Learning to Live with Nature

Figure 1. Treetop Constellation

Ethical Conservation
By: Tasia Rasmussen
BIOL-1120-F15-Taylor

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Ethically speaking, in present day there have not been any large shifts in human beings
overall perception of and interaction with the environment. There may be efforts and groups of
people working towards a different end, such as with conservation. However, if things continue
to operate in the way with which they operate now, conversationalists will simply continue
attempts to put out the proverbial fires that arise as a result of human interactions with and
interference in the environments of the natural world. In The Land Ethic, Aldo Leopold states,
All ethics so far evolved rest upon a single premise: that the individual is a member of a
community of interdependent parts. His instincts prompt him to compete for his place in
that community, but his ethics prompt him also to co-operate (perhaps in order that there
may be a place to compete for). In order for any meaningful results to be achieved towards
conservation efforts, conservation efforts and accountability must be extended not just to
government agencies and organizations, but also to the collective populations of human beings
around the world. There must be a shift in the general consciousness which strives to better
understand what the natural state of the earth was intended to be. Furthermore, human beings
need to strive not just for understanding, but also for the love of the natural state of things, for
throughout evolution and up to present day it was and continues to be these natural ecosystems
and environments which have enabled and sustained the human species.
The full extent of the intricacies and the interactions that are incorporated into any
ecosystem are little understood. Furthermore, the interactions that take place globally between
different environments on a large scale are little understood, even those whose impact can be
global such as with an earthquake which then results in a Tsunami. On conservational education
Aldo Leopold stated, Conservation is paved with good intentions which prove to be futile,
or even dangerous, because they are devoid of critical understanding either of the land, or

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of economic use. In order for any real and long lasting impacts to result from conservation
efforts, more needs to be understood about the natural world. Human beings, collectively as a
species, need to strive to unlock the mysteries of ecosystems, bio diversity, and interspecies
interactions. In order to better understand how human beings can best interact with the natural
world while both preserving it and preserving our societies, humans as a species need to learn to
love the natural world as it is, for without it the human species cannot sustain itself.
I fell in love with all aspects of nature at an early age, so I grew up with the appreciation
of the natural world that no technology, idea, or item can come close to touching. My
conservation philosophy is that human beings should steer their lives towards embracing nature
and preserving it, rather than controlling it. The beauty of nature, meaning the whole of the earth
and all of its organisms, is that it is timeless in a sense which none of earths organisms are.
Though organisms take from the earth, they give back to it too, and in death the energy and
nutrients any organism used in life are repurposed and distributed so that the cycle can go on.
Human beings need to be accountable and cherish the responsibility of preserving all aspects of
nature in life, so that this cycle can continue after each human is gone.
In order to change the human populations general view of the world, the human
population needs to view themselves as a part of the natural world and the animal world, as we
are, rather than constantly viewing from the outside looking in. On Ethics, Leopold remarked,
A land ethic changes the role of humans from conqueror of the land community to plain
members and citizens of it. It implies respect for his fellow-members, and also respect for the
community as such. To apply this method in practice, rather than educating people on
conservation, people need to become educated that regardless of location, faith, race, or
nationality, we are not set apart from the natural world; rather, we are a part of the natural world.

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Once humans grasp this they may begin to recognize the patterns and the permanence of their
actions, interactions, and waste. By opening peoples eyes to this, personal accountability is
inevitable and can be applied, guidelines can be set, and any individual consequences in the
event of deviation may be defined.
The land-relation which humans have today is economically directed by and revolving
around the global marketplace. Though the world has moved on from the industrial age and into
the age of technology, the treatment of the land and the perceived ownership that people assume
has either worsened over the last 100 years, or stayed the same at the very least. Humans think
of everything economically and with regards to individual gain and health, and even if the human
relation to land did not worsen over the last century, we are living at a time where we are finally
able to see the consequences of this mode of thought. The number of plants and animals that
have gone extinct in the last century, and the likelihood in many cases that humans were the
cause is evidence alone. This evidence should invoke accountability, and a sense of community
between human beings, the land, and all of the organisms that live on earth.
If the community that I live in were to expand its definition of community to include all
forms of life, then it would be almost unrecognizable. If each plants life is valued, no matter the
plant, then people would begin to let what they once considered weeds and wildflowers to grow
freely, rather than poisoning or pulling them. The landscapes throughout the neighborhoods
would be changed, but no less beautiful, and people may begin to appreciate the real beauty of
the area and the state in which we live. People would stop using pesticides in their gardens,
which would produce more naturally healthy foods for human consumption. The community
would also be more concerned with what goes down the drain and ends up in the water, or what
goes to the landfill. My backyard lies on a creek so I am able to see the many strange and

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random things which people carelessly allow to end up in the water. Earlier this year there was a
fire fairly close to my home, just upstream. I remember hearing the sirens of the fire trucks
rushing to put out the flames. A short time later, while taking my dog outside, I noticed the river
and my stomach literally turned. Whatever they were using to put out the flames had traveled
through the gutters and drains and had ended up in the water. The whole top layer of the water
was covered in thick, goopy and yet frothy, white globs. While I do not know whether or not this
substance has a harmful effect on the ecosystem surrounding the creek, seeing something so
unnatural in the sanctuary of my backyard was nevertheless disturbing. If my community were
extended to all organisms, then I would hope to never find any foreign substances in my little
backyard sanctuary.
With regards to interacting with the world and nature, any interaction which does not
negatively interfere with, or cause adverse affects to the natural world can be considered a good
course of action. This does not mean that individual members of any biotic community are less
important than the whole. Rather, this means that each individual is just as important as the
whole of the community. Each member in a community plays a vital role to the continuation of
their habitat and ecosystem, therefore humans, as members of these communities, have a
responsibility to recognize the importance of and respect each and every member of their natural
community. As the only members of any biotic community on the planet that have the capacity
for self awareness to such an extent as to destroy the planet for self gain, human beings have a
responsibility to protect the planet.
An ethical relationship with land cannot exist without the full and proper appreciation of
land, not as a commodity, but in and of itself. Recognizing the beauty of the planet in its natural
state invokes passion, love, and admiration. Witnessing the beauty of nature invokes the awe and

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respect within me which drives me into action. I have a duty, just as every other human does, to
do what I can to protect the natural state of the world. The beauty of nature is inspiring in ways
which technology or industry could never hope to touch upon. As people strive to create the
latest and greatest inventions, they fail to truly see and recognize the staggering awesomeness of
this planet and all of the organisms it sustains.
My own land ethic does not stem from personal gain and disregarded consequences,
rather, it flows from the place within me which never fails to be amazed day after day by the
great power of this planet. It is hard to fathom that such diversity has been created in the midst
of the vast vacuum that is the universe. This planet has enabled the creation and sustainment of
billions of living organisms and systems, and the act of destroying any one of them is a crime of
the highest form. Human lives are fleeting, nothing but a blink in the vastness of time.
However, this planet and the systems that it supports continue on, at least prior to human
interference, almost seamlessly. It is not any human beings place to interfere with the fragile and
ancient circle of life.
Aldo Leopolds, The Land Ethic, is a great piece of literature. It opens discussion on the
topic of human beings general disregard for land and life as anything other than commodities.
After reading the land ethic I felt my awareness of the world had increased. Though I do
recognize the importance of ecosystems and sustainment, I never truly grasped the extent to
which humans have already damaged and even destroyed the natural state of the land. Leopold
presents the necessity of extending ethics in human relations with the environment to also
encompass the land and all of the life that it sustains, plants and animals alike. That being said, I
like Aldos statement on Land Ethic, a land ethic changes the role of Homo sapiens from
conqueror of the land-community to plain member and citizen of it. It implies respect for his

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fellow-members, and also respect for the community as such. Humans need to recognize their
role in the natural world, not as humans controlling the planet, but as fellow members of a biotic
community. A hindrance in reaching this awareness is that, generally speaking, the average
citizens do not recognize the severe state of things. Generally speaking, citizens know that their
actions can have adverse effects, but do not grasp the full extent of them; they assume that the
people in power, those in charge, are the people responsible for recognizing and repairing any
damages before they can negatively affect the community.
Conservation exists because human beings destroy things like fumbling infants just
learning to walk. Rather than growing crops foreign to their lands, if farmers focused on the
native plant species then the integrity of the soil could possibly be salvaged, at least somewhat.
Private land owners should use their land not simply for personal gain, but in such ways as to
preserve the natural community in which they are a part of by choosing to live on that land.
Land ethic that actually preserves the natural state of things cannot be built solely on economic
interests. Meaning that crops and species that hold economic value cannot be over produced and
anything that does not hold economic value cannot be disposed of or ignored. In order for
conservation to take hold globally, human consciousness needs to be awakened. Human beings
need to recognize the true importance of the land.
Reading Aldo Leopolds paper truly opened my eyes to the great need for a shift in
awareness among humans everywhere. As humans continue to set themselves apart from the
land we live on, the destruction will continue. The planet is home to more than just us. We
humans are organisms too, and we are a part of biotic communities. We need to protect our
biotic families, rather than destroy them. As a species, we need to reconnect to the land that gave
us life.

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Works Cited
Rasmussen, Tasia. Treetop Constellation. Charleston, OR. 2013

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