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1-Page Summary of A Sand County Almanac and Sketches Here and There
Overall Summary
A Sand County Almanac and Sketches Here and There is a book written by Aldo Leopold. It was originally published in 1949 but has been republished many times since then. The book is considered to be the first major work of American conservationism. The contents are essays on nature, ecology, land ethics and other topics that were inspired by Aldo’s experiences as a forester in Wisconsin.
The book can be divided into three parts. The first twelve chapters, the Sand County Almanac section of the collection, discuss nature in Wisconsin and how it changes throughout the year. In Sketches Here and There, Leopold describes places he has traveled to. Finally, in The Upshot section, he includes philosophical essays related to conservation.
The first chapter of the book begins in January, when the snow melts and animals start to move around. Leopold describes this activity, and then he fells an oak tree for heat. He counts its rings, finding that it’s 80 years old, and considers what kind of history it has lived through during that time. In February, he watches geese migrating overhead.
When April arrives, snow melts and floods the farm. Leopold discusses how animals react to rising water levels in rivers and fields. He also describes some of the flowers that grow during this month. In May, birds lay eggs on the ground after building nests with twigs or straws from their own mouth. The only enemies they have are ditches dug by people for farming purposes, so it’s safe for them to nest near farms where there is food available for them to eat when they hatch out of their eggs as baby birds. June comes around quickly and Leopold goes fishing for trout in a river nearby his house because he enjoys fishing so much!
The author describes the plants and animals that are thriving in summer. He then compares a real landscape to a painting of one. In September, he focuses on birdsong and mentions some examples of it. The author goes hunting for fresh meat in October and discusses his walk through the forest to find game.
In November, the wind picks up and makes a sound in the trees. The author then talks about how important trees are to the environment. In December, animals retreat to their homes for shelter and warmth.
The sketches here and there section begins with an exploration of Leopold’s home state of Wisconsin. He talks about the history, including that it was developed by farmers like him. Then he moves on to a visit to Illinois and Iowa where he is suspicious of how they treat farming, putting profits above everything else.
Next, Leopold talks about his time spent in New Mexico and Arizona. Before modern transportation was available, it would have been impossible to reach those places. But now they are easily accessible thanks to technological developments such as cars and trains. The author describes how ranchers who lived there killed wild animals like wolves or bears that were seen as predators on wildlife. He then traveled to Central Mexico where he saw the same kind of natural beauty but worried that it wouldn’t be around for future generations if things didn’t change fast enough.
The author talks about invasive species thriving in North America and gives examples of how they are affecting the environment. He also talks about a trip to Canada, where he saw marshes that were preserved better than those in America.
The essays in the book ‘A Sand County Almanac’ address questions and contradictions inherent to the conservation movement. In one essay, Leopold worries that efforts to preserve wilderness also destroy wilderness because they encourage people to visit the protected areas. Another essay talks about how early pioneers used hunting for food but now modern sport hunters are killing animals just for fun. Next, he discusses how many natural resources have dwindled since then and suggests ways of fixing this problem. Finally, he ends with a chapter summarizing his land ethic and outlining what we should do as humans towards our environment.
