Leopold, Aldo (1887-1948), was an American naturalist, wildlife biologist, and conservationist. He pioneered the application of ecological principles to wildlife management. An enthusiastic outdoorsman, he believed that people should enjoy wilderness areas for recreation. But he declared that the natural characteristics of such areas should be preserved as much as possible.
Leopold wrote books and articles that emphasized conservation. His textbook Game Management (1933) is considered a classic. A Sand County Almanac (1949) and Round River (1953) include many of Leopold’s philosophic essays on conservation. These essays stress the need for wilderness areas.
Leopold was born on Jan. 11, 1887, in Burlington, Iowa. He graduated from Yale University in 1908 and earned a Master of Forestry degree there the next year. He worked for the U.S. Forest Service from 1909 to 1927. He was a member of the faculty of the University of Wisconsin from 1933 until his death on April 21, 1948. A biography, Aldo Leopold: His Life and Work, was published in 1987.
