Aldo Leopold was a renowned naturalist who is considered the father of wildlife ecology. Not only was he the first game management professor at UW-Madison, he wrote the first textbook on wildlife management. He is most well known for his collection of essays, The Sand County Almanac.
The Sand County Almanac details the Leopold family's ecological restoration project near Baraboo, Wisconsin. Leopold had bought a run-down farm, worn out from the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl. Over many years, they replenished the land through conservation efforts such as planting trees and restoring prairies. Today, "the Shack" still stands, and offers tours to the public. I got to go on one of these tours and experience the restoration myself.
The Shack and visitor center is about a twenty-minute drive from downtown Wisconsin Dells. The visitor center sits on a bit of a hill, and has many interesting exhibits inside. Visitors can see the original guns the Leopold family used, photos from the family, and horse saddles. The Shack itself is on the way in, and sits about a quarter mile from the road.
Once we started walking on the trail to the shack, I realized how beautiful the land was. Although pretty flat, large mature trees covered the property, many of which our guide told us were planted by the Leopold family. Across the way grew a large prairie, which in the late spring blooms with wildflowers. The Wisconsin River was a few minutes walk from the shack, and was absolutely gorgeous. Our guide informed us that when building onto the existing shack, the Leopold family would grab lumber as it came floating down the river to use for construction.
We actually got to go inside the Shack, which is not commonly allowed. Recently, the Shack has been opened on Fridays to the public, as community outreach. Our tour guide was incredibly knowledgeable, and informed us about many of the things we say around the Shack. He works for the Aldo Leopold Foundation as a historian, and leads many of the tours. Not only does the foundation preserve historic sites like the Shack, they promote becoming land stewards to the community and mentor young leaders. Working for an organization such as the Aldo Leopold Foundation would be a great choice for someone interested in natural resources who doesn't want to go into a science based career.
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