Visiting Aldo Leopold’s Shack: On the 75th anniversary of A Sand County Almanac, with Dr Katie Ross

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Aldo Leopold has profoundly influenced the modern conservation and regeneration movement. He affected nearly every national conservation initiative in the US during the 1930s and 40s, and this year marks the 75th anniversary of his classic book A Sand County Almanac. Hard to believe now that it was rejected many times before being finally accepted just one week before his death. Since then, the book has been translated into at least fifteen languages and sold well over two million copies.
Today, we visit the land that inspired it, by the Wisconsin River, in Baraboo, Wisconsin. Land that was clapped out and abandoned before he bought and regenerated it with his family – also converting the famous shack from what was a chook shed. Our family starts up the road at the Centre run by the Aldo Leopold Foundation, honourably marking the place of Aldo’s death.
Then we head out to the shack, where Aldo arrived at so many of his insights, and where I’m joined in conversation about the man, the regeneration happening here and around it, and the meaning of Aldo’s legacy today, by Dr Katie Ross - dear friend, very generous long-time podcast subscriber, former Acting-CEO of Soils for Life back in Australia (founded by our former Governor-General Michael Jefferies), and now returned local to America’s Dairyland in the State of Wisconsin. Though it was her first time to the shack too.
This episode has chapter markers and a transcript, if you’d like to navigate the conversation that way (available on most apps now too). The transcript is AI generated and imperfect, but hopefully provides greater access for those who need or like to read.
Recorded 14 August 2024 (intro recorded at dawn today at Chute Falls in Ontario, Canada).
Title slide: Aldo Leopold outside the shack (from the Foundation’s website).
See more photos on the website, and for more from behind the scenes, become a member via the Patreon page.
Music:
Green Shoots, by The Nomadics.
Regeneration, by Amelia Barden, from Regenerating Australia.
The RegenNarration playlist, music chosen by guests (thanks to Josie Symons).
Thanks for listening!
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1. Music, Preview, Introduction & Supporter Thanks (00:00:00)

2. Arriving at the Leopold Centre (00:03:50)

3. Out to the shack (00:07:29)

4. Green Fire (00:10:31)

5. Reflections on Aldo Leopold's Legacy (00:12:02)

6. Exploring Aldo Leopold's Impact (00:20:37)

7. Impact of raising a family around here (00:25:45)

8. A path from convention to recasting it (00:27:50)

9. Some world leading regeneration of nearby First Nations (00:32:17)

10. The kind of education we need today? (00:35:25)

11. Music & closing words (00:37:10)