Registration opens:
May 01st, 2026

Aldo Leopold and Our Relationship to the Land - RO

In Person - Adults 18+

Our Relationship to the Land: Aldo Leopold and His Journey to the Land Ethic - with Jennifer Sterling

This presentation with Jennifer Sterling traces the pivotal moments in land conservationist Aldo Leopold’s life—from his childhood observations to his work as a forester and professor—that shaped his evolving view of humanity’s role in the natural world. Framed within the broader social and ecological changes of his time, the presentation culminates in sharing the meaning of a 'land ethic”: Leopold’s enduring call for a moral and ethical relationship between people and the land. 

Jennifer Sterling is a master educator and lifelong environmentalist with a career rooted in conservation and environmental ethics. She studied Environmental Education and Environmental Philosophy at The Ohio State University and began her work as a wildlife biologist with the U.S. Forest Service in the Pacific Northwest. After leading youth and family programs at Olbrich Botanical Gardens and spending over a decade as a public school teacher, she is now Programs Manager at the Aldo Leopold Foundation, where she creates programs that help people recognize their place in the natural community and their responsibility to care for the land.

The program is brought to you in partnership with 11 McHenry County Libraries (McHenry County Libraries United) and several nature and conservation organizations in our area, in honor of our shared Summer Reading Program:  Plant a Seed, Read.  There will be a cash bar/refreshments available starting at 6pm with theater doors opening at 6:45.  Book sales, including Leopold's A Sand County Almanac and others, will be made possible through Abalabix Bookstore of Crystal Lake, IL.

AAPLD embraces inclusivity in its programs and services. To request accommodations, please email [info@aapld.org] or call (847) 458-6060 x143 at least 7 days in advance.