“A Sand County Almanac” is on almost any reading list of the most important, and inspiring, books on nature. In fact, its author, noted conservationist Aldo Leopold, was recognized this summer by the Smithsonian as our nation’s “ecological revolutionary” as part of a special edition of their magazine reflecting on America’s 250th anniversary. Buddy Huffaker, Executive Director of the Aldo Leopold Foundation, will travel to New Jersey from Oct. 14–17 for a multi-day series of events, engaging with a coalition of partners. These events will engage the public in celebrating the enduring legacy of conservationist Aldo Leopold and connecting Leopold’s land ethic to local watershed, open-space, and education work across the region.
The visit will bring together conservation leaders, students, scholars, and community members for public programs in Princeton and Lawrenceville — including a guided walk through the “Big Woods” that Leopold himself explored while a student in the area more than a century ago.
The coalition of conservation partners involved in this land ethic series includes: The Lawrenceville School, the Friends of Princeton Open Space (FOPOS), Rider University, Duke Farms, and The Watershed Institute,
“Leopold wrote that we are ‘plain members and citizens of the land community,’ and that idea is at the heart of everything we do at The Watershed Institute,” said Jim Waltman, Executive Director of The Watershed Institute. “We’re thrilled to welcome Buddy Huffaker to New Jersey and to give people a chance to engage with Leopold’s ideas in the very places that shaped him.”
Public Events
“A Sand County Almanac” Book Club Discussion
Friday, Oct. 16, 10:30 a.m.–12:00 p.m.
Mountain Lakes House, 57 Mountain Avenue, Princeton, NJ
Free and open to the public
Huffaker will be the guest of the Friends of Princeton Open Space (FOPOS) Nature Book Club for a discussion of Leopold’s 1949 essay collection, A Sand County Almanac: And Sketches Here and There. The book is considered a foundational text of the American conservation movement, introducing Leopold’s land ethic — the principle that people should “preserve the integrity, stability, and beauty of the biotic community.” The discussion is led by Diana Newby, FOPOS Board Member and Associate Director of Writing at Princeton University and is presented in partnership with Princeton Public Library and the Princeton Environmental Film Festival. Registration is requested at princetonlibrary.libnet.info/event/16755702.
“Stroll the Big Woods” Guided Walk
Saturday, Oct. 17, 10:00–11:00 a.m.
Rider University Woods Trail, Lawrenceville, NJ
Free and open to the public (registration required)
Huffaker will lead a walk through the Big Woods at Rider University, joined by Rider students and Dr. Daniel Druckenbrod. Leopold, who attended the Lawrenceville School from 1904 to 1905, referred to these woods by name in letters home to his family.
The 56.25-acre property was preserved as open space through an acquisition funded by Mercer County’s Open Space Trust Fund. The County now owns the property in fee. Lawrence Township and the New Jersey Conservation Foundation helped initiate early preservation conversations, and the effort was supported by Rider University.
The walk is co-sponsored by the Aldo Leopold Foundation, The Watershed Institute, Mercer County, Lawrence Township, and Rider University. Rider students will share observations from their environmental studies during the walk. Off-campus guests should register on The Watershed Institute’s calendar at thewatershed.org. Suggested parking: maps.app.goo.gl/3bSecpNoieNhJMMk7. Trail route: rider.edu/woods-trail.
The Watershed Institute will also be producing a special issue of its Watershed Matters podcast featuring a conversation with Buddy Huffaker.
About Aldo Leopold and the Aldo Leopold Foundation
Aldo Leopold (1887–1948) was a conservationist, forester, and author whose writings — most notably A Sand County Almanac — helped shape modern environmental ethics. His land ethic calls for a responsible relationship between people and the natural world. The Aldo Leopold Foundation, based in Baraboo, Wisconsin, works to foster that relationship through education and community engagement rooted in Leopold’s legacy. For more information, visit aldoleopold.org. A documentary film about Leopold’s legacy, Green Fire: Aldo Leopold and a Land Ethic for Our Time is available to view at vimeo.com/399913541.
About The Watershed Institute
The Watershed Institute is a nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting and restoring the water quality, natural resources, and environmental health of central New Jersey through science-based advocacy, education, and community engagement. For more information, visit thewatershed.org.
