Summary Of Toward An American Land Ethic

Chapter 6 of the Echohawk article is called “Toward an American Land Ethic”. In the beginning of the article the author mentions that the Declaration not only serves to protect and preserve the indigenous habitat but also the related land and use of rights of the indigenous peoples and their cultural survival. Chapter 6 examines all the ways that the human family has originally/traditionally looked at the land. This chapter explores the forces that stymie a land ethic in our own country the United States and explains the congruency between protecting the rights of indigenous people and developing a land ethic for a American setting. What is a land ethic? A land ethic is a principle that helps our humanity lead a sustainable existence. Throughout

The way they view there society reveals their character, value, aspirations, and history of the people. The founding/original cosmology of our society consisted of hunters, fishers, gatherers, and the traditional tribal farmers were the human presence in the world. This era shows how humans adapt themselves with the animals, plants, and the land. Being like this allows humans to work with the natural processes of the land and thrive in it. Aldo’s Leopald’s theory consisted of “four powerful forces Stymie a Land Ethic in the United States”. Leopald says each of these forces must be understood, confronted and discarded before an American land ethic can be

After reading it a question arises whether or not right now at this very second are taking our land for granted? Another part of me thinks it’s just part of life and to advance as a society all of the actions of the early settlers were considered the better good for the land. However, in my opinion we must open our eyes to these problems so see what we can do as a society to address them. Overall I am in agreement with Aldo Leopald’s vision of the American Land ethic. I also believe whatever that has been done to the land cannot be undone. What I do believe is we should move towards a land ethic that incorporates the Native American wisdom traditions. I feel it would be the only thing that can make things right. This is because the cultures of the Native Americans spring from the actual land itself. Their culture derives from the traditional hunting, gathering, planting and fishing existence. Their culture proclaims the Earth as the foundation for the human