In 1949 Aldo Leopold, an American forester and ardent conservationist published "The Land Ethic" a plea to North American readers to change their attitudes and relationships towards nature. The Land Ethic has become a central corner stone of North American environmental ethics ever since. He wrote:
"All ethics so far evolved rest upon a single premise: that the individual is a member of a community of interdependent parts. His instincts prompt him to compete for his place in the community, but his ethics prompt him also to co-operative (perhaps in order that there may be a place to compete for).
The land ethic simply enlarges the boundaries of the community to include soils, water, plants, and animals, or collectively: the land...
...In short, a land ethic changes the role of Homo Sapiens from conqueror of the land- community to plain member and citizen of it. It implies a respect of his fellow-members, and also respect for the community as such." (Aldo Leopold, 1966, A Sand County Almanac pp. 239-240. Oxford University Press, first published 1949 by Oxford University Press.)
In the 21st century we can enlarge Leopold's community even futher. In the New Zealand context, a 'land' ethic is equally relevant to the oceans and our Antarctic stewardship. Our continental shelf is many times the size of our terrestrial area and we depend on the sea not least for the transport of our exports and imports, for our fisheries and tourism. Perhaps we can enlarge Leopold's land ethic to a 'biosphere' ethic, in recognition that ultimately, a sustainable human future in New Zealand rests on the care and stewardship of all elements of the biosphere in our corner of the globe.
I see a Biosphere Ethic as a guiding philosophy for environmental planning and management in New Zealand. In order to care for ourselves, our children and their future, we need to care for our land, water, soil, air, plants and animals, not forgetting the coast and the sea.
