Aldo Leopold (1887-1948) was an American writer and naturalist and the author of A Sand County Almanac, a book credited with helping create the American conservation movement and the discipline of ecology. In the book, Leopold is both the author and the main character, describing scenes from nature and drawing on experiences he has had as a forester and an avid outdoorsman to advance an argument for the preservation of wild spaces.

Throughout the book, Leopold positions himself as an observer of natural phenomena. In the opening section, he describes the tranquility of nature observation in January, when snow blankets the woods and there are few distractions from the limited signs of life on display. Later on, he writes about observations he conducted in marshes—sometimes buried in the mud so as to have the best possible vantage point for watching birds and other wildlife—and in mountain meadows. At various points throughout the book, Leopold advocates for learning directly from nature through a practice of extended observation; by describing how he himself used this practice, he is giving greater authority to his conclusions on natural processes and the importance of conserving wilderness.

At various points throughout the book, Leopold positions himself as a

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