Foreword

The 2021 Leopold Scholars were challenged to consider their connection with land and water through the lens of Aldo Leopold's, Class of 1905, Land Ethic. Through NEST (Nourish, Ethics, Senses, Tempo) time set aside for reflection, nature writing, creekside bike rides, collection of data from water samples, geographic information system (GIS) mapping of local watersheds, and a tour of our own campus water system, we immersed ourselves in the complex questions within water stewardship, conservation, environmental justice, and climate change.

Creating this collection of words and prints inspired us to focus on details and scale of even the most common findings, such as the spines of a thistle leaf or patterns in a goose feather. All of the printed objects were found along the campus creek and pond, which are part of the Shipetaukin Creek watershed.

The cyanotype process, used to create the prints in this publication, uses paper coated in a mixture of ferric ammonium citrate and potassium ferricyanide, which, when exposed to UV light, undergoes a redox reaction and turns a deep blue. Soaking the paper in water after the reaction washes away the coating and prevents further coloring. By using objects to block UV light, a negative print is created. The technique was invented in 1841 by Sir John Herschel and was popularized by photographer and botanist Anna Atkins.

In A Sand County Almanac, Leopold first invites the reader to experience the passing of seasons and the phenological landmarks of the year. It is only after he gives the reader this creative experience that he then presents his land ethic. We hope this collection brings a new perspective to our own observations and in doing so expresses our individual and collective land ethics through science, art and imagination.

The 2021 Leopold Scholars The Lawrenceville School June 2021