The first class I was enrolled in at FLCC was CON 100: Introduction to Environmental Conservation. John, as mentioned in posts previous, was the main professor, and his favorite book is A Sand County Almanac written by Aldo Leopold. We had reading assignments out of Leopold's book, and we learned to look at our world in a different way. We learned to begin forming our own thoughts of what a "land ethic" was, and what our personal ethic is. We learned what life was like 100 and more years ago for wild life in America. The history of United States conservation is interesting, dramatic, and typical of human beings.
For me, the most influential excerpt of the book is when Leopold and gang were out in the back country. At that point in time, across the country, carnivores were being wiped out. The belief was there were less and less deer or game animals because the carnivores were eating them all. So, to control them, kill all the wolves, coyotes, bears, mountain lions, fox, etc etc etc. At this point in the book, the gang came upon a family unit of wolves forging a river. It was the Mother Wolf and pups. They watched them swim across the river, and as they climbed out on the other side, popped them off one at a time. The She-wolf went down, and Leopold crossed the river to collect his kill. She wasn't quite dead yet, and as he stood over her, he watched the "green fire" fade from her eyes. It was one of the most moving things I've ever read, and made me a little emotional to be honest. To watch the life fade from a living being's eyes is something I've never experienced, and to watch it happen in an animal such as the regal and stoic gray wolf would be just... I can't put it into words.
Last fall I became aware of this film titled Green Fire being shown around the Finger Lakes. Myself and others from school couldn't get to the showings, so the VP of our Wildlife Society Club on campus took a look online to purchase the DVD for his own personal viewing, and found that there was a package we could buy which included the DVD, rights to show it publicly, and advertising materials.
I am now excited to announce that we are offering a *FREE* public showing next week, Thursday February 9th. We've been advertising around school, around town, and we just had a press release put out last week. I'm excited to gather with students and the community and be reminded of this wonderful, influential man that has shaped the field I am entering. He was one of the first to begin thoughts of wildlife management rather than killing and purging.
Here is the press release put out by FLCC:
FLCC to Screen Green Fire Film
The Wildlife Society is providing the showing and refreshments, and we've asked Dr. Van Niel to host, as he is the most appropriate choice.
For more info on the Green Fire showing, and to reserve your *FREE* seat, please go to
The Wildlife Society Club's website: Green Fire
I'm a believer in things coming 'full circle' in life, whether we're perceptive of it or not. I began my experience at FLCC 2 years ago. My first class was with John where he introduced me to Aldo Leopold, and now in my final semester I'm getting to sit back and watch Leopold's life depicted in a HD film hosted by Leopold's biggest fan :)
