Bidding Farewell to Carl
It is with great sorrow that we announce the passing of Carl Leopold, Aldo Leopold’s youngest son. A distinguished plant physiologist in his own right, Carl made major contributions to science during his many years of research and teaching. He was a prominent and eloquent spokesman for his father’s philosophy of a land ethic, incorporating into his own writings, lectures, and work through the Tropical Forestry Initiative and the Finger Lakes Land Trust. One of the founders of the Aldo Leopold Foundation, Carl served on our board of directors for many years, guiding the path of the foundation from its inception onward. In his youth, Carl was the Leopold family photographer, using the camera his father purchased in Germany to closely document the family’s activities at the shack. Thanks to him, we have an outstanding photographic record of the shack’s early years. A wonderful storyteller with a fine sense of humor, Carl brought joy to those around him. He will be greatly missed.
Read Carl’s full obituary in the Ithaca Journal.
Read more about Carl’s life achievements on Encyclopedia of Earth.
Visit websites for the Finger Lakes Land Trust and the Tropical Forestry Initiative.
View Carl’s journal entry “A Trip to the Elums” about one of the family’s early excursions to the shack.
See an online photo exhibit pairing Carl’s pictures of the shack in the 1930s and ’40s with images taken by photographer Jill Metcoff today.