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While both Aldo Leopold and N. Scott Momaday support and advocate for the need for a "Land Ethic" they come to this conclusion in different epistemological ways. 

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While both Aldo Leopold and N. Scott Momaday support and advocate for the need for a "Land Ethic" they come to this conclusion in different epistemological ways. 

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"In 1933 the farmers were told that if they would adopt certain remedial practices for five years, the public would donate CCC labor to install them, plus the necessary machinery and materials. The offer was widely accepted, but the practices were widely forgotten when the five-year contract period was up. The farmers continued only those practices that yielded an immediate and visible economic gain for themselves." (Leopold 208)

Leopold's example of farmers here represents the overarching theme of how humans view land. The farmers already trivialize the land as a commodity as it is. For natural land itself is not supposed to mass produce specific crops only but a plethora of flora. The example Leopold give us takes this notion a step further. Where when presented with the ability to take "care" of the land that in turn gives them economic, there only incentive to do so is in an ADDED economic gain on top of what they receive from commodifying the land.

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The Sun Dance, a Native tradition that Momaday remembered Ko-sahn telling him about

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"In Ko-sahn and in her people we have always had the example of a deep ethical regard for the land. We had better learn from it." (Momaday 49)

In Momaday's writing Ko-sahn had shown a deep symbiotic understanding with nature. When Momaday asks about his grandmother, Ko-sahn refers to a tree. In that tree symbolizes not only Momaday's grandma, but the intertwining of both entities. Everything Ko-sahn is said to experience in the passage focuses on the notion that it is not just her experiencing it, but every other aspect of nature. Momaday sees this and recognizes how this understanding is how humans should view themselves and how they view nature.

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"Most of us have developed an attitude of indifference toward the land. In terms of my own experience, it is difficult to see how such an attitude could have ever come about." (Momaday 47)

Here Momaday cites his source of kinship upbringing and how the lack of that effects the collective attitude of society. In the reading Momaday references a woman from his youth named Ko-sahn. When mentioning her in any context, we can feel his revere and respect that he associates with her being. Ko-sahn is brought up in memories of tradition and oral teaching, and is even manifests in front of Momaday. The relationship with Ko-sahn shows the strength and effect that Native traditions had on Momaday's outlook to nature and the land. When contrasted to others Momaday shares the same revere for Ko-sahn as he would the Earth, where as others not exposed to this can live negligent to it.

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"Whether you will or not
You' are a King, Tristam, for you are one
Of the time-tested few that leave the world,
When they are gone, not the same place it was.
Mark what you leave." (Leopold 223)

In Leopold's writing, multiples times he gives historical examples and relates them to the connection between humans and nature. In this quote he inserts humanity as Tristam, one who is powerful for their ability leaves last marks around them. The comparison is an example of the "conqueror's paradox" that Leopold brings up. Humanity has seen itself play this role of conqueror, effecting everything and anything it can in pertaining to nature. By doing this it plays an inverse effect leading to many ecological damages. Leopold see this role and recognizes the need for a land ethic where humans accept not the role of conqueror, but as a part of nature.

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Momaday references ecological authenticity by asserting importance of the experience of abridged nature. "Once in his life a man ought to concentrate his mind upon the remembered earth, I believe. he ought to give himself up to a particular landscape in his experience, to look at it from as many angles as he can, to wonder about it, to dwell upon it." (Momaday 47). Going back to the concept of the ecological ego, by suggesting this Momaday hopes to turn the 'ego' to 'eco'. By truly experiencing nature in a way that you recognize your place in community, allows you to remove the distinction between the two.

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In Aldo Leopold's writing he classifies conservation as quite trite, citing slow progress and an overall lack of substance. To me Leopold's view of conservation stems from Romanticism and it's ideals. It is easy to reminisce about pre industrial revolution nature, but is there any true merit in this? "Is not this formula too easy to accomplish anything
worth-while? It defines no right or wrong, assigns no obligation, calls for no sacrifice, implies no change in the current philosophy of values" (Leopold 208) .Leopold finds conservation education to be littered in high volume with little substantial content.

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Momaday takes his background and applies it to what he views is necessary for society to accept and adapt to. However the concept of "playing Indian' is far from what Momaday visions. Momaday stresses on forming a deep, revered connection to the land and nature and to use this understanding in a day to day context. In texts like Simon Ortiz's "The San Francisco Indians", we see this taken in an inverse direction. In his story a "tribe" of white people assert themselves to be Natives because they dress in traditional wear and "practice" Native traditions. (Ortiz 120) In order to develop a land ethic in the way that Momaday says to, we must not appropriate Native culture in fashions like these.

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Before learning about the idea of deep ecology, Leopold first introduced the concept in his work "The Land Ethic". For the notion of the land ethic is essentially what deep ecology stands for. "The land ethic simply enlarges the boundaries of the community to include soils, waters, plants and animals; or collectively: the land" (Leopold 204). Deep ecology is the attitude that there is intrinsic worth of nonhuman entities and stresses the self identification with the rest of nature. Leopold's land ethic exemplifies this by changing the role of human as a "conqueror" but rather an equal member of the ecological community.

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"Of the 22,000 higher plants and animals native
to Wisconsin, it is doubtful whether more than 5 per cent
can be sold, fed, eaten, or otherwise put to economic use...
When one of these non-economic categories is threatened,
and if we happen to love it, we invent subterfuges to give it
economic importance. At the beginning of the century song-
birds were supposed to be disappearing. Ornithologists
jumped to the rescue with some distinctly shaky evidence to
the effect that insects would eat us up if birds failed to control them. The evidence had to be economic in order to be valid." (Leopold 210)

Here Leopold the example that Leopold is explaining symbolizes arguments for the need of the Land Ethic and Deep Ecology. Leopold finds that as humans we are quite discriminatory towards aspects that are not human. When addressing ourselves humans (morally right ones) would agree that all human life matters, to a degree. But what Leopold is highlighting here is the belief that nature must have a substantial arbitrary value to us, and if not ,it does not matter. The latter half of the quote represents this in action, by presenting something in a way that we lost value without it, we then finally do something. Leopold sees this an argues for the need to accepting nature for an intrinsic value, and not one in relation to humans.

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In his work "An American Land Ethic" Momaday speaks of oral traditions and people that helped him form his current day view. Momaday's views can be attributed to the idea of Kinship, where a system of shared characteristics or origins establish a reciprocal relationship. " 'The Living Memory ... and the verbal tradition which transcends it, were brought together for me once and for all in the person of Ko-sahn" (Momaday 42). In his work Ko-sahn represents Kinship. Older than even his Grandmother, Ko-sahn is able to live in Momaday's memory because of the oral traditions and practices that have been instilled in his mind, creating his reciprocal relationship with nature. This is not just attributed to Ko-sahn, we can assume that many others in Momaday's life had presented a connection to nature in the same manner from different points in his upbringing.

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References

“Aldo Leopold - Forest History Society.” Forest History Society, https://foresthistory.org/envira/aldo-leopold/. Accessed 14 Oct. 2023.

Leopold, Aldo. A Sand County Almanac. Ballantine Books, 1986.

Momaday, N. Scott. The Man Made of Words. Macmillan, 1998.

“N. Scott Momaday, Ph.D. | Academy of Achievement.” Academy of Achievement, https://achievement.org/achiever/n-scott-momaday-ph-d/. Accessed 14 Oct. 2023.
Works Cited

“Sun Dance.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Sun-Dance. Accessed 14 Oct. 2023.

Menrisky, Alexander. ENGL 2635E Lecture, [9/18/23]
Menrisky, Alexander. ENGL 2635E Lecture, [9/20/23]
Menrisky, Alexander. ENGL 2635E Lecture, [9/27/23]
Menrisky, Alexander. ENGL 2635E Lecture, [9/25/23]