The land ethic simply enlarges the boundaries of the community to include soils, waters, plants, and animals, or collectively: the land.

   This sounds simple: do we not already sing our love for and obligation to the land of the free and the home of the brave? Yes, but just what and whom do we love? Certainly not the soil, which we are sending helter-skelter downriver. Certainly not he waters, which we assume have no function except to turn turbines, float barges, and carry off the sewage. Certainly not the plants, of which we exterminate whole communities without bating and eye. Certainly not the animals, of which we

   have already extirpated many of the largest and most beautiful species. A land ethic of course cannot prevent the alteration, management and the use of these 'resources', but outdoes affirm their right to continued existence, and , at least in spots, their continued existence in a natural state.

   In short, a land ethic changes the role of homo-sapiens from conqueror of the land-community to plain member and citizen of it. It implies respect or his fellow members, and also respect from the community as such. (Aldo Leopold)