Past Events and Activities
Highlights of some of our past events.
October 2022 LLA Co-sponsors the Paul Johnson Legacy Launch
As many of you know, we recently lost a giant in Iowa Conservation, Paul Johnson. He was a former IA legislator, DNR Director and Chief of NRCS in the Dept. of Ag. Paul was one of LLA's earliest supporters--he was confident that buying the Leopold houses and working on Landscape Scale Conservation in our area would be an important contribution to the Leopold Legacy.
LLA is proud to be a part of this effort to further Paul's conservation ideals.
June 2022 The Aldo Leopold Festival at Les Cheneaux, MI.
LLA presented one of the evening programs during the festival on Aldo Leopold's experiences at the Les Cheneaux Club and how they shaped his life.
May 2022 Leopold Family Gathering at the Starker-Leopold House
Over Memorial Day Weekend 2022 members of the Leopold Family gathered for a Celebration of Life for Aldo's niece, Caryl Leopold Smith. Caryl was Carl S. Leopold's daughter, and lived on an organic farm near Brighton. A good friend to LLA, Caryl will be deeply missed by all. Many of her sisters' children stayed at the Starker-Leopold House for the weekend and enjoyed re-connecting.
Family detective work Enjoying a visit to Crystal Lake Club
Family Portrait Some thought Caryl was sending a sign
she was glad they were together.
April 2021 Cover Crops and Healthy Soils Conference -- Kiss the Ground
LLA Co-Sponsored this event with Des Moines County Extension Service
NRCS Rainfall Simulator Rainfall Test in Conventional Till to CRP Cover
Ray Archuleta comparing tilled soil to edge soil for organic matter
July 2019
RAGBRAI riders at the Leopold Compound!
RAGBRAI (the Des Moines Register's Annual Great Bake Ride Across Iowa) included Burlington as a stop in 2019. So 4 RAGBRAI teams of Leopold fans (24 riders) stayed at the Leopold Compound this year--some in the Leopold Boyhood Home, some in the Starker-Leopold House, and a few in hammocks and tents on the grounds. We fed them a hearty dinner of lasagna and pie and enjoyed sharing conversation about the significance of Aldo's childhood in Burlington. A great time was had by all!
We send a big "Thank You!" to our RABRAI guests who have promoted LLA across the country to their friends and followers. They are a fun loving and fascinating group. Riders ranged from Seattle to Texas to Washington, DC.
Team Pokey Spokes, a family team. Mark Ackelson, retired head of Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation refreshed and getting ready to take off again. The "Starker" barn became the "bike barn" for safe storage overnight.
Team Groucho hails from Shenandoah and southwest Iowa, but members now live across the US. Their slogan is a famous Groucho Marx quote.
The National Public Radio Team (NPR). Their motto is "No Pie Refused". The team is composed of several correspondents and producers from NPR and Iowa Public Radio, and also some Des Moines Register columnists.
NPR correspondent, Scott Horsley used his Twitter account to send several promotional messages for LLA: "NPR’s Ned Wharton surveys some of the dessert offerings tonight at the Aldo Leopold House in Burlington. That’s our host, Steve Brower of the Leopold Landscape Alliance, at right. " Lording over the pie table is a thick-billed parrot from Leopold's Rio Gavilan area in Mexico, carved by our good friend, Dean Hurliman.
Team NPR and
Team Groucho who travel together and share a support bus. This was another of Scott's tweets to his 40,000 followers: "We were so honored to spend the night at Aldo Leopold’s boyhood home in Burlington, IA. Thanks to Steve Brower & the Leopold Landscape Alliance (leopoldalliance.org) for making us feel welcome and well-fed."
Bill Forbes is a Leopold Scholar from Nacogdoches, Texas who stayed on after RAGBRAI. During one of our local tours, Bill went to look at the big savannah pre-settlement oaks at LLA's Native Landscape Management Program at the Fausel Farm. On Sunday, Bill gave a program on one of Leopold's research sites, the Rio Gavilan in Mexico.
April 2019
Crowdrise Fundraising Campaign
Thanks to everyone who donated during the Crowdrise Campaign. We received $10,760 online toward the purchase of the Starker-Leopold House, and about another $3,000 from folks who either didn't want to use online donation or were just a little late.
We are so thankful for our generous supporters!
March 2019 Leopold Week
April 2018 Earth Day Celebration at Iowa Wesleyan University
The Alliance was proud to be a co-sponsor of this event. Steve presented, "Aldo Leopold and the Roots of the Land Ethic", and Jim Spring joined us at a display table selling his Leopold bowls.
2016 Augsburg College Students
On their way down the Mississippi River, Augsberg College Students stopped by to do a little study at the Leopold compound on Sept. 24, 2016. Leopold Board Members, Steve and Jerry, discuss Leopold's childhood with Christopher. Professor Joe Underhill is planning to bring the next group of students for a longer stay.
2015 DNR & Wildlife Society Annual Conference
The Iowa DNR Wildlife Bureau and the Iowa Chapter of The Wildlife Society held their state-wide annual conference in Burlington from Sept 29 to Oct. 1, 2015 The Alliance hosted an evening reception for them (about 70 biologists) at both Leopold Houses, and Steve presented "The Roots of the Land Ethic" at their meeting.
Conference Speaker, Drew Lanham, Professor of Wildlife Ecology and Management at Clemson Univ., photographs the signature Aldo carved into the basement beam.
Wild River Academy
On a trip from Itasca to New Orleans, the Wild River Academy, like many travelers, stopped by Burlington for some Leopold inspiration.
Iowa Leopold Week 2020
"Burlington Reads Leopold"
Sat. March 7 3:00 PM
Starker-Leopold House
101 Clay Street
To kick off Iowa Leopold Week, join LLA for reading from "A Sand County Almanac". Bring your copy along and share your favorite passage with the group or just come to listen and enjoy some snacks.
The Alliance was on NPR's MORNING EDITION!
sponsored by RADISH ON THE RADIO, WVIK 90.3
The LLA piece was repeated on Weekend Edition, and all Things Considered.
Tune in! You can hear it at the link below:
http://wvik.org/programs/radish-radio
NRCS interviews
LLA @ the Leopold House
"Honoring Aldo Leopold"
watch the short video about the Leopold Compound and landscape scale conservation @