In the 1949 book, "A Sand County Almanac," Aldo Leopold, known as the father of modern conservation, wrote, "We abuse land because we regard it as a commodity belonging to us. When we see land as a community to which we belong, we may begin to use it with love and respect."

Leopold popularized the philosophy known as land ethics, which sees biodiversity and healthy ecosystems as essential to human survival.

And Leopold's legacy has had an immense impact on many of the people and organizations that work in conservation here in Northeast Ohio.

Wednesday at 6 p.m., the Western Reserve Land Conservancy will be hosting an event in Moreland Hills to celebrate the 75th anniversary of Leopold's book. The event is sold out, but it can be streamed live by registering online.

We'll spend Wednesday's "Sound of Ideas" talking about Leopold's legacy, the conservation work happening in the region, and how we can all take better care of our surrounding environment.

In fact, we're using this topic as a opportunity to launch a new monthly series we're calling "Environmental Stewards," where we'll focus on positive environmental changes people can make in their own communities.

Guests:
-Rich Cochran, President and CEO, Western Reserve Land Conservancy
-Buddy Huffaker, Executive Director, Aldo Leopold Foundation
-Christopher Kuhar, Ph.D., Executive Director, Cleveland Metroparks Zoo
-Harvey Webster, Trustee, Audubon Society of Greater Cleveland, Retired Chief Wildlife Officer & Ambassador Emeritus, Cleveland Museum of Natural History