Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture

Nina Leopold Bradley remembered at Baraboo

Back to Leopold Letter Fall 2011

By DENNIS KEENEY, former Leopold Center director

On a soft, beautiful early August evening, about 250 people, including family, extended family, neighbors, friends and admirers gathered at the beautiful Aldo Leopold Foundation learning center and headquarters to honor the brilliant, charismatic and gentle leader and conservationist, Nina Leopold Bradley. She died in May at age 93, leaving a full life of honors, achievements and most importantly family. Bradley was the third of five children born to Aldo and Estella Leopold, all of whom went on to outstanding careers in earth and biological sciences.

For those of us fortunate enough to be able to attend, the evening was one to be savored and remembered. Buddy Huffaker, executive director of the foundation, called it a perfect but bittersweet setting. After several hours of mingling, hugging, sharing remembrances and greeting old and new friends, the ceremonies got underway in a tent surrounded by the yellow blossoms of compass plant and purple stalks of the blazing star that she loved. There were tears and chuckles as Nina’s life was remembered by her younger sister, Estella, and by grandchildren who spoke, provided music and song, and helped all of us through the memorable evening.

From the beginning of the family experiences at Madison and especially the famous “Shack”—the old chicken coop tucked out of sight on the Leopold Reserve near Baraboo, Wisconsin—Nina was special. Fortunately for all of us, she elected to come back to the farm after marrying Charles Bradley. Together they hired staff, moved the foundation from a family organization to one capable of expanding, built the foundation buildings and established the strong research and education program that exists today.

While the presence of Aldo was felt everywhere, it was the time to remember Nina. It was Nina who inspired Paul Johnson, then a farmer legislator from Decorah, to name the sustainable agriculture center in Iowa after Aldo Leopold. We will be forever grateful to them for their vision and leadership.

I was one of the fortunate who got to know Nina well. I visited with her and Charlie just after accepting the directorship in Ames, but before I left Wisconsin. It was a particularly inspiring time for me. Through the next two decades we crossed paths often. Nina had the gift of listening as if you were the only person in the room she cared about. She truly loved the land and its people.

It will be up to the next generation to move the foundation forward. We can only hope they share her vision and energy.
 

Back to Leopold Letter Fall 2011