Thinking Like a Planet

More than 50 years ago Aldo Leopold defined a land ethic with a call to “think like a mountain,” a holistic view of our place in the ecosystem. More recently J. Baird Callicott expanded Leopold’s concept by defining an Earth ethic with a call to “think like a planet,” a broader view of our place and responsibility based on global interconnectedness.

As a founder, former director and staff member of KNLT, Hugh Archer has fostered a conservation movement rooted in these ethics. Hugh is one of the most innovative conservation practitioners of our times; through creativity, patience and persistence he has helped advance large landscape conservation across Kentucky.

Hugh on Pine Mountain

Hugh has held key positions in leading conservation organizations of the Commonwealth. In addition to his leadership role at KNLT over the last 25 years, his career has included being the Commissioner of the Department of Natural Resources, a Member of the Kentucky Heritage Land Conservation Fund Board, a Commissioner of Kentucky State Nature Preserves and the Director of the Kentucky Chapter of The Nature Conservancy.

At the end of 2020, Hugh is retiring, having forever changed Kentucky. We hope you will consider honoring his legacy by getting involved today and helping us build on the critical conservation work to which Hugh has committed his career and life. Cheers to Hugh!

Hugh was awarded the Forest Advocate Award by the Old Growth Forest Network.

photo: Hugh Archer on Pine Mountain by Guy Mendes