Estella Leopold facts for kids

Estella Bergere Leopold (born January 8, 1927 – died February 25, 2024) was an American scientist. She was a paleobotanist, which means she studied ancient plants, often through their fossils. She was also a conservationist, working to protect nature and the environment.

As a researcher, Estella Leopold helped discover old plant records. These records came from the Miocene Epoch (a time long ago) near the Enewetak Atoll and Bikini Atoll in the Pacific Ocean. She also found plant fossils from the Cenozoic era in the Rocky Mountains. Later, as a professor at the University of Washington, she studied the history of forests in the Pacific Northwest. She also worked with paleobotanists from China.

Estella Leopold was a strong voice for conservation. She took legal action to help save the Florissant Fossil Beds in Colorado. She also fought against pollution. Her father was Aldo Leopold, a famous environmentalist.

Becoming a Scientist

Estella Leopold was born in Madison, Wisconsin. She loved studying plants. In 1948, she earned a degree in botany from the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Botany is the study of plants.

She continued her studies and received her master's degree in botany in 1950 from the University of California, Berkeley. In 1955, she earned her Ph.D. (a high-level degree) in botany from Yale University. At Yale, she learned from important scientists like Paul B. Sears.

It was at Yale that Estella Leopold started to focus on studying pollen. Pollen is tiny dust from plants. Her research involved taking pollen and spores from very old rocks and dirt. She then compared these ancient plant bits to modern plants. This helped her figure out what past landscapes and environments were like.

Studying Ancient Plants

After finishing her Ph.D. in 1955, Dr. Leopold began working for the United States Geological Survey. She worked there for 21 years, until 1976. During this time, she made important discoveries. She learned how climate changes affected ancient plant species. Some species died out, while others changed into new types.

She found that in the middle of continents, where seasons change a lot, plants evolved more quickly. But in coastal areas, where the climate is milder, older plant species like the giant redwood could survive for a very long time.

Her work also included studying core samples from the Miocene Epoch. These samples contained pollen that showed a tropical rainforest once grew in the Eniwetok and Bikini Atoll area of the Pacific Ocean. She also studied plant fossils from the Rocky Mountains in Colorado, Idaho, and Wyoming. This helped her understand the paleoenvironment (ancient environment) of the Paleogene and Neogene periods.

One of the most important places for her studies was the Florissant Valley in Colorado. This area has 34-million-year-old plant fossils. Today, it is protected as the Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument.

Protecting Nature

Estella Leopold's research at the Florissant Fossil Beds in Colorado led her to become a leader in protecting that area. The land was going to be turned into a housing development. But she and others took legal action to stop it. Because of their efforts, on August 20, 1969, the 6,000-acre area became the Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument. This protected the amazing fossils for everyone.

Estella Leopold also took part in other important conservation actions.

• She opposed oil shale development in western Colorado.
• She helped stop dams from being built in the Grand Canyon.
• She worked to stop the shipping of dangerous nuclear materials through the Strait of Juan de Fuca and Puget Sound.

She also served on the board and was president of the Aldo Leopold Foundation. This foundation works to continue the conservation ideas of her father.

Awards and Recognition

Estella Leopold received many awards for her important work.

• In 1969, she was named Conservationist-of-the-Year by the Colorado Wildlife Federation.
• In 1974, she was chosen to be a member of the important National Academy of Sciences.
• Two years later, she received the Keep Colorado Beautiful annual award.
• She was president of the American Quaternary Association from 1982 to 1984.
• She is a Fellow of several important scientific groups, including the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the Geological Society of America.
• In 2010, she won the International Cosmos Prize for her contributions to conservation.

Later Life

Estella Leopold passed away on February 25, 2024, at a retirement home in Seattle. She was 97 years old.