For, many of these ecosystems are in private lands which the government cannot control. To help us develop a proper ecological conscience, Leopold argues that we need a specific mental image to focus on. He offers the image of the land pyramid. The land pyramid is the class of all food chains, where the higher levels depend on everything beneath it. From bottom to top, the basic layers of the pyramid are those of soil, plants, insects, insect eating animals, omnivores, and carnivores.
Humans fall into the omnivore category along with raccoons and bears.
Leopold explains that there is a continuous and upward flow of food energy in the pyramid, and that obstructions to the flow of energy at any level will damage the whole. Some geographical regions of the world, such as Europe and Japan, have been able to sustain human imposed environmental changes without damage. But other regions of the world have been less fortunate. Some will see the land in terms of commodity production, which perpetuates the role of humans as conquerors. However, others will understand the land more broadly, where humans are but citizens of the land.