The Sand County Foundation is looking for a Wisconsin farmer, rancher or forester who goes above and beyond in the care and management of natural resources.
Sand County Foundation, the nation’s leading voice for private land conservation, presents the Leopold Conservation Award to private landowners in 14 states for extraordinary achievement in voluntary conservation.
Given in honor of renowned conservationist Aldo Leopold, the award recognizes those who inspire others with their dedication to land, water and wildlife habitat management on private, working land.
In his influential 1949 book, “A Sand County Almanac,” Leopold called for an ethical relationship between people and the land they own and manage.
In Wisconsin the $10,000 award is presented annually by Sand County Foundation, Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation, Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin, and Wisconsin Land and Water Conservation Association.
“Leopold Conservation Award nominees show that environmental stewardship and agriculture can go hand-in-hand. The conservation practices they embrace are just as much an investment into the health and profitability of their business as it is for the future of land and water in Wisconsin,” said Matt Krueger, Wisconsin Land and Water Conservation Association Executive Director.
Nominations may be submitted on behalf of a landowner, or landowners may nominate themselves. The application can be found at https://sandcountyfoundation.org/uploads/WI-2018-CFN-Hi-res.pdf.
Applications must be postmarked by August 4, 2018 and mailed to Leopold Conservation Award, c/o Sand County Foundation, 131 W. Wilson St., Suite 610, Madison, WI 53711.
Finalists will be announced this fall. The award will be presented at the Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation’s Annual Meeting in December.
The Wisconsin Leopold Conservation Award is made possible through the support of Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin, Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation, Compeer Financial, Alliant Energy Foundation, American Transmission Company, Wisconsin Land and Water Conservation Association, We Energies Foundation, USDA-NRCS, Wisconsin Soybean Marketing Board, and Wisconsin Corn Growers Association.
