Images courtesy of Mark Noll.
Mark Noll describes his farm in the Driftless Region as a slice of heaven. But it didn’t get to be that way overnight. Noll’s Dairy Farm in Buffalo County has worked the land for generations to make sure that the soil stays in place, the oak trees grow tall, and the wildlife have a place to call home.
The farm is one of four Wisconsin Leopold Conservation Award finalists. Given in honor of renowned conservationist Aldo Leopold, the prestigious award recognizes farmers and forestland owners who inspire others with their dedication to land, water, and wildlife habitat in their care.
The Noll family in Alma has practiced soil and water conservation efforts on their farm for generations. The land sits on top of a 500-foot bluff overlooking the Mississippi River. Mark tells Mid-West Farm Report he can watch the barges go down the river from his tractor seat. Curtis, Mark, and Scott Noll grow cover crops and utilize no-till and contour strip cropping practices to prevent soil erosion.
They also restored and actively manage an ecologically rare dry bluff prairie that is home to many endangered species. Their managed forest provides oak timber production and wildlife habitat.
“I want to leave the land better than when I started. The land is going to be here forever. We’re just here for an eye-blink really,” Mark says. “It’s tough to do sometimes but… when I’m out in the corn planter, there’s no where else I’d rather be.”
More About The Award
In Wisconsin, the Sand County Foundation, American Farmland Trust, Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation and Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin presents the $10,000 award annually. When asked how it felt to be nominated by his community for the conservation prize, Mark says: “We just did it because we thought it was the right thing.”
The November meeting of the Board of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection will reveal the winner. An independent panel of ag and conservation leaders reviewed the applications.
The first Wisconsin Leopold Conservation Award went to woodland conservationist Gerry Mich of Appleton in 2006. The 2022 recipients were Joe and Christy Tomandl of Medford.
The other three 2023 finalists are:
