Nominations and applications are now being accepted for the 2021 South Dakota Leopold Conservation Award®. The $10,000 award honors ranchers, farmers and forestland owners who go above and beyond in their management of soil health, water quality and wildlife habitat on working land.
Sand County Foundation and national sponsor American Farmland Trust present the Leopold Conservation Award to private landowners in 21 states for extraordinary achievement in voluntary conservation. In South Dakota, the award is presented with the South Dakota Cattlemen’s Association and the South Dakota Grassland Coalition. The 2020 recipient of the award was Blair Brothers Angus Ranch of Sturgis.
Given in honor of renowned conservationist Aldo Leopold, the award recognizes landowners 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.
Nominations may be submitted on behalf of a landowner, or landowners may nominate themselves. The application can be found at sandcountyfoundation.org/
The application deadline is March 5, 2021. Applications can be emailed to award@sandcountyfoundation.org
Leopold Conservation Award
c/o South Dakota Cattlemen’s Association
116 N. Euclid, Suite C
Pierre, SD 57501
Selected recipients must be available to host a tour and video production team during the summer, and participate in a fall award presentation.
The Leopold Conservation Award Program in South Dakota made possible thanks to the generous support of American Farmland Trust, South Dakota Cattlemen’s Association, South Dakota Grassland Coalition, First Dakota National Bank, South Dakota Department of Agriculture, South Dakota Farm Bureau Federation, South Dakota Game, Fish & Parks, South Dakota State University College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences, SD DENR Discovery Center, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, Audubon Dakota, Bad River Ranches, Belle Fourche River Watershed Partnership, Daybreak Ranch, Ducks Unlimited, Kopriva Angus LLC of Raymond, South Dakota, McDonald’s, Millborn Seeds, North Central SARE-Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education, South Dakota Pheasants Forever, Professional Alliance, South Dakota Association of Conservation Districts, South Dakota Soil Health Coalition, The Nature Conservancy, Todd Mortenson Family, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service-Partners for Fish and Wildlife, Wagner Land & Livestock.
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