Nominations and applications are now being accepted for the 2022 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 23 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.
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/ApplyLCA.
The application deadline is March 7, 2022. Applications can be emailed to award@sandcountyfoundation.org. If mailed, applications must be postmarked by March 7 and mailed to:
Leopold Conservation Award
c/o South Dakota Cattlemen’s Association
P.O. Box 1258
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 2021 recipient of the award was Prairie Paradise Farms of Fort Pierre.