Are you a Pennsylvania farmer or forestland owner improving soil health, water quality, and wildlife habitat on your working land?
You can now apply or nominate for the 2023 Pennsylvania Leopold Conservation Award®.
Sand County Foundation and national sponsor American Farmland Trust, present the Leopold Conservation Award to private landowners in 25 states for extraordinary achievement in voluntary conservation. In Pennsylvania, the $10,000 award is presented with state partners: The Heinz Endowments, Horizon Farm Credit, and Pennsylvania Farm Bureau.
Given in honor of well-known 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 www.sandcountyfoundation.org/ApplyLCA.
The application deadline date is Aug. 1. Applications must be emailed to award@sandcountyfoundation.org.
Applications are reviewed by an independent panel of agricultural and conservation leaders from Pennsylvania.
“Farmers are always looking for ways to save their resources and to utilize technology so that the next generation has a place,” said Chris Hoffman, Pennsylvania Farm Bureau president. “We want to celebrate those who use technology and have farming practices that preserve our natural resources.”
Kevin McAleese, Sand County Foundation president and CEO said, “Recipients of this award are examples of how Aldo Leopold’s land ethic is alive and well today. Their dedication to conservation shows how individuals can improve the health of the land while producing food and fiber.”
The Pennsylvania Leopold Conservation Award is made possible through the support from American Farmland Trust, The Heinz Endowments, Horizon Farm Credit, Pennsylvania Farm Bureau, Sand County Foundation, U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service, EDPR NA Distributed Generation, Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts, and The Nature Conservancy in Pennsylvania.
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