Nominations are now being accepted for the 2025 Wisconsin Leopold Conservation Award®.
The award honors 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 Leopold Conservation Awards to private landowners in 28 states. In Wisconsin the $10,000 award is presented with Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation and Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin.
Given in honor of renowned conservationist Aldo Leopold, the award recognizes landowners who inspire others to consider conservation opportunities on their land. In his influential 1949 book, “A Sand County Almanac,” Leopold advocated for “a land ethic,” an ethical relationship between people and the land they own and manage.
Award nominations may be submitted on behalf of a landowner, or landowners may nominate themselves. The nomination form can be found at www.sandcountyfoundation.org/
The nomination deadline date is August 1, 2025. Nominations must be emailed to WisconsinLCA@
Nominations are reviewed by an independent panel of Wisconsin agricultural and conservation leaders. Last year’s recipient was the Adamski family of Seymour. To view profiles of all past recipients, click here.
“We are proud to sponsor the Leopold Conservation Award and celebrate our dairy farmers’ dedication to animal care and sustainable land and water,” said Chad Vincent, Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin Chief Executive Officer. “In Wisconsin, 99 percent of the farms are family owned. Caring for the land and water is crucial to helping keep Wisconsin communities and dairy farms strong for future generations.”
“Farmers across Wisconsin are leading the charge in advancing conservation. At Wisconsin Farm Bureau, we celebrate Wisconsin’s agricultural heritage by advancing sustainable practices that protect the land and support future generations. We are proud to recognize those efforts as a supporter of the Wisconsin Leopold Conservation Award,” said Brad Olson, Wisconsin Farm Bureau President. “I encourage farmers to apply or nominate someone who deserves this special recognition for their continued conservation efforts.”
“Leopold Conservation Award recipients are examples of how Aldo Leopold’s land ethic is alive and well today,” said Kevin McAleese, Sand County Foundation President and CEO. “Their dedication to conservation is both an inspiration to their peers as well as a reminder to all how important thoughtful agriculture is to clean water, healthy soil, and wildlife habitat.”
“As the national sponsor for Sand County Foundation’s Leopold Conservation Award, American Farmland Trust celebrates the hard work and dedication of the award recipients,” said John Piotti, AFT President and CEO. “At AFT we believe that exemplary conservation involves the land itself, the practices employed on the land, and the people who steward it. This award recognizes the integral role of all three.”
The Wisconsin Leopold Conservation Award is made possible thanks to the generous support of American Farmland Trust, Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin, Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation, Sand County Foundation, Culver’s, Compeer Financial, The Nature Conservancy, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, Wisconsin Corn Growers Association, Wisconsin Corn Promotion Board, Wisconsin Land and Water Conservation Association, and Wisconsin Potato and Vegetable Growers Association.
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