Nominations are now being accepted for the prestigious Leopold Conservation Award honoring agricultural landowners in Colorado who demonstrate outstanding stewardship and management of natural resources.

Sand County Foundation, the nation’s leading voice for conservation of private land, presents the Leopold Conservation Award to private landowners in 20 states for extraordinary achievement in voluntary conservation. In Colorado, the $10,000 award is presented with the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association, Colorado Cattlemen’s Agricultural Land Trust, Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association and USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service.

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: https://www.sandcountyfoundation.org/uploads/CO-CFN-2020.pdf.

The application deadline date is Feb. 1, 2020. Applications can be emailed to maggie@ccalt.org or sarahd@coloradocattle.org. If mailed, applications must be postmarked by Feb. 1, and mailed to:

Leopold Conservation Award

c/o Colorado Cattlemen’s Association

8833 Ralston Road

Arvada, CO 80002-2239.

“The Leopold Conservation Award not only highlights the positive influences agriculture has on the environment, our communities, and our economy, but also teaches others about the heritage of natural resource stewardship on working landscapes,” said Steve Wooten, 2018 Leopold Conservation Award recipient and Colorado Cattlemen’s Association president.

“Leopold Conservation Award recipients are at the forefront of a movement by America’s farmers and ranchers to simultaneously achieve economic and environmental success,” said Kevin McAleese, Sand County Foundation president and CEO.

The Leopold Conservation Award Program in Colorado is made possible thanks to the generous partnership and support of Colorado Cattlemen’s Association, Colorado Cattlemen’s Agricultural Land Trust, Tri-State Generation and Transmission Assoc., USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service, The Gates Family Foundation, The Stanko Ranch, American AgCredit, McDonald’s, The Bird Conservancy of the Rockies, and The Nature Conservancy.

The first Colorado Leopold Conservation Award recipient, Capps Ranch of Walsenburg, was selected in 2003. Livingston Ranch of Stratton received the award in 2019. ❖