The Kansas Department of Agriculture is pleased to endorse the Kansas Leopold Conservation Award to recognize conservation of natural resources, and the agency encourages Kansans to submit nominations for the award. Sand County Foundation, the Kansas Association of Conservation Districts (KACD) and the Ranchland Trust of Kansas are accepting applications until May 30 for the 2016 Leopold Conservation Award. The $10,000 award honors Kansas farmers, ranchers and other private landowners who voluntarily demonstrate outstanding stewardship and management of natural resources.
Applications for the award must be postmarked by May 30, 2016, and mailed to KACD c/o Jim Krueger, 1008 2500 Avenue, Abilene KS 67410. Nominations may be submitted on behalf of a landowner, or landowners may nominate themselves.
“The Leopold Conservation Award Program provides a valuable opportunity to recognize the outstanding accomplishments of Kansas agricultural landowners who are committed to strong conservation practices and effective stewardship,” said Jim Krueger, executive director of KACD.
Given in honor of renowned conservationist Aldo Leopold, the Leopold Conservation Award inspires other landowners and provides a visible forum where farmers, ranchers and other private landowners are recognized as conservation leaders. In his influential 1949 book, “A Sand County Almanac,” Leopold called for an ethical relationship between people and the land they own and manage, which he called “an evolutionary possibility and an ecological necessity.”
The award will be presented on Nov. 21, 2016, at the KACD Annual Convention in Wichita.
The Leopold Conservation Award Program in Kansas is made possible thanks to the generous support of Clean Line Energy Partners, Ducks Unlimited, ITC Great Plains, NextEra Energy Resources, Westar Energy, Kansas Forest Service, Kansas Department of Agriculture, Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism, USDA NRCS Kansas, DuPont Pioneer and The Mosaic Company.
For application information, please visit www.leopoldconservationaward.org/the-award/application-info/.
