The Sand County Foundation, the California Farm Bureau Federation and Sustainable Conservation are accepting applications for the $10,000 California Leopold Conservation Award.

The award honors California farmers, ranchers, foresters and other private landowners who demonstrate outstanding stewardship and management of natural resources as well as conservation leadership. It reflects Aldo Leopold’s land ethic as expressed in A Sand County Almanac.

“We encourage others to apply for this opportunity to tell their stories of the entwined relationship between working landscapes and conservation,” said Dina Moore, owner of Lone Star Ranch, the 2016 recipient.

The application is available at: leopoldconservationaward.org. Nominations must be postmarked by July 14, 2017, and mailed to California Leopold Conservation Award c/o Sustainable Conservation, 98 Battery Street, Suite 302, San Francisco, CA 94111.  

“Judges are looking for a ‘story’ that clearly showcases conservation, innovation and leadership on the farm or ranch,” said Karen Sweet of Sand County Foundation. “Project descriptions and activities should list any partners, note goals and measurable results, and call out what might be unusual and adaptable by others. Strategically use reference letters and other materials to ‘brag’ and to supplement the nomination text.”

The 2017 California Leopold Conservation Award will be presented in December at the California Farm Bureau Federation’s Annual Meeting in Garden Grove.  

The award is possible thanks to generous contributions from many organizations, including Sustainable Conservation, California Farm Bureau Federation, Farm Credit West, American AgCredit, The Harvey L. & Maud S. Sorensen Foundation, Environmental Defense Fund and The Nature Conservancy.