Heaton Livestock Company – 2012 Leopold Conservation Award – Utah (video)

Cousins Karl and Raymond Heaton are fourth generation ranchers responsible for the management of over 140,000 private and federal acres at Heaton Ranch, located in Alton. The ranch consists of approximately 1,250 head of cattle. The Heatons believe that natural resources conservation is critical to the success of their ranching business. They utilize conservation practices to improve grassland, water quality, and wildlife...

Jim & Val Hebbe – 2012 Leopold Conservation Award – Wisconsin (video)

Jim and Valerie Hebbe, along with their daughter, Ashley, operate a cash grain farm in Green Lake County. In his nearly 30 years of experience in melding conservation and agriculture, Jim is the essence of adaptive management. Jim began farming in 1983 by renting some land from his father. He planted field corn, using conventional tillage, resulting in poor yields. Following a couple of attempts, Jim realized that he needed...

Kopriva Family – 2012 Leopold Conservation Award – South Dakota (video)

In this video, which is courtesy of the South Dakota Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), the Kopriva family describes some of their many conservation efforts, including rotational grazing and no-till farming. Jim and Karen Kopriva’s ranch, which they operate with their son, Lee and daughter, Angela, is located near Raymond and consists of approximately 2,000 acres. Initially, the Koprivas were grain farmers but...

Buell Family – 2012 Leopold Conservation Award – Nebraska (video)

The Buell family is part of the fabric of the Nebraska Sandhills. For nearly 130 years, they have ranched in the region, while caring for the land, water, and wildlife that each Buell generation passed on to the next. The Buell family’s legacy in the Sandhills began when Benjamin Franklin Buell fell in love with the area while on his way from Michigan to Washington State. Needless to say, he never made it to Washington....

Sommers Ranch – 2012 Leopold Conservation Award – Wyoming (video)

The Sommers family has been ranching cattle in Sublette County, Wyoming since 1907 when Albert “Prof” Sommers and his brother, Pearl, established the ranch. Today, third generation ranchers Albert and his sister, Jonita, manage the operation. Sommers Ranch consists of 1,000 acres of rangeland, 200 acres of irrigated pasture, 30 acres of wetland, and 827 acres of hayland. Albert and Jonita’s concern about a continuation...

Wineinger-Davis Ranch – 2012 Leopold Conservation Award – Colorado (video)

Russell and Tricia Davis’ Wineinger-Davis Ranch, located in Lincoln and Crowley Counties, was established in 1938 as a 400-acre livestock operation. It currently consists of over 12,000 acres. Ranch operations include beef production, birding, eco-tourism, agri-tourism, and hunting. The Davis family successfully integrates the needs of a successful and productive beef operation with the habitat needs of a suite of...