CHEYENNE, Wyo. – The Padlock Ranch, recipient of this year’s Leopold Conservation Award in Wyoming, was honored by Governor Matt Mead during a ceremony at the state capitol.

Governor Mead signed a proclamation declaring July 9, 2013 as Wyoming Environmental Stewardship Day which marks the date of the Environmental Stewardship Tour hosted by the Wyoming Stock Growers Association (WSGA) and the Wyoming Department of Agriculture. The annual event showcases the Leopold Conservation Award recipient. This year’s recipient, The Padlock Ranch, operates a sustainable and profitable cattle operation on 500,000 acres in Wyoming and Montana.

“Ranchers know that we must take care of the land. My great-grandfather always said that where you find one blade of grass, leave two,” Governor Mead said. “The Environmental Stewardship Tour and Leopold Conservation Award celebrate those who have truly left more for future generations, all the while feeding the country and preserving our open spaces and ranching heritage.”

“Successful ranches sustain open spaces, air quality and wildlife habitat, and they provide recreational opportunities to the public,” Padlock Ranch President and CEO Wayne Fahsholtz said. “When I came here 10 years ago, we capitalized on the opportunity to implement practices to ensure we have as good a ranch as possible and to grow as much grass as possible.”

The Padlock Ranch is owned by the Scott Family and has been operating since 1943. Homer and Mildred Scott started the operation on 3,000 acres and grew the ranch to its current size.

“Wayne and Judy Fahsholtz, the Scott Family and the other dedicated people who operate the Padlock Ranch are excellent examples of ranchers who are committed to living as responsible stewards of the land,” WSGA Executive Vice President Jim Magagna said. “We applaud Governor Mead for choosing Earth Day to recognize ranchers as good caretakers of Wyoming’s environment.”

The $10,000 Leopold Conservation Award (www.leopoldconservationaward.org), named for renowned conservationist Aldo Leopold, will be presented to the Padlock Ranch at WSGA’s Cattle Industry Convention & Trade Show on June 7 in Cheyenne. The award is presented by Sand County Foundation, WSGA and Peabody Energy.

“Governor Mead shares our belief that Wyoming’s farmers and ranchers are integral to the health of the state’s natural resources,” said Sand County Foundation President Dr. Brent Haglund. “We appreciate the Governor’s participation in this important celebration of voluntary conservation on private lands.”

The Leopold Conservation Award in Wyoming is made possible through the support of Peabody Energy, The Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation, Farm Credit and the Monaghan Foundation.

For more information or to attend the Environmental Stewardship Tour of the Padlock Ranch on July 9, please call the Wyoming Stock Growers Association at 307-638-3942.

Kentucky Agricultural Council

Sand County Foundation and the Kentucky Agricultural Council have announced the launch of the Leopold Conservation Award program in Kentucky, and are accepting applications for the award.

The $10,000 Leopold Conservation Award will honor Kentucky farmers, ranchers and other private landowners who voluntarily demonstrate responsible stewardship and management of natural resources.

“Private landowners across the State of Kentucky are doing exceptional land conservation work,” said Brent Haglund, Ph.D., Sand County Foundation President. “We look forward to honoring these good stewards of the land who are committed to the enhancement of Kentucky’s rich and diverse agricultural landscape.”

Given in honor of renowned conservationist Aldo Leopold, the Leopold Conservation Award recognizes extraordinary achievement in voluntary conservation. It inspires other landowners through these examples 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 Kentucky Agricultural Council is proud to be part of the Leopold Conservation Award program,” said Kentucky Agricultural Council Chairman, Tony Brannon. “From the beginnings of pioneering no-till farming in the 1960’s through today’s many and varied farm sustainability efforts to leave this place better than they found it, Kentucky farmers have a proud tradition of feeding, clothing, sheltering and fueling our nation and our world.  This award will allow us to celebrate and learn from the examples of Kentucky farmers who have taken a thoughtful approach to conservation and stewardship of our land.”

The Kentucky Agricultural Council will be seeking sponsorships to host the award and will present a celebration of the award recipients at the Kentucky Ag Summit, to be held in November 2013.

Nominations must be postmarked by July 31, 2013, and mailed to Leopold Conservation Award c/o Kentucky Agricultural Council, P.O. Box 5478 Louisville, Kentucky 40255-0478.

For application information, please visit www.leopoldconservationaward.org or www.kyagcouncil.net.

ABOUT THE KENTUCKY AGRICULTURAL COUNCIL

The Kentucky Agricultural Council (KAC) is a 501(c)(3) organization consisting of some 80 agricultural organizations representing all sectors of Kentucky agriculture. The membership is composed of commodity groups, state and federal agricultural organizations, agricultural trade organizations and the state’s institutions of higher education that serve Kentucky agriculture.  The KAC functions as an umbrella group and hub for its members, disseminating information and promoting coordination among all agricultural organizations and sectors.  Since 2006, the KAC also has served as the “steward of strategic planning” for the future of Kentucky agriculture and Kentucky’s rural communities. www.kyagcouncil.net.

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“Having grown up on a farm, I know how precious the land is to South Dakotans who owe their livelihoods to our natural resources,” said South Dakota Governor Dennis Daugaard. “Farmers and ranchers, such as the Guptill Family, take great care to maintain those resources for generations to come.

Guptill Ranch in western South Dakota is a 7,000-acre cattle operation near Quinn. Pat and Mary Lou Guptill have owned and operated this family-run ranch for the past 25 years. With their five children, they are caretakers of this special landscape in western South Dakota. The area features grasslands with rolling hills and a main wooded creek running through the ranch.

In 2000, as their children grew older, the Guptills decided to make changes to lower production costs and enhance the health of the land to make the ranch better and bring their family home.

Innovation and change have been beneficial to the operation, according to Pat Guptill.

“The more we change, the more we learn,” Guptill said.  “We hope we can help other producers bypass all the mistakes we made along the way to make their operations work. Our goal is to make the land better for future generations.”

“The foreword to A Sand County Almanac, Aldo Leopold’s environmental classic, points out, ‘When we see land as a community to which we belong, we may begin to use it with love and respect.’ You are unlikely to find agriculturalists elsewhere in our United States who exceed the Guptill family’s use of land with love and respect.” said Brent Haglund, president, Sand County Foundation.

The $10,000 award and a crystal depicting Aldo Leopold, will be presented to the Guptills at the  South Dakota Cattlemen’s Association’s Annual Convention in December. The ranch will also be featured during a ranch tour this summer.

The Leopold Conservation Award is presented in honor of renowned conservationist and author Aldo Leopold, who called for an ethical relationship between people and the land they own and manage. Award applicants are judged based on their demonstration of improved resource conditions, innovation, long-term commitment to stewardship, sustained economic viability, community and civic leadership, and multiple use benefits.

“The South Dakota Cattlemen’s Association is proud to recognize the Guptills for implementing responsible stewardship practices on their ranch and working to best utilize the resources required to meet the needs of a growing population,” said Cory Eich, president, South Dakota Cattlemen’s Association.

“I applaud the Guptill’s careful efforts to manage the health of their land and to hand that ethic down to the next generation,” said Jim Faulstich, chairman, South Dakota Grassland Coalition.

The Leopold Conservation Award in South Dakota is possible thanks to generous contributions from many organizations, including: American State Bank, Belle Fourche River Watershed Partnership, Daybreak Ranch, Ducks Unlimited, Farm Credit, The Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation, Millborn Seeds, Mortenson Family, Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), Partners for Fish & Wildlife, Professional Alliance, South Dakota’s Conservation Districts, South Dakota Department of Environment & Natural Resources, South Dakota Farm Bureau, South Dakota Game, Fish & Parks, South Dakota Grassland Coalition, South Dakota State University Foundation, The Nature Conservancy and World Wildlife Fund.

Given in honor of renowned conservationist Aldo Leopold, the award recognizes private landowner achievement in voluntary conservation, and is presented annually.

The Visintainers will receive $10,000 and a crystal depicting Aldo Leopold at the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association Annual Convention on June 17 in Breckenridge.

Visintainer Sheep Co. is a sheep and cattle ranch in Moffat County.  Dean Visintainer and his son Gary jointly run the operation, where concern for the land has always been essential to their management.

Across generations, the Visintainers have continually adapted to a changing environment and economy by moving away from production-based management to “forage-based” management aimed at improved range health.

This critical change in philosophy, coupled with decades of monitoring and observation, has led to the diversification of livestock to both sheep and cattle; while keeping a key emphasis on wildlife species, including deer, elk, pronghorn, greater sage grouse, and Columbian sharp-tailed grouse. Today, their ranch is a true refuge for many wildlife species.

“The Visintainers are clearly committed to innovation and testing of practices that further improve stewardship of natural resources under their care,” said Brent Haglund, president, Sand County Foundation. “This family exemplifies what it means to be leaders in conservation.”

T. Wright Dickinson, President of the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association, said, “The Visintainer family coexists with nature in one of the most challenging environments in Colorado to produce food and fiber for families across the state and nation.  This miracle of agriculture and conservation doesn’t happen on its own; but requires tending of the herds, soil, and water through the lens of sustainability.”

The Leopold Conservation Award recognizes extraordinary achievement in voluntary conservation. It inspires landowners through these examples 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.”

Award applicants are judged based on their demonstration of improved resource conditions, innovation, long-term commitment to stewardship, sustained economic viability, community and civic leadership, and multiple use benefits.

The Leopold Conservation Award is possible thanks to generous contributions from Peabody Energy and The Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation.

Sand County Foundation, the Nebraska Cattlemen and Cargill are proud to announce The Beel Ranch as the recipient of the 2013 Leopold Conservation Award, which honors Nebraska landowner achievement in voluntary stewardship and management of natural resources.

Celebrating 75 years on their nearly 22,000-acre cattle operation near Johnstown, brothers Frank, Henry and Adam, along with their wives Jennifer, Mary and Jenny own and operate The Beel Ranch. The ranch was handed down by their father and grandfather who instilled in them the importance of treating the land with care. Today, they make it a priority to teach their own children the importance of maintaining and caring for our natural environment.

Ranch records indicate that in 1945, grandfather Henry O. Beel entered into the first of many conservation plans for the ranch. It developed a soil and water plan allowing for rotational grazing, weed mowing, seeding of wheat and more thoughtful well placement.

Almost seven decades later, conservation and range management continues to play a crucial role in his grandsons’ management of The Beel Ranch. Their continuous improvements have allowed the land to be better utilized through their efficient rotational grazing system. Habitat for upland bird species, raptors and large game has increased at the same time.

“People on their own land who make commitments across the generations, as the Beel family is doing, are making decisions that benefit the land, wildlife and all of us,” said Brent Haglund, President, Sand County Foundation.

The Leopold Conservation Award is presented in honor of renowned conservationist and author Aldo Leopold, who called for an ethical relationship between people and the land they own and manage. Award applicants are judged based on their demonstration of improved resource conditions, innovation, long-term commitment to stewardship, sustained economic viability, community and civic leadership, and multiple use benefits.

The $10,000 award, and a crystal depicting Aldo Leopold, will be presented to the Beels at the  Nebraska Cattlemen’s Annual Convention in December.

“This is a prestigious award given to a Nebraska livestock producer for their commitment to the care and preservation of the land,” said Dale Spencer, Nebraska Cattlemen President. “Nebraska Cattlemen are proud to support these conservation-minded individuals as it is our responsibility to protect and preserve the land for future generations.”

“On behalf of Cargill’s customers and employees, we are proud to recognize The Beel Ranch for conservation that increases the sustainability of animal agriculture in the U.S.,” stated Jarrod Gillig, vice president and general manager at Cargill’s Schuyler, Neb., beef processing plant.  “Through effective land management that includes livestock grazing and preservation of wildlife habitats, The Beel Ranch is a shining example of best practices for cattle and beef production.”

The Leopold Conservation Award in Nebraska is possible thanks to generous contributions from many organizations, including: Cargill, Farm Credit Services of America, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Nebraska Cattlemen Research & Education Foundation, Nebraska Department of Agriculture, Nebraska Environmental Trust, Nebraska Game & Parks Commission, Nebraska Land Trust, Rainwater Basin Joint Venture, Sandhills Task Force, The Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation, The Nature Conservancy, and World Wildlife Fund.

Sand County Foundation is pleased to partner with CCALT, the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association, Encana Oil & Gas (USA) Inc., and Peabody Energy to present the annual Leopold Conservation Award, which, to date, has honored 10 outstanding agricultural families across Colorado who enhance the land, water, and wildlife in their care as part of a successful farming or ranching operation.

Congratulations CCALT!

Read more …

Photo courtesy CCALT

The Buell family has been the steward of natural resources in Nebraska’s Sandhills for over 130 years.  The current ranch is located in southern Rock and northern Loup Counties.  Through innovative grazing techniques, acute attention to water and wildlife, and numerous outreach efforts, the Buells have improved the habitat quality on their ranch and inspired others to do the same.  Their commitment to conservation and agriculture on and off of their ranch has led to improved rangeland, enhanced water quality and quantity, and abundant wildlife populations including, most recently, whooping cranes. These efforts led to the Buells being named the recipients of the 2012 Leopold Conservation Award in Nebraska.

The worldwide whooping crane population hit an all-time low of 15 birds in 1941, due to habitat loss and unregulated hunting.  Today, there are three distinct populations: two migratory and one non-migratory, which have been rebuilding over time.  The largest, and only naturally migrating flock in the world of approximately 300 whooping cranes, breeds in the Woods Buffalo National Park in Canada, and winters in the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge in Texas.  This puts the Sandhills of Nebraska directly in their annual flight path, providing suitable stopover sites to refuel and rest on their long journey.

The Platte River Recovery Implementation Program, comprised of the US Geological Survey, the Platte River Recovery Program, the Canadian Wildlife Service, the Crane Trust, and the US Fish & Wildlife Service, works together to gather vital biological information about this unique flock.

Wildlife Biologists working for the Crane Trust and Platte River Recovery Implementation Program, and other members of the Whooping Crane Tracking Partnership, have been monitoring and documenting the cranes’ stopover site preferences in Nebraska.  Their preliminary findings indicate that whooping cranes tend to prefer natural wetland and riverine areas in good ecological health for overnight stopovers. Due to exemplary stewardship, The Buells’ Shovel Dot Ranch has plenty of these areas to attract the cranes.

“Without the essential cooperation from landowners like the Buells, this project would not be possible, and demonstrates that conservation isn’t just coincidence,” said Greg Wright, Wildlife Biologist, the Crane Trust.

The fact that these endangered birds stayed several days on the Shovel Dot Ranch emphasizes the value of the voluntary conservation work done by the Buells and other farming and ranching families in Nebraska’s Sandhills.

Photo: USDA

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.

Left to right: Ray, Kevin, and Karl Heaton Photo credit: Ron Francis, Utah NRCS

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 habitat at the ranch. Water quality and delivery improvements include the development or restoration of over 50 stock ponds, as well as converting flood irrigation systems to wheel move sprinklers and pivot irrigation on over 150 acres. The Heatons also developed a spring through the installation of a solar pump.

Grassland has improved since the Heatons adopted rotational grazing in the 1980s. They also cleared nearly 5,000 acres of trees and brush, seeding these areas with forbs and grasses that are beneficial to mule deer and the Heatons’ sage-grouse population, which is the southern most sage-grouse habitat in the United States. Karl and Raymond use a combination of prescribed burning and chemical treatments to maintain the health of these areas.

When faced with a mule deer depredation problem, the Heatons organized other landowners, with similar issues, into an association to tackle the problem. Since then, mule deer have become an asset to the ranch.

The Heatons have diversified their ranching operation by running an outfitting business and offering cattle drive vacations where tourists participate in the Heatons’ cattle drive, moving livestock from the summer to the winter range. This endeavor offsets the costs of the drive.

Not content to confine what they have learned to their ranch, Karl and Raymond have an impressive legacy of outreach and service inside and outside of the agricultural community.

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 a system that conserved soil moisture and improved organic matter. This led him to no-till farming in 1986, when he purchased his first piece of farm machinery, a no-till drill, and he’s never looked back.

Today, Jim and Valerie Hebbe farm 1,100 acres, producing field corn, soybeans, wheat, and alfalfa. In addition to no-till planting all of their crops, the Hebbes have implemented numerous conservation systems that complement each other and lead to less erosion and more residue cover on the land. A water and sediment basin was constructed to help reduce field runoff from a significant slope that drains into Snake Creek, the farm’s Class 1 trout stream. To further enhance the soil and water quality of the farm, the Hebbes planted native prairie grasses in a field that borders the creek. Through the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), the Hebbes planted 25 acres of evergreen trees in what was once light and sandy soil.

Jim is a true leader in conservation and agriculture. Aside from hosting field days at his farm, Jim has worked as the County Conservationist for Green Lake County for nearly 30 years and is currently the county’s Land Conservation Director. In 1985 he helped develop conservation standards for the Farmland Preservation Program participants to control soil erosion to sustainable levels. He also enacted an ordinance, requiring environmentally sound manure storage structures, which set a standard statewide.

Photo credit: Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation

Left to right: Ray, Kevin, and Karl Heaton Photo credit: Ron Francis, Utah NRCS

Sand County Foundation, the Utah Farm Bureau Federation, the Utah Cattlemen’s Association, and Western AgCredit are pleased to name the Heaton Ranch as the recipient of the 2012 Leopold Conservation Award.

“The Heatons understand how important healthy natural resources are to the success of their ranch,” said Brent Haglund, Sand County Foundation President. “They have made a family commitment to make management decisions that will help ensure that the ranch and its natural resources will, not only endure, but thrive for future generations.”

The Leopold Conservation Award, named in honor of world-renowned conservationist Aldo Leopold, is comprised of $10,000 and a Leopold crystal. The award is presented annually in eight states to private landowners who practice responsible land stewardship and management.

The Heatons received the award November 16, during the Utah Farm Bureau Federation’s Annual Convention in Layton.

“We are very excited to present this award on behalf of the farmers and ranchers of Utah,” Leland Hogan said. “This award, however, is great for all of Utah because the recognition and funding helps to preserve and enhance our open space. Utah’s farmers and ranchers have a long history of land preservation and a deep commitment to preserving Utah’s natural resources. As stewards of the land we want to ensure that history continues well into the future.”

The Heaton Ranch, located in Alton, Utah, is family owned and operated by Karl and Raymond Heaton – first cousins. The ranch’s 140,000+ private and federal acres supports abundant wildlife populations – including sage grouse and a premier trophy mule deer herd – and 1,250 head of cattle. Each fall, the ranchers trail cattle 100 miles to the south and graze on winter forage on the Arizona Strip – the area of land north of the Colorado River and Grand Canyon in Arizona.

“These cattle pay for all the conservation work we do. Conservation is a top priority for us, and we recognize that’s what’s kept us in business today,” said Karl Heaton. “They’d like to put summer homes out here, but we’re maintaining open spaces. We’re an agriculture ranch and that’s how we want to keep it.”

Beef production is the mainstay of the Heaton ranch, and sustainability is critical. The Heaton’s proactively implement restoration activities on their private ranch land and federal grazing allotments, including such projects as irrigation and livestock water development, fencing, grazing management, pinion/juniper and shrub removal, reseeding and more.

The family also operates an outfitting business and takes “Dudes” along with them on their cattle drives, to give those unfamiliar with agriculture a taste of what it takes to raise cattle as well as the care the animals receive.

The cattle drive was recently featured on an episode of the PBS show America’s Heartland:

Watch 611 on PBS. See more from America’s Heartland.

The Leopold Conservation Award in Utah is made possible through the generous support of Western AgCredit, Utah Farm Bureau Federation, the Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation, the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), Trout Unlimited, Utah Association of Conservation Districts (UACD) and Farm Credit.

For more information, please visit www.leopoldconservationaward.org.