On Earth Day, Bullock announces new award for conservation leadership

MONTANA — Gov. Steve Bullock announced Monday, Earth Day, that Montana is seeking nominations for the Montana Leopold Conservation Award, a new award that recognizes the voluntary conservation work by farmers, ranchers and other landowners.

“Too often we take for granted the remarkable contributions our state’s farmers, ranchers and forest landowners make to help sustain the landscapes and values we care deeply about as Montanans,” Bullock said. “I am delighted to partner with the Sand County Foundation to bring the Leopold Award to Montana to recognize a few of our exceptional working lands leaders and I look forward to their stories inspiring neighbors and generations to come with an ethic of thoughtful management and environmental stewardship.”

Presented by the Sand County Foundation of Madison, Wisconsin, the award is given in honor of renowned conservationist and author Aldo Leopold, whose 1949 book, “A Sand County Almanac,” became a touchstone for conservationists as it explored the ethical relationship between people and the land they own or manage.  

In Montana, the Governor’s Office, Department of Agriculture, and Department of Natural Resources and Conservation’s Rangeland Resources Committee will join the Sand County Foundation in presenting the $10,000 award to the first recipient from Montana later this year.

Applications for the first Montana Leopold Conservation Award are now being accepted. The application may be submitted on behalf of a landowner, or landowners may apply themselves. The application can be found at: https://sandcountyfoundation.org/uploads/Montana-2019-CFN-Web.pdf/.

Applications must be postmarked by July 1 and mailed to:

Leopold Conservation Award

c/o Stacey Barta, Montana DNRC

1539 11th Avenue

P.O. Box 201601

Helena, MT 59620

“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 pPresident and chief executive officer. “The award inspires other landowners by example and provides a platform for agricultural leaders to be recognized as conservation ambassadors by the general public.”

The Montana Leopold Conservation Award is made possible through the support of Bullock’s office, Montana Department of Agriculture, Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation’s Rangeland Resources Committee, World Wildlife Fund, Bayer Crop Science, Montana Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative, Montana Weed Control Association, Ranchers Stewardship Alliance, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Society for Range Management – Northern Great Plains Section, Western Landowners Alliance and The Wildlife Society of Montana.