Flying M Ranch Receives Utah Leopold Conservation Award

Flying M Ranch of Hansel Valley has been selected as the recipient of the 2024 Utah Leopold Conservation Award^®.

The award honors ranchers, farmers, and forestland owners who go above and beyond in their management of soil health, water quality and wildlife habitat on working land.

Flying M Ranch’s owners, Tim and Laurie Munns, were presented with the award at the Utah Farm Bureau’s Annual Meeting. The Munnses receive $10,000 for being selected.

Sand County Foundation and national sponsor American Farmland Trust will present Leopold Conservation Awards to landowners in 28 states this year. In Utah the award is presented with Utah Farm Bureau Federation, Western AgCredit, and Utah Cattlemen’s Association.

Given in honor of renowned conservationist Aldo Leopold, the award recognizes farmers and forestland owners who inspire others with their dedication to environmental improvement. In his influential 1949 book, A Sand County Almanac, Leopold called for “a land ethic,” an ethical relationship between people and the land they own and manage.

Utah landowners were encouraged to apply, or be nominated, for the award earlier this year. Applications were reviewed by an independent panel of Utah’s agricultural and conservation leaders.

ABOUT FLYING M RANCH

While ranching and wildlife can be perceived as competing threats, that’s not the case at Tim and Laurie Munns’ Flying M Ranch.

For decades, the Munnses have understood that a healthy landscape is key to sustainable wildlife populations and a successful cattle ranch. They achieve this by employing conservation practices that benefit livestock, wildlife, crops, rangeland, and water resources in northern Utah’s Hansel Valley.

The land ethic they share with their sons, Sonny and Bud, is grounded in science, technology, and wise management. The Munns family stays up to date on sustainability issues and techniques, and utilize the resources available to them through partnerships with conservation agencies and consultants.

Over the years, the Munnses converted many acres of dry cropland to perennial vegetation to prevent erosion and build soil health while enhancing biodiversity. Other parts of Flying M Ranch that were once grazed by sheep had become dominated by broom snakeweed and rabbit brush.

Tim and Laurie worked with the Natural Resources Conservation Service to remove invasive brush species and reseed the range to provide improved livestock forage and wildlife habitat. Populations of Sharp-tailed Grouse, Mourning Dove, Chukar, and Gray Partridge have since flourished.

The Munnses have enrolled 3,000 acres of their ranch in Utah’s Walk-in Access program, allowing public access for upland game hunting. Likewise, biologists are welcomed to track migration patterns, survival rates, and health of mule deer, elk, and pronghorn.

Flying M Ranch had just one water trough when Tim and Laurie bought it in the 1970s. They’ve since installed 30 miles of water pipeline and 40 water troughs to distribute water to cattle and wildlife across thousands of acres. Cattle are grazed in Promontory in the winter, and spend their summers in nearby Caribou County, Idaho. The land use and grazing management plan they created with the NRCS allowed them to increase their herd size while improving pasture conditions.

Advancements in crop irrigation technology allows the Munns family to conserve water and electricity. Precision nozzle tips reduce the amount of water lost to evaporation. Alfalfa fields are irrigated only at night during the off-peak power rate times, which reduces the demands on the electrical grid and lowers energy costs to the ranch.

Erosion control structures such as terraces, diversions, and debris basins have been installed at Flying M Ranch to manage water movement and prevent destructive erosion from rainstorms.

Tim and Laurie were early innovators in demonstrating the grazing benefits of forage kochia which was first introduced to the United States in 1960 as an ornamental plant. The Munnses found the semi-evergreen half shrub to be highly nutritious late season grazing plant for cattle while providing cover for wildlife and upland game birds.

Well-suited for dry rangeland conditions, forage kochia competes well against aggressive annual weeds like cheatgrass. The plant is a valuable fire deterrent when used in green strips in high-risk fire areas. Tim and Laurie developed a successful business of planting, harvesting, processing, and selling certified forage kochia seed. Most seed sales are to government agencies planting it to prevent the spread of wildfires.

Off the ranch, the Munnses have served in a variety of leadership positions that advance conservation practices. Laurie has served as president of the Utah Cattlewomen’s Association and Tim is a long-time board member of the National Grazing Lands Coalition.

ACCOLADES

“Taking care of the water and other precious natural resources is top of mind in today’s era of farming and ranching,” said ValJay Rigby, President of the Utah Farm Bureau Federation. “We applaud the Munns family for their decades of dedication to these ideals on their ranch. While we can only single out one family for this prestigious award, it’s important to extend our heartfelt appreciation to all the applicants, as well as the broader community of farmers and ranchers in our state, who share a duty towards the welfare of our land and water.”

“We’d like to congratulate the Munns family on receiving the prestigious Leopold Conservation Award. Their unwavering commitment to conservation and responsible land stewardship showcases the profound impact that passionate individuals can have on the environment,” said David Brown, President of Western AgCredit. “This award is a testament to their leadership and vision in preserving our natural heritage for future generations.”

“Utah agriculture organizations are proud of the efforts our farmers and ranchers are making to conserve and sustain natural resources and their ranching and farming livelihoods,” said Brent Tanner, Utah Cattlemen’s Association Executive Vice President. “Tim and Laurie Munns and their family are prime examples of ranch families willing to put in the time, effort and resources to make the lands on their ranch better every day.”

“These award recipients are examples of how Aldo Leopold’s land ethic is alive and well today,” said Kevin McAleese, Sand County Foundation President and CEO. “Their dedication to conservation is both an inspiration to their peers as well as a reminder to all how important thoughtful agriculture is to clean water, healthy soil, and wildlife habitat.”

“As the national sponsor for Sand County Foundation’s Leopold Conservation Award, American Farmland Trust celebrates the hard work and dedication of the award recipients,” said John Piotti, AFT President and CEO. “At AFT we believe that exemplary conservation involves the land itself, the practices employed on the land, and the people who steward it. This award recognizes the integral role of all three.”

The Utah Leopold Conservation Award is made possible thanks to the generous contributions from American Farmland Trust, Western AgCredit, Utah Farm Bureau Federation, Utah Cattlemen’s Association, Sand County Foundation, Utah Department of Natural Resources, CKP Insurance, JY Ferry & Son Inc., Producers Livestock Marketing Association, The Nature Conservancy, Utah Association of Conservation Districts, Utah Department of Agriculture and Food. To view past recipients of the Utah Leopold Conservation Award, visit www.sandcountyfoundation.org/Utah.

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SAND COUNTY FOUNDATION inspires and empowers private landowners to ethically manage natural resources so future generations have clean and abundant water, healthy soil to support agriculture and forestry, plentiful habitat for wildlife and opportunities for outdoor recreation. www.sandcountyfoundation.org