Diamond Bar Ranch Receives Nebraska Leopold Conservation Award

Diamond Bar Ranch is the recipient of the 2025 Nebraska Leopold Conservation Award^®.

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

Robert and Susanne Jones raise beef cattle and own the 22,000-acre Diamond Bar Ranch in Logan County. The Joneses will be presented with $10,000 and a crystal award later this year.

Sand County Foundation and national sponsor American Farmland Trust present Leopold Conservation Awards to private landowners in 28 states. In Nebraska, the award is presented with Nebraska Cattlemen, Cargill, and the Nebraska Environmental Trust.

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

“Nebraska’s farmers and ranchers help feed the world and save the planet. They are the finest examples of what it means to be responsible and sustainable stewards of our land,” said Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen. “They know the importance of best practices, water conservation, all the things that allow them to maximize their yields and at the same time, enhance and improve the environment. We congratulate Diamond Bar Ranch for being outstanding in this regard and receiving the Leopold Conservation Award.”

Nebraska landowners were encouraged to apply, or be nominated, for the award last year. Nominations were reviewed by an independent panel of Nebraska agriculture and conservation leaders.

ABOUT DIAMOND BAR RANCH

The Nebraska Sandhills is one of the last intact grassland ecosystems in North America, and the largest sand dune formation in the Western Hemisphere.

Formed by glacial meltwater carrying sand and silt from the Rocky Mountains, the Sandhills are defined by rolling grass-covered dunes, fragile soil, and a delicate hydrological system. Prairie grasses stabilize nearly 20,000 square miles of sand dunes in western Nebraska. This rangeland was never tilled on a large scale but makes ideal grazing for livestock when managed responsibly.

Deeply rooted in this region is Robert and Susanne Jones’ Diamond Bar Ranch. For generations the Jones family has understood their success is tied to the health of the Sandhills, and they’ve worked to protect this unique environment. As they ranch with their grown children: Natalie, Shaylee, Grant, and Lance, their conservation ethic is centered around responsible grazing, water stewardship, soil preservation, and wildlife habitat management.

Diamond Bar Ranch’s rotational grazing system follows time-tested Sandhills principles, designed to mimic the natural movement of bison herds that once roamed the region. By resting one-third of the ranch each year from grazing, native grasses like Little Bluestem and Prairie Sandreed are regenerated. While working cattle, horses are utilized rather than motorized vehicles to minimize soil disturbance in the sandy terrain.

The Jones family’s adaptive grazing strategy takes into account rainfall variability, forage availability, and soil conditions. Cross-fencing allows for improved grazing distribution, while GPS tracking and aerial monitoring technology assists in pasture management.

Since 2000, the Jones family has planted more than 31,000 trees and shrubs to reduce wind erosion and improve wildlife habitat. Strategically planted windbreaks offer protection for livestock during windy winters. With assistance from the Natural Resources Conservation Service and Sandhills Task Force, the Jones family has mechanically removed invasive eastern red cedar trees across their Logan County ranch.

With access to the Ogallala Aquifer, natural springs, ponds, and the South Loup River, Diamond Bar Ranch employs 56 windmills and solar wells to provide drought-prone water sources for crop irrigation and drinking water for livestock and wildlife. Wet meadows are an ecologically significant part of the ranch. These lush, moisture-rich grasslands remain productive even in dry years, providing a valuable forage source. Wet meadows are also essential habitats for migratory birds, amphibians, and native fish species.

To reduce dependence on external feed sources, the ranch produces its own high-quality forage, including irrigated corn, alfalfa, and wet meadow hay, to produce nutrient-dense beef from its Red and Black Angus cattle.

Diamond Bar Ranch’s pastures support populations of prairie chickens, sharp-tailed grouse, mule deer, white-tailed deer, and antelope, all of which depend on the same healthy grasslands that sustain livestock. The Jones family follows wildlife-friendly haying practices, allowing ground-nesting birds to flush and escape during harvest.

The Jones family shares their conservation knowledge with other ranchers, policymakers, and the public. Their ranch hosted the National Grazing Lands Coalition Tour in 2022 to provide a hands-on opportunity for ranchers and conservationists to learn about sustainable grazing practices. They are longtime supporters of the Nebraska Youth Ranch Camp, where high school students learn about range management and leadership.

As pressure mounts in agriculture to balance production with sustainability, the Diamond Bar Ranch shows how these two priorities can coexist. The Jones family’s conservation-minded land management has produced economic success and ecological resilience.

ACCOLADES

“Diamond Bar Ranch is where over a century of successful environmental stewardship practices meets modern innovation. With five generations of Sandhills cattle producers who work with the land instead of against it to uphold a strong conservation ethic, the Jones family is the perfect example of responsible ranching,” said Laura Field, Nebraska Cattlemen Executive Vice President.

“As a long-time sponsor of this award, we’re proud to partner with an organization so focused on the protection and improvement of agricultural land. This conservation work is aligned with Cargill’s greater purpose of nourishing the world in a safe, responsible and sustainable way,” said Katrina Robertson, general manager of Cargill Food in Schuyler, Nebraska.

“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 2024 Nebraska Leopold Conservation Award recipient was Worth Ranch of Springview. To view profiles of all award recipient since 2006, visit www.sandcountyfoundation.org/Nebraska.

The Leopold Conservation Award Program in Nebraska is made possible thanks to the generous support of American Farmland Trust, Cargill, Nebraska Environmental Trust, Nebraska Cattlemen, Sand County Foundation, Farm Credit Services of America, USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service, Audubon Great Plains, Green Cover Seed, Lyle Sittler Memorial Fund, Nebraska Department of Agriculture, Nebraska Partners for Fish and Wildlife, Rainwater Basin Joint Venture, Sandhills Task Force, and World Wildlife Fund-Northern Great Plains.

For more information on the award, visit www.leopoldconservationaward.org.

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