Iowa Leopold Conservation Award Seeks Nominees
February 13, 2025
Nominations are now being accepted for the 2025 Iowa Leopold Conservation Award®.
The award honors farmers, and forestland owners who go above and beyond in their management of soil health, water quality, and wildlife habitat on working land.
Sand County Foundation and national sponsor American Farmland Trust present the Leopold Conservation Award to private landowners in 28 states. In Iowa, the $10,000 award is presented with Conservation Districts of Iowa and Practical Farmers of Iowa.
Given in honor of renowned conservationist Aldo Leopold, the award recognizes landowners who inspire others to consider conservation opportunities on their land. 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.
Award nominations may be submitted on behalf of a landowner, or landowners may apply themselves. The nomination form can be found at www.sandcountyfoundation.org/ApplyLCA.
The nomination deadline is July 1, 2025. Nominations must be emailed to IowaLCA@sandcountyfoundation.org.
Nominations are reviewed by an independent panel of Iowa agricultural and conservation leaders. Last year’s award recipient was Wendy Mariko Johnson of Charles City. To view profiles of all past recipients, click here.
“It’s critical we continue to recognize and life up the Iowa farmers and ranchers who are prioritizing conservation on their working lands,” said Sally Worley, Practical Farmers of Iowa Executive Director. “PFI is proud to support the Iowa Leopold Conservation Award and its commitment to conservation in agriculture.”
“A native Iowan, Aldo Leopold has inspired generations of other Iowans to preserve and care for our precious natural resources through conservation. The work that he did throughout his life has been used as a guide by so many conservationists in Iowa, and now that work carries on into the future,” said Dien Judge, Conservation Districts of Iowa Executive Director.
“Leopold Conservation 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 Iowa Leopold Conservation Award is made possible through the generous support of American Farmland Trust, Conservation Districts of Iowa, Practical Farmers of Iowa, Sand County Foundation, Soil Regen, Farm Credit Services of America, Nancy and Marc DeLong, Iowa Agriculture Water Alliance, Iowa Corn, Iowa Farmers Union, Leopold Landscape Alliance, Loran and Brenda Steinlage of FLOLO Farms, and the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service.
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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