Maryland Leopold Conservation Award Seeks Nominees
February 21, 2025
Nominations are now being accepted for the 2025 Maryland 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 Leopold Conservation Awards to landowners in 28 states. In Maryland the $10,000 award is presented with Keith Campbell Foundation for the Environment, Maryland Association of Soil Conservation Districts, and Maryland Farm Bureau Inc.
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 nominate themselves. The nomination form can be found at www.sandcountyfoundation.org/ApplyLCA.
The nomination deadline date is July 15, 2025. Nominations must be emailed to MarylandLCA@sandcountyfoundation.org.
Nominations are reviewed by an independent panel of agricultural and conservation leaders from Maryland. Last year’s recipients were Hutchison Brothers of Cordova. To view profiles of all past recipients, click here.
The recipient will be announced at the Maryland Farm Bureau Federation’s Annual Convention & Meeting of Delegates in December.
“The Leopold Conservation Award recognizes farmers who provide outstanding stewardship and inspire other farmers to implement conservation. Their example helps tell the story of how agriculture can improve the environment to those who may not have ever spent time on a farm,” said Samantha Campbell, President of the Keith Campbell Foundation for the Environment.
“Recognizing exceptional farm stewardship is so important in our region, where the agricultural community carries so much of the responsibility for meeting water quality goals. The Maryland Association of Soil Conservation District is excited to work with the Maryland Farm Bureau and Sand County Foundation again this year,” said John Swaine III, MASCD President.
“Maryland farmers are national leaders in conservation, and we are honored to partner in providing this platform to award farmers for the environmental stewardship that inspires others to adopt practices that enhance our working lands,” said Jamie Raley, Maryland Farm Bureau President.
“Farmers and landowners across Maryland continue to lead the way in conservation and sustainability. From enhancing soil health to protecting water quality and wildlife habitats, their dedication to responsible stewardship benefits both agriculture and the environment,” said Tom Truitt, Horizon Farm Credit CEO. “The Leopold Conservation Award recognizes these efforts, and Farm Credit is proud to support those who are shaping a more sustainable future for the communities we serve.”
“Maryland continues to be leaders in conservation, and nothing exemplifies that more than the Maryland farmers honored with the Leopold Conservation Award,” said Kevin Atticks, Maryland Department of Agriculture Secretary. “From innovative ways of preserving soil health to the use of cutting-edge technology, our agricultural community is doing the work. I look forward to seeing who will be honored later this year.”
“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 Maryland Leopold Conservation Award is made possible through the generous support of American Farmland Trust, Keith Campbell Foundation for the Environment, Maryland Farm Bureau Inc., Maryland Association of Soil Conservation Districts, Sand County Foundation, Maryland Department of Agriculture, Horizon Farm Credit, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay, Chesapeake Conservancy, Delmarva Chicken Association, ShoreRivers, and The Nature Conservancy.
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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