Carolinas Leopold Conservation Award Seeks Applicants
February 10, 2026
Applications are now being accepted for the 2026 Carolinas Leopold Conservation Award®.
The $10,000 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 private landowners in 28 states.
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 applications may be submitted on behalf of a landowner, or landowners may nominate themselves. The application form can be found at www.sandcountyfoundation.org/ApplyLCA.
The application deadline date is June 1, 2026. Applications must be emailed to CarolinasLCA@sandcountyfoundation.org.
Applications are reviewed by an independent panel of agricultural and conservation leaders from North Carolina and South Carolina. The 2025 award recipient was Grayhouse Farms of Stony Point, North Carolina.
“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 Carolinas Leopold Conservation Award is made possible thanks to the generous support of American Farmland Trust, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service in North Carolina and South Carolina, Sand County Foundation, and Soil Regen.
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SAND COUNTY FOUNDATION inspires and empowers farmers, ranchers, and forestland owners to ethically care for the land to sustain water resources, build healthy soil, and enhance wildlife habitat. www.sandcountyfoundation.org