Kentucky Leopold Conservation Award Finalists Selected

Three finalists have been selected for the 2026 Kentucky 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.

Named in honor of renowned conservationist Aldo Leopold, this award recognizes landowners 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. 

Sand County Foundation and national sponsor American Farmland Trust present the Leopold Conservation Award to private landowners in 28 states. In Kentucky, the $10,000 award is presented with Kentucky Agricultural Council and the Kentucky Association of Conservation Districts.

The finalists are:

• James Benton of California in Campbell County: James Benton’s Twelve Mile Farm showcases how conservation and working land use coexist in harmony. A conservation easement protects critical habitat and ensures ecological integrity along a 63-acre stream corridor near the Ohio River. Through innovative habitat management, prescribed fire ecology, water quality protection, historic preservation, and community leadership, James has woven together conservation practices that benefit his farm and beyond.
• Dr. James “Greg” Kuhns of Bullitt County: Dr. Kuhn’s Crooked Creek Farm has prioritized agronomy, timber, land, and water management practices. Milkweed patches have been preserved and expanded to serve as breeding sites for endangered Monarch butterflies. Riparian buffers have been established to reduce erosion and protect water quality. Forest pools were built for wildlife. Fescue fields were converted to native grasses to provide wildlife habitat and support haying for his herd of beef cattle.
• Shane and Felicia Wells of Rochester in Butler County: At Mockingbird Hill Farms, the Wells family prevents soil loss while growing corn and soybeans with no-till, vertical tillage, and cover crops. Following soil tests, fertilizer and lime are efficiently applied with variable rate technology. Their beef cattle are rotationally grazed. Forested areas are professionally managed, and food plots are planted for deer, turkey, and small game. Pollinator plots were seeded on 16 acres, and two wetlands are flooded annually for waterfowl.  

Kentucky landowners were encouraged to apply, or be nominated, for the award. An independent panel of Kentucky agricultural and conservation leaders evaluated the applications.

The award recipient will be recognized at the Kentucky Association of Conservation Districts’ Annual Convention in July. Last year’s award recipients were John and Randy Seymour of Upton in Hart County.

“The Kentucky Agricultural Council is excited to recognize private landowners across the state who practice exceptional environmental stewardship,” said Tod Griffin, Kentucky Agricultural Council Chair. “Farmers are innovators in conservation and protecting our natural resources to ensure food and fiber production for future generations of Kentuckians.”

“KACD and conservation districts promote the sound management of all our natural resources, and we are excited to recognize these well deserving landowners in Kentucky,” said Ted Jessup, Kentucky Association of Conservation Districts President. “The Association and conservation districts work daily to assist private landowners in their efforts to adopt sound soil and water conservation practices on their land that benefit us all.”

“These award finalists 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 finalists,” 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.”

Sand County Foundation’s Leopold Conservation Award in Kentucky is made possible thanks to the generous support and partnership of American Farmland Trust, Kentucky Agricultural Council, Kentucky Association of Conservation Districts, Kentucky Farm Bureau Federation, U.S Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service of Kentucky, AgriBusiness Association of Kentucky, Farm Credit Mid-America, Kentucky Cattlemen’s Association, Kentucky Corn Growers Association, Kentucky Department of Agriculture, Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources, Kentucky Pork Producers, Kentucky Soybean Promotion Board, Kentucky Tree Farm Committee, and Kentucky Woodland Owner’s Association.

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

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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