Sunday, June 23
1:00 PM - 4:30 PM Optional afternoon tour to Aldo Leopold’s Shack.
TOUR IS FULL - PLEASE CONTACT US TO BE PLACED ON A WAITING LIST
Join us for a private tour of Aldo Leopold's famous Shack property guided by University of Wisconsin Professor Emeritus Stan Temple, and Aldo Leopold Foundation Executive Director Buddy Huffaker. You'll be transported by coach bus from the Edgewater Hotel, and will return ahead of our opening symposium reception. We have limited space available. Please register as soon as possible to reserve your spot.
5:00 PM - 5:15 PM Meet and Greet for Mentees
Mentees who participate in Sand County Foundation's Land Ethic Mentorship will meet for a special welcome in the Edgewater Plaza
5:15 PM - 7:00 PM Welcome reception on the shores of Lake Mendota.
Nothing beats a late June evening at the lake. Enjoy drinks, heavy appetizers and opening remarks outdoors on the Edgewater Hotel terrace.
Monday, June 24
7:00 - 7:45 AM Breakfast
Full day symposium featuring speakers, discussions, and peer-to-peer learning
8:00 AM Welcome
- Kevin McAleese - Sand County Foundation President & CEO
- Homer Buell - Sand County Foundation Chairman of the Board, and Nebraska Leopold Conservation Award Recipient
- The Lay of the Land and Water Quality Challenges - Professor Emily Stanley - University of Wisconsin Center for Limnology
- Jeff Endres - Chairman, Yahara Pride Farms - Endres Berryridge Farms
- Lance Irving - Sand County Foundation VP Leopold Conservation Award
9:00 AM Conservation Success Stories from the Field
- Pete and Meagan Lannon - Montana Leopold Conservation Award recipients
- Loran Steinlage - Iowa Leopold Conservation Award recipient
10:20 AM Break
10:35 AM Industry Panel Discussion: Ecosystem Services Opportunities for Your Farm or Ranch
- Dr. Kate Ivancic - General Mills
- Tyler Williams - ForGround by Bayer
- Jeff Carver - BASF
- Dr. Heidi Peterson - Sand County Foundation - Moderator
12:00 - 1:00 PM Lunch
1:10 PM Conservation Success Stories from the Field
- Tuda Libby Crews - New Mexico Leopold Conservation Award recipient - and the next generations: daughter Libby Crews Wood, and granddaughter Bella Wood
- Kevin Warring - Maryland Leopold Conservation Award recipient
2:40 PM Panel Discussion: Mentoring Beginning and Historically Underserved Farmers
- Jon Bednarski - Kentucky Leopold Conservation Award recipient
- Soonnyoung Min - Kentucky Land Ethic Mentee
- Ron Brooks - Wisconsin Leopold Conservation Award recipient
- Jean Lam - Oklahoma Land Ethic Mentee
- Nikki D'Adamo Damery - Sand County Foundation - Moderator
3:15 PM Break
3:30 - 4:30 PM Power Hour Table Sessions - Choose from the following:
- Succession Planning with Paul Dietmann - Compeer Financial
- Conservation topics with Leopold Conservation Award featured speakers
- NRCS Programs with Karen Woodrich - NRCS
- Conservation Easements with John Larson - American Farmland Trust
5:30 PM - 8:30 PM Reception and Dinner
Gather lakeside for a cocktail reception before heading inside for dinner and conversation.
- Keynote Speaker - USDA-NRCS Chief Terry Cosby
Tuesday, June 25
7:00 - 7:45 AM Breakfast
8:00 AM - 9:30 AM Morning Session - Communication and Outreach
How do you tell your conservation story for maximum impact? Hear from a panel of seasoned Leopold Conservation Award-winning landowners and an experienced Land Ethic Mentorship Mentee about their community engagement, media relations, social media content creation and more.
- Seth Watkins - Iowa Leopold Conservation Award recipient
- Addie Yoder - Missouri Leopold Conservation Award recipient
- Alice Crothers - Maryland Leopold Conservation Award recipient
- Lorenzo Dominguez - New Mexico Land Ethic Mentee
- Casey Langan - Sand County Foundation - Moderator
10:00 AM - 2:30 PM Farm and Field Tour
Get a front row look at Wisconsin's innovative dairy industry and farmer-led water conservation successes with a visit to Endres Berryridge Farms. This tour includes an on-farm discussion, lunch, and a visit to Indian Lake County Park - gateway to the ecologically important Driftless Area which was untouched by glaciers during the last ice age.
- Jeff Endres - Chairman, Yahara Pride Farms - Owner, Endres Berryridge Farms
- John Koepke - Koepke Farms - Wisconsin Leopold Conservation Award recipient
- Nancy Kavazanjian - Hammer Kavazanjian Farms
- Roger Bindl - Bindl Farms
- Craig Ficenec - Sand County Foundation Senior Director Agricultural Conservation
- Greg Olson - Sand County Foundation Field Projects Director
- Kim Meyer - Dane County Land & Water Agronomist
- Eric Krueger - Dane County Conservation Specialist
- Chris Schellpfeffer - Sand County Foundation VP External Relations
2:30 - 3:00 Return to Edgewater Hotel
