Sand County Foundation, the South Dakota Cattlemen’s Association and the South Dakota Grassland Coalition announce the finalists for the 2015 Leopold Conservation Award®, which honors South Dakota landowner achievement in voluntary stewardship and management of natural resources.
Among the finalists is Jorgensen Land and Cattle Partnership of Ideal. This is a fourth generation farm, including diversified crops, livestock and hunting. It is owned by Bryan and Brenda Jorgensen, Cody and Abby Jorgensen, Greg and Deb Jorgensen, Martin and Mary Jorgensen and Nicholas Jorgensen. Their farm has been no-till since 1991 and contains 10,000 acres of non-irrigated crops, 850 registered Angus females and a 22 room hunting lodge.
Given in honor of renowned conservationist Aldo Leopold, the Leopold Conservation Award recognizes extraordinary achievement in voluntary conservation. It inspires other landowners through these examples and provides a visible forum where farmers, ranchers and other private landowners are recognized as conservation leaders. In his influential 1949 book, “A Sand County Almanac,” Leopold called for an ethical relationship between people and the land they own and manage, which he called “an evolutionary possibility and an ecological necessity.”
Award applicants are judged based on their demonstration of improved resource conditions, innovation, long-term commitment to stewardship, sustained economic viability, community and civic leadership, outreach and multiple use benefits.
“Our South Dakota finalists work to enhance the landscape through their commitment to stewardship of natural resources and to sharing what they’ve learned with the broader community,” said Brent Haglund, Sand County Foundation President.
The 2015 award recipient, who will receive $10,000 and a crystal depicting Aldo Leopold, will be announced later this month and recognized at the South Dakota Cattlemen’s Association’s Annual Convention in December.
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