Pictured is Cannon Michael of Bowles Farming Company, the recipient of the 2024 California Leopold Conservation Award
Each year, the California Leopold Conservation Award honors farmers, ranchers, and forestland owners who go above and beyond to improve soil health, protect water quality, enhance wildlife, or bolster long-term climate resilience on working lands. If you or someone you know is making a lasting impact through responsible land stewardship, applications are now open!
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.
Healthy working land benefits the water that flows through it, the food that grows out of it, and the people that depend on it. California’s farmers, ranchers, and foresters are at the heart of our efforts to build climate resilience while nourishing communities across the nation. The Leopold Conservation Award recognizes the stewardship of these land managers who are helping pursue a future where thriving ecosystems and sustainable agriculture go hand in hand. Ashley Boren, Sustainable Conservation CEO
Apply Now!
You can submit your own nomination, or you can nominate someone you know in your community who’s modeling the kind of resource stewardship we all aspire to! Click here for Sand County Foundation’s application form.
Reading your conservation stories is one of the true highlights of our year, and we can’t wait to learn about more amazing land and resource stewards across California. The application deadline date is July 18, 2025. Email applications to award@sandcountyfoundation.org. Please contact us if you’d like to mail in your application: eepstein@suscon.org
For more information on the award, visit www.leopoldconservationaward.org. If you have any questions about the process, including specific application questions, please feel free to reach out: eepstein@suscon.org
