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 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 called 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 Illinois the award is presented with
IL Corn and Illinois Soybean Association.
The finalists are:
Lieb Farms of Monticello in Piatt County: Brothers Josh and Jake
Lieb credit their late father Terry with being a firm believer
in soil conservation. He planted trees and enrolled land in the
Conservation Reserve Program. Today, his sons are engaged in a
local effort to prevent pollution of Lake Decatur, which
supplies drinking water to area residents. The Liebs grow cover
crops and use no-till practices on their crop fields to prevent
erosion. The streams they farm next to are well buffered with
native species. Ponds and terraces were constructed to trap
sediment and nutrients. Windbreaks and forests are managed to
control invasive species and promote biodiversity and wildlife
habitat.
Lyons Farm of Harvel in Montgomery County: Since adopting
strip and no-till on his corn and soybean fields in the 1970s,
Richard Lyons has sought other conservation practices that
prioritize economic and environmental stewardship. Growing cover
crops prevents wind and water erosion and improves soil organic
matter, which helps address issues ranging from Gulf of Mexico
hypoxia to carbon sequestration for climate change mitigation.
Lyons has planted a two-acre of pollinator plot, and 13 acres of
filter strips to improve wildlife habitat and improve water
quality. He uses variable rate technology on farm fields to
apply phosphorus and potassium based on soil tests taken every
three years.
Martin Family Farms of Mt. Pulaski in Logan County: Jeff
Martin and his sons, Doug and Derek, regularly hosts groups
at their farm to show impacts of their conservation practices.
Jeff was an early adopter of no-till practices before growing
implementing diverse crop rotations, growing cover crop mixes,
and using microbe amendments to improve soil health. The Martins
have enrolled hundreds of acres into a permanent tree program
and have planted diverse stands of native grasses and
wildflowers to benefit pollinators and wildlife. Twice annually
they apply the beneficial bacteria and fungi found in a compost
tea to their crop fields. Filter strips were installed to
prevent erosion.
Illinois farmland and forestland owners were encouraged to
apply, or be nominated, for the award. An independent panel of
Illinois agricultural and conservation leaders reviewed the
applications.
The award recipient will be revealed this summer at the Illinois
State Fair. The recipient receives $10,000, and their
conservation success story will be featured in a video and in
other outreach.
Earlier this year, owners of Illinois farmland and forests were
encouraged to apply (or be nominated) for the award.
Applications were reviewed by an independent panel of
agricultural and conservation leaders.
Last year the inaugural recipient of the Illinois Leopold
Conservation Award was Frey Family Farms of Dahlgren in Hamilton
County.
The Illinois Leopold Conservation Award is made possible through
the generous support of American Farmland Trust, IL Corn,
Illinois Soybean Association, Sand County Foundation, Coleman
Family Fund, Farm Credit Illinois, Association of Illinois Soil
& Water Conservation Districts, Compeer Financial, Illinois
Department of Agriculture, Illinois Sustainable Ag Partnership,
McDonald’s, and the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service
of Illinois.
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“IL Corn is proud to be part of this important farmer recognition
opportunity. We already know that many of our farmer members are
implementing some conservation practices, but these applications
represent the cream of the crop,” said Jon Rosenstiel, IL Corn
Chairman. “These families have a passion for conservation, a
willingness to share with and teach others, and a desire to leave
their family farm better for the next generation..”
“Conservation and sustainable farming practices are
at the forefront of our industry’s future, and we’re excited to
recognize those who are leading the charge,” said Ron Kindred,
Illinois Soybean Association (ISA) Chairman. “This year’s finalists
are exemplary stewards of the land. Their dedication to soil health,
water quality, and wildlife habitat sets a powerful example for
others, and ISA looks forward to recognizing their achievements and
sharing their stories.”
“Leopold Conservation Award recipients are examples
of how Aldo Leopold’s land ethic is alive and well today. Their
dedication to conservation shows how individuals can improve the
health of the land while producing food and fiber,” said Kevin
McAleese, Sand County Foundation President and CEO.
“As the national sponsor for Sand County Foundation’s Leopold
Conservation Award, American Farmland Trust celebrates the hard work
and dedication of farmers, ranchers and forestland owners,” said
John Piotti, AFT President and CEO. “At AFT we believe that
conservation in agriculture requires a focus on the land, the
practices and the people and this award recognizes the integral role
of all three.”
For more information on the award, visit
www.leopoldconservationaward.org.
LEOPOLD CONSERVATION AWARD recognizes landowner achievement
in voluntary conservation. Sand County Foundation presents the award
in California, Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland,
Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York,
North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South
Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Wisconsin, and in New England
(Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and
Vermont). www.leopoldconservationaward.org
AMERICAN FARMLAND TRUST is the only national organization
that takes a holistic approach to agriculture, focusing on the land
itself, the agricultural practices used on that land, and the
farmers and ranchers who do the work. AFT launched the conservation
agriculture movement and continues to raise public awareness through
its No Farms, No Food message. Since its founding in 1980, AFT has
helped permanently protect over 6.8 million acres of agricultural
lands, advanced environmentally sound farming practices on millions
of additional acres, and supported thousands of farm families.
www.farmland.org
IL CORN is made up of two farmer-led
organizations that serve corn farmers in Illinois: IL Corn Growers
Association (ICGA) and IL Corn Marketing Board (ICMB). ICGA
represents the interests of Illinois corn farmers in Washington, DC
and Springfield, IL, while ICMB is focused on growing demand,
creating new markets, and fostering understanding of corn farmers
and the corn industry. Through these two organizations, IL Corn
seeks to position corn farmers to create and capture profit
opportunities, preserve their independence, and prosper for
generations. www.ilcorn.org
ILLINOIS SOYBEAN ASSOCIATION (ISA) checkoff and membership
programs represent more than 43,000 soybean farmers in Illinois. The
checkoff funds market development, soybean production and government
relations efforts, while the membership program, Illinois Soybean
Growers ((ISG) and the Illinois Soybean Growers PAC actively
advocates for positive and impactful legislation for farmers at the
local, state and national levels. ISA upholds the interests of
Illinois soybean farmers through promotion, advocacy, research and
education with the vision of becoming a trusted partner of Illinois
soybean farmers to ensure their profitability now and for future
generations. For more information, visit the website www.ilsoy.org
and www.ilsoygrowers.com.
SAND COUNTY FOUNDATION inspires and empowers a growing number
of private landowners to ethically manage natural resources in their
care, so future generations have clean and abundant water, healthy
soil to support agriculture and forestry, plentiful habitat for
wildlife and opportunities for outdoor recreation.
www.sandcountyfoundation.org
[Casey Langan, Sand County Foundation] |
