Sand County Foundation

Mission

To advance the use of ethical and scientifically sound land management practices and partnerships for the benefit of people and their rural landscapes.

Programs

Leopold Conservation Award

The Leopold Conservation Award of $10,000 and a crystal award recognizes private landowners who practice responsible land stewardship and management. Started in 2003, this program has expanded to 24 states as of 2022 including California, Colorado, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Wisconsin, and Wyoming

Agricultural Conservation

The Agricultural Incentives Program is composed of various projects throughout the midwest focused on reducing nutrient runoff associated with agriculture. The program emphasizes watershed-scale projects and works with the agricultural community on research based solutions to address nutrient runoff.

Previous Projects

Examples of projects the Foundation has undertaken:

• The Coastal Louisiana Restoration received the United States Environmental Protection Agency's Gulf Guardian Award in the Civic/Non-profit category.
• Beginning in 1999, Sand County Foundation became involved in the restoration of Wisconsin's Baraboo River. The restoration project removed dams to restore the flow of the river.
• The Cooperative Sagebrush Initiative began in 2006 and concluded in 2013. The project united western land users to conserve and restore the sagebrush ecosystem across portions of 11 western states.

References

References

1. (2019-03-31). "About".
2. "Leopold Conservation Award Program".
3. "Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese Company Named California Leopold Conservation Award Recipient".
4. (30 March 2018). "2018 Colorado Leopold Conservation Award® Recipient Announced : The Prowers Journal".
5. link. (2007-07-04)
6. (7 January 2019). "Nominations are open for a farmer or forester for the 2019 Kentucky Leopold Conservation Award {{!}} NKyTribune".
7. (30 January 2019). "Scherder Farms receives Missouri Leopold Conservation Award".
8. "Gov. Ricketts Announces 2018 Nebraska Leopold Conservation Award Recipient {{!}} Office of Governor Pete Ricketts".
9. Service, Jenny Schlecht, Forum News. (2018-11-20). "J.S. Wilson Farm wins 2018 Leopold Conservation Award for ND".
10. "Oklahoma Leopold Conservation Award seeks nominees".
11. (August 2025). "Leopold Conservation Award".
12. "TPWD: News Release: May 18, 2018: Laborcitas Creek Ranch Receives 2018 Leopold Conservation Award® for Texas".
13. Brough, Rick. (21 November 2018). "Ercanbrack Family Honored With Conservation Award".
14. (2012-11-19). "Green Lake County Farmers Receive Leopold Conservation Award".
15. (24 April 2017). "Wyo. Governor recognizes Leopold Conservation Award recipient".
16. [https://web.archive.org/web/20121020225745/http://www.epa.gov/gmpo/gulfguard/2007_civic_1st.html U.S. EPA press release, regarding Sand County Foundation receiving the Gulf Guardian Award]
17. "Secretary of the Interior Gale Norton speaks of the Baraboo River restoration".
18. [http://www.greatlakesdirectory.org/wi/1023river.htm After 150 years, dams no longer interrupt Baraboo River]{{Dead link. (August 2025)
19. Sand County Foundation. (2019-04-17). "Cooperative Sagebrush Initiative".