2024 Leopold Conservation Award Finalists Announced

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 Leopold Conservation Awards to private landowners in 28 states. In Kansas the $10,000 award is presented with Kansas Association of Conservation Districts and Ranchland Trust of Kansas.

The finalists are:

Barby Ranch of Protection. Bill Barby rotationally grazes his cow-calf herd in Clark and Comanche counties. His year-round grazing system, supported by a solar-powered pipeline watering system, increased the carrying capacity and stocking rate by 40 percent while improving vegetative and soil health. Deep-rooted grasses rebound quickly after drought or wildfire. Prescribed fire and mechanical removal of invasive eastern red cedar trees has improved habitat for wildlife including the Lesser Prairie Chicken.

Janus Farms of Cherryvale. Dr. Phil Eastep has improved wildlife habitat and biodiversity on his Montgomery County farmland with prescribed burning, rotationally grazing beef cattle, and removing invasive species such as cedar and sumac. To prevent erosion and promote soil health he has planted more than 125,000 trees and constructed a riverbank stabilization project. He has hosted botanical and endangered wildlife studies at his farm, and established pollinator habitat of native flowering plants.

Glenn and Barbara Walker of Brookville. The Walkers are improving soil health, wildlife habitat and water distribution on their properties in Ellsworth, Lincoln, Rice, Russell, and Saline counties. By using rotational grazing to feed their beef cattle, they are also managing grassland to improve habitat for greater prairie chickens, turkeys, and deer. Their investment in removing invasive red cedar trees improves water resources. Several of their properties are enrolled in the Kansas Walk-in Hunting program.

“Kansas Association of Conservation Districts is excited to recognize these outstanding landowners who are committed to conservation on their land,” said Dan Meyerhoff, KACD Executive Director. “We are proud to partner with Sand County Foundation and the Ranchland Trust of Kansas to give these families the recognition they deserve."

Kansas landowners were encouraged to apply, or be nominated, for the award. An independent panel of Kansas agricultural and conservation leaders reviewed the applications. The award recipient will be recognized at the Kansas Association of Conservation Districts’ 80th Annual Convention in Wichita in November. 

The Leopold Conservation Award in Kansas is made possible thanks to the generous support of American Farmland Trust, Kansas Association of Conservation Districts, Ranchland Trust of Kansas, Sand County Foundation, Farm Credit Associations of Kansas, ITC Great Plains, Kansas Department of Agriculture (Division of Conservation), Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks, Kansas Forest Service, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service of Kansas, Green Cover Seed, McDonald’s, Ducks Unlimited, and a Kansas Leopold Conservation Award recipient.