leopoldconservationaward.org 2013 YEAR IN REVIEW ABOUT THE AWARD Stories Of Innovators On The Land What happens on private agricultural land affects us all. Farmers, ranchers Late 2013 gave us batches of These landowners produce crops ranging from and foresters who are good cold and generally miserable grass fed beef to artisanal cheese. Yet common stewards of the land provide weather in most of the among these uncommon farm and ranch not only healthy food for United States. However, families are a land ethic, innovative leadership our table, but clean, abundant water, healthy soil and thriving wildlife. spirits were warm where in monitoring and management, outreach Sand County Foundation and engagement with their communities and Sand County Foundation’s dedication to the cause of private landowner and our agricultural and profitability. These notable people embody conservation leadership is inspired by the writings and committed land environmental partner principles Sand County Foundation carries forth in stewardship of renowned author, scientist and conservationist Aldo organizations celebrated the year’s Leopold all of its programs. Leopold. In his famous A Sand County Almanac, Leopold wrote, “the Conservation Award families. landscape of any farm is the owner’s portrait of himself.” Sand County When Sand County Foundation created the Foundation’s Leopold Conservation Awards honor outstanding landowners Whether it was in Monterey, California or Leopold Conservation Awards we did so to say who believe in and live by the tenets of Leopold’s land ethic. That is, a land Kearney, Nebraska, hundreds of farmers, ranchers, “thank you” to exemplary farm and ranch families. ethic changes the role of people from conquerors of the land-community agricultural industry leaders and environmentalists Now we hope you will join us to honor those who to members and citizens of it. “It implies respect for his fellow-members recognized, thanked and honored their state’s 2013 deeply believe they must leave their land better and also respect for the community as such,” Leopold wrote. Leopold Conservation Award recipients. than they found it. The Leopold Conservation AwardTM Program recognizes and celebrates Earlier in the year, in Lincoln, Nebraska, Sand County Foundation and its partners brought extraordinary achievement in voluntary conservation by private landowners Sincerely, who inspire others by their examples. It provides a platform to elevate together award winning landowner conservationists leading agricultural families as conservation ambassadors to citizens to exchange ideas about innovation on the land. outside of agriculture. In addition, the program builds bridges between The stories they shared inspire us all to continually agriculture, government, environmental organizations, industry and advance conservation practices that are good for both business and our environment. academia to help advance the cause of private lands conservation. Brent M. Haglund, Ph.D. President Working with prominent state conservation partners in nine states, Sand Each recipient, profiled in the following pages, County Foundation presents the $10,000 award and a crystal depicting Aldo has a compelling story of voluntary conservation. Leopold, in settings that publicly showcase the landowners’ achievements. Like the Giacomini family of Marin County, California who carry on a tradition of conservation Sand County Foundation and its many partners and sponsors actively seek passed down through generations. Others, for others to become part of this important story. An award program of this stature instance the Bednarskis of Kentucky, are relatively could not exist without quality landowner nominees or sustainable funding. new to agriculture and also fully committed to environmental improvement on the land. Leopold Conservation Award Program sponsors are proud to be affiliated with a program that gives exceptional stewards of natural resources the recognition they deserve. For more information, please visit: www.leopoldconservationaward.org PAST CALIFORNIA CALIFORNIA RECIPIENTS GIACOMINI DAIRY Bob, Karen, Diana, Lynn and Jill Giacomini 2012 GIACOMAZZI DAIRY Dino and Julie Giacomazzi 2011 GIACOMINI KOOPMANN RANCH Dairy Marin County, Tim Koopmann California 2010 MONTNA FARMS Al Montna 2009 RED ROCK RANCH John Diener 2008 THREE CREEKS RANCH Chet Vogt BOB AND DEAN GIACOMINI purchased and demonstrate exemplary land stewardship through a dairy from Bob’s father and ran their fluid milk their dedication to voluntary, sustainable farming business while raising four daughters on the farm in practices and animal care. 2007 coastal Marin County. The family was one of the first participants in the SIERRA ORCHARDS Forty years later, as Bob considered the need to NRCS’s Conservation Stewardship Program and one of diversify the business, his daughters came home to be the first dairies to install a methane digester to harvest Craig and Julie McNamara part of the re-invented Robert Giacomini Dairy. They methane and convert it into clean, renewable energy to launched an artisan farmstead cheese business that power the dairy and cheese facilities. 2006 not only sustained the farm, but became a model and Rotational grazing of their cows keeps soils healthy example for others. and helps prevent harmful erosion into Tomales LANGETWINS WINE ESTATES For Dean, who passed away in 2012, one of her Bay. Steep slopes are densely vegetated with trees greatest joys was that all four daughters returned to and shrubs to manage erosion, and a comprehensive Brad and Randy Lange the farm to be part of the family business. Today, Bob nutrient management plan was implement to ensure operates Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese Company there is no runoff of nutrients that could harm coastal with daughters Karen, Diana, Lynn and Jill. They wetlands. produce Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese and operate “The Robert Giacomini Dairy is a model of a successful The Fork, a culinary center focused on education and family business adopting land management practices PRESENTED IN entertainment for visitors to the farm. The venue PARTNERSHIP WITH that are environmentally sustainable and repeatable,” hosts meetings of agricultural organizations, culinary wrote Marin County Ag Commissioner Stacy Carlsen students, fellow artisan cheesemakers and others in a nomination letter. “For over 50 years, this dairy interested in environmental stewardship. has evolved into the finest family-run and operated The picturesque 720-acre dairy is a showcase operation dairy business in the Western United States.” where the Giacominis craft award-winning cheeses Photo credit: Paolo Vescia PAST COLORADO COLORADO RECIPIENTS 2012 WINEINGER-DAVIS RANCH VISINTAINER Russell and Tricia Davis 2011 SHEEP CO. PIPE SPRINGS RANCH Dean and Gary Visintainer McEndree Family Visintainer SHEEP CO. Moffatt County, Colorado 2010 STANKO RANCH Jim and Jo Stanko 2009 MESA DE MAYA RANCH John and Carolyn Doherty 2008 COLEMAN RANCH Jim, Frances, Tim and Teddi Coleman 2007 A deep passion for the land entrusted to them, and a Observatory, Colorado Parks and Wildlife and the SAN ISABEL RANCH willingness to embrace and adapt to change, has kept US Fish and Wildlife Service - Partners for Fish and Mike and Sara Shields, the Visintainers at the forefront of innovative ranch Wildlife Program, to restore and rehabilitate lost sage- Bet Kettle management. grouse habitat and rangelands. DEAN VISINTAINER AND HIS SON GARY Due to the intensity of the fire, no plants remained to 2006 jointly run the Visintainer Sheep Co., where concern hold the topsoil. Wind blew soil and ash into dunes for the land has always been essential to their that piled along fence lines. A threat of cheat grass BOHART RANCH management. invasion also existed upwind from a nearby previous Dick and Sandra Tanner fire. The Visintainers combatted these threats with Decades of monitoring and observation, coupled with an aerial application of a native seed mix sown the their move from production-based management to following spring. 2005 “forage-based” management to improve range health, MCNEIL RANCH has led to diversification of livestock to both sheep and The Visintainers are lauded by Colorado cattle, while maintaining an emphasis on wildlife. conservationists as “true pioneers” as they help pave Mike and Cathy McNeil the way for fellow ranchers and land managers who Species including deer, elk, pronghorn, greater continue to learn from their experience. sage-grouse, and Columbian sharp-tailed grouse are 2004 found on their land. Today, their ranch is a true refuge “Many partners in conservation, neighboring PRESENTED IN COLORADO RUSK HEREFORD RANCH PARTNERSHIP WITH CATTLEMEN’S for wildlife. landowners, and resource professionals have learned ASSOCIATION from the Visintainers’ observations and management Randy and Claricy Rusk After a catastrophic wildfire in the fall of 2010, the techniques across their range, and have adapted those Visintainers partnered with the Natural Resources ideas elsewhere throughout Colorado,” said NRCS Conservation Service Sage-grouse Initiative, 2003 Private Lands Wildlife Biologist, Brandon Miller, in his in conjunction with the Rocky Mountain Bird nomination of the Visintainer Sheep Co. CAPPS RANCH Photo credit: Bill Gillette Frankie and Sue Menegatti INAUGURAL AWARD SHERWOOD KENTUCKY ACRES FARMS Oldham County, Kentucky SHERWOOD ACRES FARMS Jon & Sylvia Bednarski Thirteen years ago, with no real farming experience,JON AND SYLVIA Through their stewardship and good management