There are now four candidates for the 2024 Wisconsin Leopold Conservation Award.
The award is given to farmers and forest landowners who go above and beyond to take care of the health of the soil, the quality of the water, and the wildlife environment on their working land.
This award is given to landowners who inspire others with their commitment to protecting the environment. It is named after the famous environmentalist Aldo Leopold.
These are the finalists:
Bartling’s Manitowish Cranberry Co. of Manitowish Waters in Vilas County
Through better plant and soil health, brothers David and Steven have increased the amount of cranberries they grow. They made natural pollinator gardens on five acres to attract honeybees, which are needed to pollinate more crops.
Costs have gone down and water quality has gotten better thanks to better water management. Gardeners and florists in the area buy the cranberry leaves that fall off the plant when the berries are picked.
Full Circle Farm of Seymour in Shawano County
Full Circle Farm adds organic matter to the land and stores carbon in its pastures. Rick and Valerie Adamski, along with their son Andrew, raise pastured pigs and laying hens, graze beef cattle, and grow veggies on 10 acres. The woods, marshes, natural pond, riparian buffers, and fence lines on their farm give animals, birds, and helpful pollinators a place to live and a way to migrate.
Joe Hovel of Conover in Vilas County
Joe Hovel protects unique and fragile habitats in Wisconsin’s Northwoods. A woodland owner since in the 1970s, he began prioritizing the protection of ecologically important land in the 80s.
He now manages 3,300 acres in several counties, including Porcupine Tree Farm and the Upper Wisconsin River Legacy Forest. Hovel owns County Line Wood Products and is the president and founder of the Partners in Forestry Landowners Cooperative.
Glacial Lake Cranberries of Wisconsin Rapids in Wood County
Along with cranberry bogs, Mary Brazeau Brown’s 6,100-acre property has woods and wetlands that are home to a wide range of plants and animals. It’s a great place for birds to nest and a stopover for species that are moving. Its 2,600 acres of woods have been cared for by a qualified forester for many years. To keep the marshes in good shape, controlled burns are used to keep the woody plants in check.
People who own land in Wisconsin were urged to apply for the award or be nominated for it. The applications were looked over by a group of independent agriculture and conservation leaders. At the meeting of the Wisconsin Board of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection in November, the winner for this year will be announced.
In 2006, the first Wisconsin Leopold Conservation Award was given to Appleton forest protector Gerry Mich. Noll’s Dairy Farm of Alma in Buffalo County was the winner in 2023.
“These finalists show how different Wisconsin agriculture is.” Farmers in Wisconsin all want to keep their farms safe and effective, no matter what size or type of crop they grow. “We praise these farmers for their hard work,” said Brad Olson, President of the Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation.
They show that Aldo Leopold’s ideas about caring for the land are still relevant today. Kevin McAleese, President and CEO of the Sand County Foundation, said, “Their commitment to conservation shows how individuals can improve the health of the land while producing food and fiber.”