Three finalists have been selected for the 2022 Utah Leopold Conservation Award. Given in honor of renowned conservationist Aldo Leopold, the prestigious award recognizes farmers, ranchers and forestland owners who inspire others with their dedication to land, water and wildlife habitat management on private, working lands.
In Utah, the award is presented annually by Sand County Foundation, American Farmland Trust, Utah Farm Bureau Federation, Western AgCredit and Utah Cattlemen’s Association.
The finalists are:
• Lewis Farms of Monticello in San Juan County — The Lewis family grows organic wheat, alfalfa and safflower. They engage in conservation practices that control soil erosion, improve soil health, eradicate noxious weeds and enhance wildlife habitat. The Lewises have built terraces and sediment control basins to control water erosion. By developing several springs, they can supply water for livestock and wildlife. They were early adopters of cover crops and no-till practices in their region.
• Myrin Ranch of Altamont in Duchesne County — Alarik and Beth Myrin’s family manages their ranch for healthy soils, quality wildlife habitat and a diverse ecosystem. Their beef cattle help build and conserve soil. Their rotational grazing management is focused on keeping and creating ground cover, retaining moisture and increasing soil carbon retention. Wildlife habitat has benefitted from streambank restorations, tree plantings and delayed grazing of wetlands during the spring nesting season.
• Bennion Beef of Vernon in Tooele County — Over the past 21 years, Elizabeth and Alan Mitchell have focused on range rejuvenation on their cattle ranch. Acres of brush and pinyon-juniper have been removed, and range has been reseeded to pasture. For better utilization of their land, they installed new waterlines and troughs with wildlife ramps. Beaver dam analogs on Vernon Creek improve water quality by filtering silt, and they provide wildlife habitat.
The award recipient will be formally presented with $10,000 and a crystal award on Nov. 17 at the Utah Farm Bureau Federation’s Annual Convention in Provo, UT.
“Our current time places a premium on conserving water and natural resources, and so we congratulate these families on the efforts they’ve made on their farms and ranches to do just that,” said Ron Gibson, Utah Farm Bureau Federation president.
“The Sand County Foundation and the Leopold Conservation Award are great partners and the example of the good that can be done when groups work together to promote the wise use of our natural resources. While we can only recognize a few families with this award, they truly represent the vast majority of farmers and ranchers in our state who feel a sense of responsibility to the land and animals.”
The Leopold Conservation Award in Utah is made possible thanks to the generous contributions from American Farmland Trust, Western AgCredit, Utah Farm Bureau Federation, Utah Cattlemen’s Association, Sand County Foundation, Producers Livestock Marketing Association, The Nature Conservancy, Utah Association of Conservation Districts, Utah Department of Agriculture and Food and the Utah Wool Growers Association. — Sand County Foundation
