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The Braggers reinforce stream banks with riprap, participate in prairie restoration and management, and follow a nutrient management plan for their entire farm. |
"The health of Wisconsin's landscape is dependent on hard-working farm families who are dedicated to ensuring that Wisconsin's land, water and wildlife are in better shape than when they found them," said Brent Haglund, Sand County Foundation president. The
Sand County Foundation presents the Leopold Conservation Award every year to landowners who are not only outstanding stewards of the land, but are also outstanding people.
Each year, Haglund is impressed by the award nominees' credentials and dedication to conservation practices that not only protect the environment but actually make it better. "Wisconsin's natural resources are being cared for by innovative landowners who want to see them flourish for future generations."
The Koepkes, Oconomowoc, and Braggers, Independence, are among Wisconsin dairy farm families who have been Leopold Conservation Award finalists. Each year a private landowner who practices responsible stewardship of natural resouces is awarded this distinction. Joe Bragger was recently (April 2011) announced as the Earth Day 2011 recipient of Wisconsin's Leopold Conservation Award.
Braggers Family Dairy is located in the steep and narrow valleys of Wisconsin's driftless area. While the land is very productive, it can be challenging to manage from an environmental perspective. The steep landscape dotted with waterways creates an ideal environment for abundant soil erosion and nutrient (animal manure) runoff. However, the Braggers have implemented several environmental stewardship practices to enhance water quality, soil conservation and profitability. In addition to their 300-cow dairy herd, the Braggers raise 50 head of beef, 64,000 pullets (young chicken hens) and 4,000 brown trout. All of the manure is incorporated into cropland as fertilizer on more than 500 acres used for growing corn, soybeans, alfalfa and barley. The Braggers manage another 150 acres of woodlands for wildlife, recreation and timber production. The brown trout are raised in an on-farm, spring-fed pond and released into area streams.
Koepke Farms Inc., is a partnership between brothers Alan, David and Jim, and Jim's son, John. The 320-cow dairy farm consists of 1,000 acres of cropland and 150 acres of woods and wetlands. As one of the first farms in their area to adopt a completely no-till system, the Koepke family carries a long history of soil conservation. With no-till farming, farmers do not disturb (plow) the soil, helping to increase the amount of water in the soil and decrease erosion. The Koepkes use grassed waterways, contour strip cropping, diversified crop rotation, nutrient management, cover crops and barnyard runoff control to foster environmental stewardship on their farm. They also have altered their dairy herd's feed rations (meals) so that excessive levels of phosphorus does not come out via manure.
An ethical relationship between people and the land - an evolutionary possibility and an ecological necessity.
The Sand County Foundation's award is named after Aldo Leopold. In his influential book, A Sand County Almanac (1949), Leopold called for an ethical relationship between people and the land they own and manage, which he called "an evolutionary possibility and an ecological necessity." The roots of the Sand County Foundation are private action inspired by the Leopold Land Ethic, using responsible voluntary means to improve habitat. The Foundation works with private landholders to improve the quality of their lands through science, ethics and incentives.