MAINE ENVIRONMENTAL NEWS • August 12, 2024
Hidden Valley Farm of Whitefield, Maine, is one of four finalists for the 2024 New England Leopold Conservation Award. The award honors farmers and forestland owners who go above and beyond in their management of soil health, water quality and wildlife habitat on working land. David Moskovitz and Bambi Jones have made their land more productive while enhancing biodiversity and wildlife habitat with exemplary forestry practices. They have replaced stream crossings to enhance aquatic passage, protected small wetlands, and created the Hidden Valley Nature Center, which offers nature and forestry programs for thousands of participants. Named in honor of renowned conservationist Aldo Leopold, the 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.