SAND COUNTY FOUNDATION • August 7, 2025
Fnalists have been selected for the 2025 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. Named in honor of renowned conservationist Aldo Leopold, this award recognizes landowners who inspire others with their dedication to environmental improvement. The finalists include: Appalachian Mountain Club’s Maine Woods Initiative. Since 2003, this effort has conserved 114.000 acres of forestland straddling the Appalachian Trail in the 100 Mile Wilderness Area of Piscataquis County, Maine. AMC has removed barriers to fish passage, reopening 147 miles of rivers and streams for wild, native brook trout and the endangered Atlantic salmon. Its goal is to create a new economic model for forestland ownership.