Celebrating Excellence in Private Land Conservation. Established in 1996, the annual Lone Star Land Steward Awards recognizes and honors private landowners in Texas for their contributions to natural resource conservation and management.

Private landowners are the key to effective habitat management in Texas, since more than 94 percent of Texas is privately-owned or operated. The Lone Star Land Steward Awards program recognizes and honors private landowners for their accomplishments in habitat management and wildlife conservation. The program is designed to educate landowners and the public and to encourage participation in habitat conservation.

Objectives

• To recognize private landowners for excellence in habitat management and wildlife conservation on their lands.
• To publicize the best examples of sound natural resource management practices.
• To encourage youth education and participation in promoting responsible habitat management and improved ecosystem health.
• To promote long-term conservation of unique natural and cultural resources.
• To promote ecosystem awareness and acknowledge the best conservation practices in the ecological regions of Texas.
• To enhance relationships between private landowners and Texas' natural resource agencies.
• To illustrate the important role of Texas' private landowners in the future of our natural resources.

Participants

• Ranchers
• Farmers
• Foresters
• Other Land Managers
• Wildlife Management Associations
• Corporations/Non-governmental Organizations (NGO)

Eligibility

• Texas Parks and Wildlife Department encourages nominations for landowners who have managed their property for a minimum of five years.
• Nominations may come from natural resource agencies, conservation organizations, the general public, or from the landowners themselves.
• Nominees are considered for awards based on the ecoregion in which their land is located. Up to five ecoregion awards are presented each year.

Leopold Conservation Award

• Ecoregion award winners (ecoregion winners) may be further considered for the Leopold Conservation Award, the highest honor bestowed as part of the Lone Star Land Steward Awards program.
• The first five qualified Leopold Conservation Award nominations received by November 30 will be considered for recognition the following May.
• Learn more about the Leopold Conservation award.

Nominations

• Anyone may nominate a landowner for recognition.
• Landowners must be nominated to be considered for an award.
• Individuals or organizations may nominate landowners for recognition.
• Nominations will be accepted from June 1 through November 30.
• The landowner must accept the nomination in order to be considered for an award.
• Employees and Commissioners of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department may not receive awards, but may nominate others.
• Nomination form for the Lone Star Land Steward Awards must be sent to:

Winner Selection

Ecoregion Award

• TPWD staff biologists accompanied by members of Texas Parks and Wildlife Department's Private Lands Advisory Committee will visit the nominated properties and evaluate each based on the ecoregion criteria for selection.
• Ecoregion teams will recommend a winner for their region.
• Final decisions on ecoregion winners are made by the Private Lands Program Director and the Wildlife Division Director.

Leopold Conservation Award

• The Private Lands Advisory Committee (PLAC) will review all nominations according to the statewide criteria for selection and recommend the top three for site visits by the statewide evaluation team.
• The statewide evaluation team, consisting of TPWD staff biologists and Private Lands Advisory Committee (PLAC) members, will visit the nominated properties and evaluate each based on the statewide criteria.
• Staff recommendations are provided to the TPWD Executive Director, TPWD Commission Chairman, and PLAC Chairman for final selection.

Special Category Awards

NGO/Corporate

• TPWD program staff will evaluate nomination packets according to the same selection criteria as ecoregion candidates and select the top three for award consideration.
• If required for final determination, results of site visits and biologist recommendations will be evaluated by program staff and recommendations provided to the Private Lands Program Director and the Wildlife Division Director.
• Final decisions on Non-governmental Organization (NGO)/Corporate winners are made by the Private Lands Program Director in consultation with the Wildlife Division Director.

Wildlife Management Association

• TPWD program staff will evaluate nomination packets according to the same selection criteria as ecoregion candidates, along with an interview with the biologist or other natural resource professional working with each nominated WMA to assist in making a final decision. The top three nominations are selected for award consideration.
• Recommendation will be provided to the Private Lands Program Director and the Wildlife Division Director.
• Final decisions on Wildlife Management Association winners are made by the Private Lands Program Director in consultation with the Wildlife Division Director.

Award Recognition

Ecoregion Award Winners

The Ecoregion Award winner from each ecoregion will receive:

• a certificate from Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, designating them as Lone Star Land Stewards,
• a gate sign,
• a plaque from Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, and
• an invitation to the Lone Star Land Steward Awards reception held in Austin each May where they will be honored.

Leopold Conservation Award Winners

The Leopold Conservation Award is presented to the overall winner of the Lone Star Land Steward Awards Recognition Program. The Leopold Conservation Award winner is selected from past ecoregion award winners and will receive:

• a $10,000 cash award and crystal trophy provided by the Sand County Foundation,
• a plaque from Texas Parks and Wildlife Department,
• a personalized, framed photo provided by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department,
• a certificate from Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, designating them as Lone Star Land Stewards,
• a gate sign, and
• an invitation to the Lone Star Land Steward Awards reception held in Austin each May where they will be honored.

Special Category Winners

• a certificate from Texas Parks and Wildlife Department designating them as Lone Star Land Stewards,
• a gate sign,
• a plaque from Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, and
• an invitation to the Lone Star Land Stewards Awards reception held in Austin each May where they will be honored.