Sebero Family Among Five Leopold Award Finalists
Sand County Foundation has named five finalists for the 2026 Wisconsin Leopold Conservation Award, which carries a $10,000 prize.
Updated on Nov. 9, 2026 in Hunting
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Sand County Foundation announced on September 10, 2026, five finalists for the 2026 Wisconsin Leopold Conservation Award, including Jesse and Kylie Sebero, who manage more than 500 acres of contiguous forest in Marinette County. The winner is scheduled to be announced on November 12.
Why it matters
The award recognizes farmers and forestland owners who protect soil health, water quality, and wildlife habitat while managing productive land. The finalists illustrate how working landowners in Wisconsin are balancing timber, grazing and crop production with conservation goals.
The Wisconsin Leopold Conservation Award carries a $10,000 prize and has been presented since 2006, when Gerry Mich of Appleton received the first award. Jesse Sebero, a technical service provider for the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, has written 272 forestry plans for privately owned land.
The players
Sand County Foundation
A conservation nonprofit that administers the Leopold Conservation Awards and selects the Wisconsin finalists each year.
Jesse Sebero
A Marinette County forester and USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service technical service provider who co-manages the Sebero Family Tree Farm.
The details
The Seberos manage their Porterfield property to balance timber production with wildlife conservation, and they open the land to researchers and host educational tours for landowners and forestry professionals. Other finalists include Andy Bensend of Dallas, who introduced cover crops, nutrient management and reduced tillage, and the Brattset Family Farm in Jefferson County, which has practiced rotational grazing since 2005.
Timeline
September 10, 2026: Sand County Foundation announced the five finalists.
November 12, 2026: The 2026 winner is scheduled to be announced at a state Board of Agriculture meeting.
Season Trajectory
The Leopold Conservation Award has honored Wisconsin landowners since 2006, when Gerry Mich of Appleton received the first award. The 2026 finalists continue that record of rewarding private stewardship of working forests and farms.
Wisconsin landowners interested in conservation recognition can look to these finalists as examples of practices like rotational grazing, cover crops and forestry plans. Following the November 12 announcement will show which approaches the judges prioritized this year.
The takeaway
Working forests and farms can produce timber, crops or livestock while protecting soil, water and wildlife habitat, and the Leopold finalists show how several Wisconsin operations are doing both at once.
What happens next
The 2026 Wisconsin Leopold Conservation Award winner will be announced on November 12, 2026, at a state Board of Agriculture meeting.
Further reading
Explore more hunting coverage on Wisconsin's forest and wildlife management.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Times of India.
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