Selection Criteria for Lone Star Land Steward Ecoregion Award Winners

Sponsorship | Lone Star Land Steward Winners | Leopold Conservation Award Selection Criteria

• Landowner adheres to sound ecological principles and attention to ecosystem functions.
• Landowner applies sound principles of soil and water conservation.
• Management activities result in improved vegetative conditions and enhanced plant diversity.
• Activities provide conservation and care of unique natural and cultural resources.
• Management activities directly benefit wildlife through an increased number of species and/or classes of wildlife.
• Good integration of traditional ranching/farming/timber practices with wildlife habitat enhancement to produce multiple economic benefits.
• Landowner encourages community involvement in the conservation of wildlife habitat on private lands. Landowner acts as a good example for others and actively promotes use of responsible habitat management and land stewardship.
• Promotes involvement and substantial outdoor recreational and/or educational opportunities for the benefit of wildlife (not necessarily on their land, but could be through programs, organizations, volunteerism, etc.).
• Innovative techniques of land/resource conservation are incorporated into the overall management scheme.
• Landowner is following written recommendations set forth in an active TPWD Wildlife Habitat and Harvest Plan, Wildlife Management Plan or other plan prepared by a professional wildlife biologist.
• Landowner is following written recommendations set forth in an active Conservation Plan prepared by technical staff at the local Soil and Water Conservation District (NRCS office).
• Land stewardship practices being actively conducted for habitat control; erosion control; providing supplemental food, water or shelter; providing predator control; and making census counts.
• Landowner encourages community involvement in the conservation of wildlife habitat on private lands through hosting wildlife programs, seminars, or field days.
• Landowner actively participates in a wildlife conservation organization which promotes habitat conservation and enhancement; landowner is an active habitat demonstration cooperator with a NAWMP Joint Venture, TPWD Private Lands Initiative, USFWS Partners for Wildlife program, etc.
• Landowner's property serves as a study site for professional research designed to solve problems or answer questions concerning habitat limiting factors or enhancement techniques.