Michael E. Berg of Blanchardville has been selected as the 2025 Wisconsin Leopold Conservation Award® recipient.
Given in honor of renowned conservationist Aldo Leopold, the $10,000 award honors farmers, ranchers and forestland owners who go above and beyond in their management of soil health, water quality and wildlife habitat on working land.
Michael’s life’s work has taken place at Berg Family Farm. The farm’s scenic and dramatic topography is typical in the hilly, ecologically unique Driftless Area of southwest Wisconsin.
The Bergs, who rotationally graze beef cattle, have also planted more than 25,000 pine and walnut trees on marginal lands.
The Berg family has long sought to prevent their limited topsoil from reaching the flood-prone Pecatonica River, a meandering snake of a waterway that weaves through their 540 acres of cropland, pastures and forests.
Michael credits his conservation mindset to his father, Byron Berg. He often told his children, “We don’t really own the land. We’re just taking care of it for the next generation.”
The Bergs worked closely with Natural Resource Conservation Service staff on a detailed assessment of how their land drains. They developed two miles of terraces to divert water from rapidly flowing downhill. These areas host native grasses and wildflowers that provide a food source for bees and other pollinators.
The centerpiece of Michael’s conservation efforts has been restoring a mile of riverbank with riprap. The riprap slows the infiltration of silt into the river during heavy rains, keeping the river cleaner. In addition, grassland buffers are maintained along each side of the river.
Michael says that conservation measures like the riprap project are possible because his farm is profitable. In turn, conservation activities enhance profitability. His was the first farm in Lafayette County to participate in a phosphorus-water quality trading experiment with the nearby village of Argyle.
Michael is a founder of the Pecatonica Pride Watershed Association, which brings together outdoors enthusiasts, farmers, landowners, business owners and others to improve the river and inspire others to embrace conservation practices.
By seeking new ways to fortify the soil, keep the water clean and provide wildlife habitat while farming, Michael is strengthening his family’s legacy of land stewardship.
“Wisconsin farmers are proving that conservation is not just a smart choice; it is a vital investment in both the land and future of agriculture. The Berg family embodies this commitment through decades of stewardship and innovation,” said Wisconsin Farm Bureau President Brad Olson. “Wisconsin Farm Bureau is proud to congratulate Mike Berg on receiving the Leopold Conservation Award.”
Among the many outstanding Wisconsin landowners nominated for the award were finalists: Andy Bensend of Dallas in Barron County, Brattset Family Farm of Jefferson in Jefferson County and Pat and Michelle Socha of Edgar in Marathon County.
Sand County Foundation and national sponsor American Farmland Trust present Leopold Conservation Awards to private landowners in 28 states. In Wisconsin the award is presented with Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation and Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin.
Read more about Michael’s farm and the Leopold Conservation Award here.
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