Ted Alexander of Sun City has been selected as the recipient of the 2019 Kansas Leopold Conservation Award. Given in honor of renowned conservationist Aldo Leopold, the award recognizes those who inspire others with their dedication to land, water and wildlife resources in their care. In Kansas, the $10,000 award is presented annually by the Sand County Foundation, Kansas Association of Conservation Districts and Ranchland Trust of Kansas (RTK).
Alexander purchased the Skinner family ranch in 1984. Since that time, he has made many improvements to the property, including the removal of numerous eastern red cedar trees, in an effort to make the ranch environmentally and economically sustainable. In addition, Alexander has utilized rotational grazing to bolster the grassland and soil health, and implemented new piping to improve water quality and availability. He and his family also have embraced conservation practices to enhance wildlife habitat. Nearly half of all known reptile and amphibian species in Kansas are found on the ranch, including the threatened red spotted toad.
“Ted is an exemplary conservationist of the grassland ecosystem: plants, animals, soil, insects and humans. He’s always been big-picture-minded and had a passion for collaborating with others,” said RTK Chairman Cade Rensink.
The Kansas Leopold Conservation Award is made possible by numerous sponsors, including Ducks Unlimited; Farm Credit Associations of Kansas; ITC Great Plains; Evergy; Clean Line Energy Partners; Kansas Department of Agriculture-Division of Conservation; Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism; Kansas Forest Service; USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service; McDonald’s; and The Nature Conservancy in Kansas.