PIERRE - A western South Dakota ranch has won the annual Leopold Conservation Award for voluntary stewardship and management of natural resources.

The Sand County Foundation, South Dakota Cattlemen's Association and the South Dakota Grassland Coalition announced that the award has been given to the Guptill Ranch, a 7,000-acre cattle operation near Quinn that is operated by Pat and Mary Lou Guptill with their five children.

Gov. Dennis Daugaard says farmers and ranchers like the Guptill family take care to maintain natural resources for future generations.

The award is in honor of conservationist Aldo Leopold, who called for an ethical relationship between people and the land they own.

The Guptills will receive a $10,000 award and a crystal depicting Aldo Leopold at the South Dakota Cattlemen's Association annual convention in December.

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