Dubois County contains many acres of highly erodible land; steep ground for which the best use is tree cover.  Many landowners do not actively manage their forest ground, which reduces their forest yield.  Some forested land is not managed properly, thereby causing soil erosion and negative impacts on local water quality.  Finally, the wood industry in Dubois County is large, and local forest owners with under managed woodlands are not fully reaping the benefits of the local wood market.
The Board of Supervisors of the Dubois County SWCD seeks annually to recognize and reward the forestland owner who best carries out a wise forest stewardship program on their forested land.
Criteria:

• Forestland managed through a professionally written forest management plan, including harvests and timber stand improvement
• Forestland protected from fire, disease, insect infestation, invasive species, and livestock
• Reforestation through tree planting
• Reforestation projects connect existing forests or enlarge existing forests rather than create new isolated forests
• Forestland managed so as to meet the needs of local forest industries
• Riparian zones and field edges allowed to become reforested

To be eligible, private landowners possessing 10 acres or more of forest property within Dubois County and who has owned the forest property for no less than one full year prior to nomination.

Previous Award Recipients

• 2024: Phil Gramelspacher
• 2023: Frank & Bill Otte
• 2022: Jim Johanneman
• 2021: No Awards Due to Covid
• 2020- No Award Given
• 2019 – Tom & Louise Brames
• 2018 – Lueken Livestock & Grain, Inc.
• 2017 – Hilary Blessinger
• 2016 – Werner, Werner, Margarida
• 2015 – Dr Thomas J Rusche
• 2014 – Kenny Beckman
• 2013 – Lee Schnell
• 2012 – David Altman
• 2011 – Philip Gramelspacher
• 2010 – Clarence Durcholz
• 2009 – Don Scherle
• 2008 – Clarence & Tony Buechler
• 2007 – Jack L. Nelson
• 2006 – Aloysius Welp
• 2005 – Richard & Carroll Harder
• 2004 – Gene Gramelspacher