Lodi winery wins conservation award

LODI
December 4, 2006 11:39am

Cited for “extraordinary achievement in voluntary

Conservation,” Lange Twins Wine Estates in Lodi have been given the first-ever Leopold Conservation Award in California, which carries with it a check for $10,000.

Winery owners Brad and Randy Lange were cited for sustaining a healthy environment and a healthy business by the Sand County Foundation, in partnership with Sustainable Conservation and the California Farm Bureau Federation.

"The environmental stewardship frame of mind allows us to think outside the box to find creative solutions that can be mutually beneficial to our ecosystem and to our bottom line,” says Brad Lange, co-owner of Lange Twins Wine Estates.

Farming nearly 6,500 acres of vineyards along the Mokelumne River near Lodi, California, the Lange brothers’ sustainable farming practices include using natural predators to combat pests; using sprayers that reduce chemical use by 50 percent and water use ten-fold; and installing solar power for their vineyard operations and farmhouse.

"The Langes and all of the Leopold Conservation Award nominees demonstrate that California farmers and ranchers play a crucial role in protecting the health of the environment and providing habitat for wildlife," says Ashley Boren, executive director of Sustainable Conservation. "With more than half of California land in private hands, their work is a win for wildlife, humans and the economy."

The Leopold Conservation Award is currently given in six states: California, Colorado, Texas, Nebraska, Wisconsin and Wyoming.