Marin County ranch honored with top conservation prize

Stemple Creek Ranch of Marin County is the 2025 California Leopold Conservation Award recipient.

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. 

Loren and Lisa Poncia, owners of Stemple Creek Ranch in Tomales, were presented with the award during the California Farm Bureau Annual Meeting Dec. 8. 

Hat Creek Grown of Hat Creek in Shasta County and Iron Horse Vineyards of Sebastopol in Sonoma County were finalists.

The award is given in honor of renowned conservationist Aldo Leopold and is presented by Sand County Foundation and national sponsor American Farmland Trust to private landowners in 28 states. In California, it is presented with Sustainable Conservation and the California Farm Bureau.

When Loren and his wife, Lisa, moved back to Marin County 20 years ago, their goal was to reinvent the family business by raising high quality grass-fed and finished meats. That would require a new spin on how to raise and market sheep and beef cattle.

During their first few years, they both kept their day jobs while leasing 400 acres of his family’s land. They bought beef cattle and focused on the infrastructure needed for rotational grazing. That meant investing in miles of movable fencing, dozens of permanent water troughs and solar pumps that move water to holding tanks.

Today, the organic, grass-finished beef and lamb and pastured pork they raise are sold directly to consumers, grocery stores, restaurants and butcher shops. However, establishing a niche product with its own brand happened one step at a time.

Seventeen years ago, the couple designed a logo, put up a simple website, and began selling beef and lamb directly to consumers. As a vendor at one of the largest farmers markets in the country, their product caught the eye of well-known chefs. During the course of a decade, they went from selling 10 head of beef to more than 1,500 annually.

After purchasing a neighboring ranch, they restored its buildings as ranch stays and turned an old hay barn into an event venue to host weddings, corporate events and farm-to-table dinners. Their business now encompasses a team of 20 employees and thousands of acres managed for grazing.

The 650 acres they own and much of what they lease has Marin Agricultural Land Trust agricultural conservation easements on them. This ensures that the land will be conserved as open space and in productive agricultural use in perpetuity. Their daughters, Avery and Julianna, and their nieces and nephews will be the fifth generation to steward the coastal hills of Marin County. 

“We’re trying to dance with Mother Nature within our fencelines,” Loren Poncia said of his family’s approach to conservation.

His father, Al, began fencing off the creeks and riparian areas and planting trees to prevent erosion in the 1980s. Loren and Lisa Poncia continued what he started by adding over 5 miles of fencing and planting 10,000 trees. This restoration effort has created a habitat that attracts beavers, badgers, bobcats, black-tailed deer, jack rabbits, and gray and red foxes. Stemple Creek Ranch is also home to endangered species, including the California red-legged frog and the California freshwater shrimp.

The ranch was certified as bird-friendly by the Audubon Society in 2021 for its sustainable grazing practices. Several species of hawks, owls and migrating birds seasonally call the ranch home. The Ponicas partner with Sola Bee Farms to host pollinating beehives on the property.

As one of the first demonstration sites for the Marin Carbon Project, a 10-year study, it was one of the first ranches with an active carbon farm plan. The Poncias have hosted hundreds of tours to educate others about carbon positive practices, soil health and rotational grazing.

Just as Loren Poncia strives to stimulate the soil and grassland at Stemple Creek Ranch, he’s equally excited about helping others see what is possible when bridging the environmental and economic benefits of conservation. 

“We are honored to recognize the extraordinary efforts of California farmers and ranchers like Stemple Creek Ranch, who go above and beyond in their stewardship of natural resources,” said California Farm Bureau President Shannon Douglass. “Stemple Creek has championed sustainable ranching practices, soil health and conducting research to improve their operation. Their efforts showcase how California’s farmers and ranchers can tackle environmental challenges while still producing the food and fiber that nourish and clothe the world.”

California landowners are encouraged to apply or be nominated for the California Leopold Conservation Award. Applications are reviewed by an independent panel of agricultural and conservation leaders from California.

The award is made possible by contributions from American Farmland Trust, Sustainable Conservation, California Farm Bureau, Sand County Foundation, The Harvey L. & Maud C. Sorensen Foundation, Bowles Farming Company, California Rangeland Trust, Farm Credit, U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service of California and California Leopold Conservation Award alumni.

To view past recipients of the award, visit https://sandcountyfoundation.org/our-work/leopold-conservation-award/state/california.

See related news stories...

• Merced County farm earns top conservation award
• Sutter County farm honored with top conservation prize
• Sonoma County dairy farm family wins Leopold award