James Faulstich

Congratulations to SDALT Board Member Jim Faulstich on receiving an Honorary Doctorate From SDSU!

SDALT Board Member Jim Faulstich is one of four individuals to be awarded an honorary doctorate from South Dakota State University, for his extraordinary contributions to South Dakota and beyond.

The highest honor bestowed by the regents and university, an honorary doctorate is meant to pay tribute to worthy individuals. The doctorate recognizes the efforts of talented, selfless and energetic individuals who have performed beyond the call of duty in service to humankind.

Faulstich and his wife, Carol, own and operate Daybreak Ranch near Highmore. Faulstich is a longtime advocate for and practitioner of natural resource management and applying a holistic approach to regenerative land management, with an emphasis on soil health, wetlands and native grass management.

Faulstich has shared what he has learned from his experience with numerous groups, both on the ranch and at conferences and events in numerous states and Washington, D.C. He was a speaker at the White House Conference on Conservation and hosted U.S. Secretary of Interior Ken Salazar at the ranch when the secretary visited South Dakota.

Faulstich has received more than 20 local, state and national awards for his leadership in agriculture and natural resource conservation. He was recruited to serve on the national Blue Ribbon Panel on Sustaining America’s Diverse Fish and Wildlife Resources, serves on numerous boards representing production agriculture, and improves the land for future generations. He was instrumental in bringing the Leopold Conservation Award to South Dakota to recognize landowners who excel in natural resource conservation and was a leader in starting several landowner-led conservation organizations.

Faulstich is a 1968 graduate of Highmore High School and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in agriculture from South Dakota State University in 1972. He was selected for a Distinguished Achievement in Agriculture Award from the Honor Society of Gamma Sigma Delta in 2011 and the Distinguished Alumnus Award in 2015, both from South Dakota State University.

The post Faulstich Receives Honorary Doctorate appeared first on South Dakota Ag Land Trust.

Johanna Meier Della Vecchia and her late husband, Guido purchased the Oak Hills Ranch in 1996. The conservation easement culminates the pursuit of the famed couple to ensure that the property will always remain as an undeveloped place for ranching and wildlife. While the public will always benefit from the open space views of the ranch on the outskirts of Spearfish, access to the property for recreation will continue to be by permission only, the same as any other private property in South Dakota.

“After considerable study and exploration of possibilities, I have decided to create a conservation agreement with the South Dakota Agricultural Land Trust, an organization which I feel will enhance and solidify my wishes for the future of the Oak Hills Ranch,” Johanna Meier Della Vecchia said. “I think it is vitally important that Spearfish retain the value of undeveloped land close to town, which will allow for undisturbed wildlife habitat and maintenance of historical agricultural property.”

“Having lived and worked in many parts of the world, I still find the Black Hills and my community among the most beautiful and significant areas, and I am grateful that the Oak Hills Ranch has been given into my stewardship,” she went on to say. “I hope the community in which I grew up will value this decision and will join me in maintaining the sanctity of this property in perpetuity for the coming generations.”

“We are honored to have been entrusted to hold and steward this conservation easement,” said Perman. “Protection of this working ranch is an excellent example of the important role SDALT can play in preserving the future of agriculture, open spaces and conservation in our state.”

South Dakota Agricultural Land Trust is a non-profit corporation formed in 2019 to assist South Dakota’s farmers and ranchers in achieving their conservation and operational goals.

You can learn more about the Trust at www.sdaglandtrust.org

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