The Chuck Jarecki Rancher Land Stewardship Award recognizes ranch operators who demonstrate outstanding rangeland stewardship and contribute to the ranching profession through local, state, and national service. In 2026, the Society for Range Management awarded Darrel and Karen Sweet (Sweet Ranch) of Livermore, California with the award. Karen was able to receive the award in person at the annual meeting in Monterey, California.
Darrel and Karen Sweet exemplify rangeland stewardship excellence through five decades of innovative conservation leadership on their fifth-generation California ranch. Operating within the intense development pressures of the San Francisco Bay Area, the Sweets transformed challenges into opportunities, demonstrating that productive cattle ranching and endangered species conservation are mutually beneficial. You can learn more about their important work here!