Decorah's Larry Berland Named 2025 Conservation Teacher of the Year

Your financial contribution empowers watchdog reporting that protects and informs us all. AMES, Iowa — At the 79th Annual Conference of the Soil and Water Conservation Districts of Iowa, held Monday, Aug. 25 at the Gateway Conference Center in Ames, Decorah High School's Larry Berland was honored with the 2025 Conservation Teacher of the Year award. The award was presented by Linette Bernard, Project Coordinator for the Iowa Conservation Education Coalition, in recognition of Berland's decades of leadership in environmental education and conservation. Berland has served as coach of Decorah High School's Envirothon program since its inception in 2000. That first team of five students went on to win the Iowa State competition and represent the state at the international contest in Nova Scotia, Canada. Since then, Berland's teams have won the state title seven times, including the 2025 championship, and competed nationally and internationally—most recently in Calgary, Alberta, Canada this July. During the 2024-25 school year, more than 80 Decorah High School students participated in the extracurricular Envirothon program under Berland's guidance. In all, more than 1,000 students have been involved since the program began. Berland also leads field days where students learn firsthand about soils, wildlife, forestry and aquatics. Beyond the classroom, Berland has long been an advocate and practitioner of conservation. On his farmland near Preston, Minnesota, he maintains wetlands, CRP prairie, and forestry projects. He and his wife have supported a CanDo scholarship for Decorah High School graduates since 2010, and in 2024, they established the CanDo Environmental Fund through the Winneshiek County Community Foundation to support environmental projects and scholarships for students pursuing environmental science. Berland previously received the 2001 Schultz Memorial Soil Conservation Distinguished Service Award, further testimony to his lifelong commitment to conservation. Become a part of the exclusive circle! Subscribe to the newsletter for free and gain access to special offers, bonus content and insider perks.