A Nova Scotia-based family farm has been named the winner of The Environmental Stewardship Award (TESA) for 2024.

Holdanca Farms, near Wallace Bay on the north shore of Nova Scotia, is operated by the father-daughter team of John and Maria Duynisveld. The farm has been recognized for its ongoing commitment to sustainable farming practices that balance environmental conservation with agricultural productivity.

The 500-acre farm is focused on raising grass-fed cattle, sheep, pastured pigs, and poultry, but half of the acreage is a managed, biodiverse native woodlot, home to many wildlife species. They’ve recorded over 1,000 wild species on their property, with help from the public through a bio blitz, a focused, biological surveying event where people attempt to record all living species within a designated area through an app on their phones.