Have you ever wondered what kind of work goes into maintaining the Nature Conservancy's lands? The answer is "stewardship."
Phil Green is the steward of The Nature Conservancy's Yellow Island preserve. Photo by Cameron Karsten
The Two-Minute Takeaway
A quick explanation of scientific terms and concepts we use regularly in conservation
Stewardship is the on-the-ground work we do to care for and manage our lands. As stewards, we take an active role in enhancing the health of our preserves, through methods like tree thinning and prescribed fire to mimic natural processes in fire-adapted lands, removing invasive vegetation to promote native species and other habitat-restoration projects.
Sometimes the work is less glamorous, though: We also have to pick up garbage, fix fences, tackle illegal activities, and generally keep tabs on what’s happening out there.
Volunteers from the Girls Explorers Club of Wild Whatcom joined Nature Conservancy staff and community volunteers to pull invasive ivy on Chuckanut Island. Photo by Milo Zorzino.
Stewardship isn’t just a job for our stewards — volunteers make stewardship happen, too! It takes a lot of people power to keep our lands thriving, and we rely on many dedicated folks to keep the weeds at bay, the trails intact, and our plants and animals protected.
