home   about AIPC   contact us   who should care

What is stewardship? The term dates from the 15th century and originally referred to the responsibility of servants to bring food and drink to castle dining halls (Wikipedia), and over time was expanded to generally mean the careful and responsible management of something entrusted to one's care (Merriam-Webster). Today the stewardship of natural resources could be defined as "the responsible use (including conservation) of natural resources in a way that takes full and balanced account of the interests of society, future generations, and other species, as well as of private needs, and accepts significant answerability to society."*

To be good steward requires the desire and knowledge.

  * Richard Worrell and Michael C. Appleby, Stewardship of Natural Resources: Definition, Ethical and Practical Aspects, Institute of Ecology and Resource Management, University of Edinburgh.

Stewardship – a working definition…
According to the Land Stewardship Resource Centre, “A basic working definition of land stewardship could be the practice of carefully managing land usage to ensure natural systems are maintained or enhanced for future generations. However, this doesn't at all capture what underpins the action of ‘carefully managing land-usage’.”¹

They consider there are Four Guiding Principles of carefully managing land-usage:

1. Caring for the system as a whole – understanding the fundamental roles and values of natural systems, building up biological fertility in the soil, incorporating an understanding of the ecological cycles on the landscape (water, energy, nutrients) and how land-use practices can either benefit, be in harmony, or negatively impact these cycles and other land-users, flora and fauna.

2. Resource conservation – maximizing efficiency and striving to reduce the one-time consumption of renewable and non-renewable resources; aiming for long-term optimization versus short-term maximization of production.

3. Wildlife habitat conservation – maintaining, building and enhancing stability in Nature - maintain and encourage natural biological diversity and complexity; maintaining natural areas and functions on the land.

4. Cultural values and ethics - caring for the health of the land for future generations and long-term economic stability; the link between civilization, urbanization, and the land-base and ecosystems that are vital to survival; the intrinsic value and right to exist of all life on Earth.

It is this last principle, Cultural Values and Ethics, where the very essence of land stewardship exists….Land stewardship is about re-connecting with our dependence on earth, air, water and sunshine - and the abundance of life it supports.

Land stewardship is about re-discovering our long-forgotten natural 'instincts' of awe and respect for Nature….Finally, land stewardship is about preserving "the capacity of the land for self-renewal".²

1 Land Stewardship Resource Centre
2 Ibid.

Stewardship Organizations

Alberta Conservation Association

Land Stewardship Resource Centre

Foothills Restoration Forum

Cows and Fish

Ducks Unlimited Canada

Alberta Council for Environmental Education

Alberta Government

Alberta Fish & Game Association

Alberta Stewardship Network

Nature Alberta (Federation of Alberta Naturalists)

Nature Conservancy of Canada (Alberta)

Trout Unlimited Canada (Alberta)

Worthy of Note

Pigeon Lake Watershed Association takes action against Himalayan Balsam

Resources

A Decision-making Guide for Invasive Species Program Managers - Continental Dialogue on Non-Native Forest Insects and Diseases

The Great Reshuffling: Human Dimensions of Invasive Alien Species. A collection of essays published by The World Conservation Union.

Invasive Management Plan. Condensed from Invasive Alien Species: A Toolkit of Best Prevention and Management Practices.