Developing a Stewardship Management Plan

The Stewardship Management Plan identifies the natural features of the land and states the owner’s long term goals for the property. While the Stewardship Management Plan is comprehensive, it must also be flexible, since the natural features of property may change through time. Issues to be considered could be public access, education or recreation, agricultural uses and timber harvesting, species and ground water protection, for example. Some properties may simply require regular monitoring, while others may require extensive restoration work, and ongoing maintenance. Typically the Plan:

• addresses the unique natural features of the land;
  
  
• establishes clear objectives and prioritizes goals;
  
  
• addresses particular problems that might appear in the future as a result of surrounding development or invasive species encroachment, for example;
  
  
• outlines an implementation plan and responsibilities; and
  
  
• creates a financial plan for implementation.