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Defining "Stewardship"
According to Webster’s dictionary, stewardship is the process of managing another’s affairs or property. For The Nature Conservancy, stewardship is as dynamic as the species and landscapes we attempt to manage. It is not as simple as “managing” property, but as complex as understanding the web of life and what drives it.
The goal of stewardship is to sustain the existing diversity of species and natural processes that shape a landscape, or to restore them where they have been removed. Most preserves are too small and fragmented to host all natural processes to which the flora and fauna are adapted and under which the species evolved. Most preserves need active biological management to maintain their native species and natural communities. To be effective, biological management needs to be informed by sound science. But, stewardship is also an art. Much of the natural world is simply an unknown that requires a blend of observation, experimentation and careful consideration in which hypotheses are tested to help us understand how we are affecting the biota.
Stewardship in Montana is a blend of property management, active biological management, ecological monitoring and research. Property management is the simplest of these tasks, consisting of activities such as fencing, posting and patrolling. Active biological management on Montana preserves involves various techniques such as livestock grazing, exotic species control and biohydrology. Both prescribed burning and restoration are management techniques that will increase in importance over the next couple of years. Ecological monitoring is used to determine if these techniques are meeting the desired objectives, whereas research is used to answer questions about species or communities, such as response to management techniques, impacts by exotic species and life history.
Big Hole River Restoration for Arctic Grayling
Ranchers, conservationists and agencies are working together to restore the Upper Big Hole River, home to the last native river-dwelling Arctic Grayling in the Lower 48.
Lake-Dwelling Arctic Grayling Getting a Boost in the Centennial Valley
The Conservancy is leading efforts to restore a major spawning stream for one of the last native lake-dwelling populations of Arctic grayling.
Piping Plovers Recover in the Great Plains
Efforts to restore piping plover habitat in northeastern Montana and western North Dakota have resulted in a huge increase in the plover populations.
Ranchers form Stewardship Alliance
Ranchers in South Phillips County, in the vicinity of the Conservancy's Matador Ranch, have formed the Ranchers Stewardship Alliance.
Land stewardship on the Rocky Mountain Front
Stewardship staff on the Front are working with landowners and other partners to promote grassland health for wildlife and for ranching.
Fire helps regenerate grassland at Dancing Prairie
The Conservancy uses prescribing burning to help regenerate grass at the Dancing Prairie Preserve in northwestern Montana.
Grassbanking north of the Missouri
The Conservancy and about a dozen ranchers in southern Phillips County have developed a successful model for ranching and conservation: the Matador Grassbank
Seeking fish-friendly agriculture
The Conservancy and other agencies are supporting an effort by an agricultural producer to build a fish-bypass canal around a dam, thereby opening up native spawning areas for warm water fish in eastern Montana.
Taking on weeds
Noxious weeds such as spotted knapweed and leafy spurge crowd out palatable forage for livestock and wildlife. The Conservancy is actively working with landowners across Montana on weed control stragegies.
Keeping land intact through conservation agreements
Voluntary conservation agreements are a way for private landowners to keep their lands intact. Centennial Valley landowners Steve and Bonnie Hess signed a conservation easement as a way to keep their land in the family.
Defining Stewardship
The Conservancy strives to sustain the existing diversity of species and natural processes that shape a landscape. This is its philosophy of stewardship.
Conservation & Ranching
The Nature Conservancy is committed to working with ranchers and landowners who make their living on the land.
Stewardship Activities For Grizzly Bear Conservation
Imagine a silver-tipped grizzly bear, master of his domain, roaming free along the wild, wind-swept edge of the Bob Marshall wilderness. Now imagine a mud-spattered pickup truck, victim of the terrain, bouncing slowly over a two-track road, in its bed a semi-bloated, fully deceased cow about to be unceremoniously dumped on the prairie.
