Stewardship is the on-going, long-term commitment of time and resources to the conservation of land, and its implementation is essential to RRCT’s ability to protect land in the future. RRCT strives to practice exemplary stewardship of its lands, always protecting ecological values and when appropriate and feasible, providing compatible human uses. Important components of our stewardship will include development of a local land ethic, community involvement, and a focus on the quality of each visitor’s experiences at our preserves.
Land stewardship seeks to reconcile the ecological health of preserved lands with low-impact human uses through far-sighted management. A major component of land trust stewardship includes annually ensuring that the terms of conservation easements are met, and helping landowners meet those terms. Stewardship also entails managing invasive plants, maintaining trails and public access, developing property management plans, and ensuring that ongoing land uses do not jeopardize the ecological integrity of the landscape. In all of these endeavors, RRCT’s Stewardship Program welcomes the time and energy of volunteers!
Our 2015 stewardship work plan is focused on trail planning and construction at Pisgah Hill Preserve in New Gloucester, and re-aligned parking and trails at Littlejohn Island Presere in Yarmouth, along with continued work managing invasive plants.
Our stewardship staff and volunteers also monitor all of our conservation and trail easements annually, to guarantee that the goals of those easements are being realized.
We always need volunteers for stewardship activities. If interested please be sure to contact our Stewardship Director, Kyle Warren, at 632-6112.
Come join us.
