STEWARDSHIP
Caring for the Land
We believe that caring for the land goes beyond acquisition. We utilize many tools and methods in order to help us steward the land so that it can be healthy and resilient into the future.
Manage
-
Our land stewardship team works to improve the health of our conserved lands in diverse ways; from projects on the land to consulting with government agencies and other conservation professionals. We utilize tools such as pile burns, grazing, and invasive plant removal as part of our adaptive management approach.
-
We care for these lands according to their ecological and cultural aspects. We do this with many principles in mind: climate resiliency, creating contiguous spaces of habitat to preserve species, preserving open space for California’s 30x30 initiative, holding space for wildlife corridors, providing educational spaces for the community, and preserving these places for future generation.
Monitor
-
Our field team and volunteers monitor our lands each year and throughout the year to document, record data, photograph and survey the conditions of each property. We repair access roads, trail systems, safeguard the natural resources such as springs, monitor sensitive wildlife and plant populations, and adapt our management techniques as necessary for the good of the land.
-
We visit properties on foot, and combine that with the latest drone imagery, satellite imagery and remote monitoring technology in order obtain the most holistic view of each property. Monitoring helps us stay informed of the health of the land, as well as what needs our attention.
Research and Restore
-
We utilize adaptive management, various land management techniques, and a scientific approach in caring for the land. We consult with others in and outside our field to obtain the best information and make the most informed decisions. We utilize scientific research to guide our studies, data collection, and land management goals. In turn, our studies help other organizations such as the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Bureau of Land Management, and our other invaluable partners. We pursue active management and restoration where applicable to our desert lands to repair illegal OHV routes, remove invasive plant species, graze and conduct prescribed burns to reduce invasive plant fuel loads and protect our local communities, as well as re-plant habitat that was burned in the Lake Fire of 2020.
-
We believe in learning and being apprised of the most up to date techniques in order to benefit and care for our lands and our local communities. We also believe in cooperation with other agencies and assisting others with our research and findings.