Defining the Science of Stewardship

According to Webster’s dictionary, stewardship is the process of managing another’s affairs or property. For the Lake George Land 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 land stewardship for the Lake George Land Conservancy is to protect the water quality of Lake George through land management practices and 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 flora and fauna are adapted and under which the species evolved. Therefore, many preserves need active biological management to maintain their native species and natural communities.

Stewardship on Lake George is a blend of property management, active biological management, ecological monitoring and research.