Land Stewardship
Restoring native plant and animal communities.

Students planting trees at Dry Creek Preserve

Land stewardship is an essential component of Sequoia Riverlands Trust's conservation mission in the southern Sierra Nevada and San Joaquin Valley.

Stewardship involves land restoration and the replenishment, respect and continued maintenance of conserved lands.

 

Actively managing SRT-owned preserves

SRT restores and enhances wildlife habitat and scenic values on lands that have been degraded by invasions of non-native plants or by harsh uses of the land.  Long-term management strategies have been uniquely devised for each preserve, given its particular needs See “Success Stories” for specific details on stewardship plans for a particular preserve.

Land stewardship strategies may include...

• Livestock grazing: SRT implements careful land restoration plans that include conservation-minded livestock grazing techniques that uphold the legacy of our region’s working landscapes while helping to reduce invasive plant species and encourage wildlife habitation.  In effect, the grazing lessees on our conservation properties are an extenstion of the SRT land stewardship staff.
• Wetland restoration

Prescribed burning at James
Herbert Wetland Prairie Preserve
• Prescribed burning: Mimics nature’s cycles of regeneration and controls invasive species.
• Cultivation and planting of native, locally-adapted vegetation and weed control: SRT removes weeds and invasive species so that native plants and associated animals have the competitive edge they need to thrive.  SRT’s Dry Creek Native Plant Nursery supplies drought-tolerant and native plants to landowners, resource management agencies and contractors for restoration projects and landscaping. Many of the native plants are grown from seed or cuttings gathered at SRT nature preserves.  See the list of available plants, and watch for native plant sales at SRT events.
• Construction and maintenance of public access facilities like parking and trails, including the posting of interpretive signage that informs visitors of virtues of the land

Monitoring conditions of lands under conservation easements

Monitoring ensures that desired land conservation values are maintained over the long term. Monitoring conditions of lands under conservation easements to ensure that desired land conservation values are maintained over the long term.  This begins with the preparation of a baseline report describing conditions at the time the easement is granted.  Regular monitoring methods are then tailored to the specific land conservation goals of each property.

Staying current with good land management strategies

The native plant nursery at
Dry Creek Preserve

SRT regularly engages outside experts in SRT's land planning and management to exchange knowledge about the most effective and innovative technical practices available for good land stewardship. We’ve hosted and participated in numerous conferences and working groups that encourage information sharing among landowners, researchers and conservation practitioners.

We’ve also partnered with other entities on regional land conservation projects, such as the effort to eradicate Arundo donax, an introduced plant invading our local river systems.

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