Land Stewardship
Acting on behalf of land, life, diversity, and community
 

Land Steward Program The Land Steward program is an innovative strategy growing out of the unique challenges facing nature preservation in the East. The goal of the program is to find people to occupy houses on the perimeter of the Sanctuary who love the natural landscape and are willing to live lightly on the land.

We think acting on behalf of land, life and biodiversity is the highest form of earth stewardship attainable by human beings today.

A Land Steward Life-style All kinds of people are attracted to land stewardship -- with a diversity of vocations, income levels, and philosophies. The bridge that forms the connection among all of us is our love for the land and our willingness to surrender control and dominion over it. Aspects of humanity that are shared in common among most land stewards seem to be: humility, a deep respect for life and the intelligence of life processes, recognition that humanity has lots to learn, a natural pursuit of lifestyles that have less negative impact on other living species, and a true love for the diversity of all life. All in all, land stewards delight in leaving the land just "be", turning off the security lights and watching the stars, limiting the disturbance on native wildlife, seeking organic methods of food production and lawn care, and a sincere love and delight in the diversity of creatures with which we share the earth.

Program Details  When a property with a house is acquired, interested land stewards purchase a life-long right to reside in the house, allowing the remaining land to stay in its natural state as part of the Sanctuary. Restrictions are included in the lease contract that request Land Stewards to avoid using bug zappers, outdoor soil chemicals, security lights,  and off-road vehicles. Cats and dogs are limited in number and must be spayed and neutered. Land Stewards usually adopt caretaking duties on the site such as protecting the boundaries, maintaining nature  trails, and picking up litter. Upon death of the Land Stewards, the house reverts back into Sanctuary’s hands, either to be cycled through another life-lease, or dismantled as part of a long-term plan to fully reclaim wilderness to the area. 

Land Stewardship is not for everyone. All participating Land Stewards have all come to terms with the understanding that they do not own the land outright, but rather borrow it for their lifetime. They have all the advantages of ownership except for two key points — the land cannot be sold, nor can it be willed to the children. On the other hand, Stewards don’t have to worry about anyone taking their home away from them, as the lease is carefully constructed to be non-transferable and therefore an unseizable asset. In this sense, a life lease offers exceptional security. For many of the Land Stewards, leaving behind the American dream of owning land as the ultimate investment, turned out not to be a sacrifice but rather an emancipation.  

The Land Steward program provides an important endowment for the long-range future of the Highlands Nature Sanctuary. It is one of the Sanctuary’s most important strategies for future financial stability, the program operating as a ‘green’ and socially responsible investment that appreciates over time. If you think for a moment the dilemma a nature organization faces as it tries to find appropriate mutual funds in which to invest its endowments, you will begin to see the elegance of investing in the Land Steward program. Stewards, in the simple process of purchasing the right to live in a house, perform a role of being outstanding long-term philanthropists. When it comes to their legacy, the world and all of its denizens are the beneficiaries.

If the idea of Land Stewardship interests you, now or in the future, contact us: Please note: We are solely interested in preserving land along the Arc of Appalachia and are not realtors. Other than preserving the land, we do not benefit from partnering with land stewards, and cannot assist people who simply wish to live near the Sanctuary. Because of our limited time and our focus on preservation, we can only meet with people who have a sincere interest in the land steward program, and will only visit potential properties with people who have sought detailed knowledge of the program and find the stewardship philosophy appealing. If you are interested in learning more about the program, call Larry Henry, Field Naturalist and Land Coordinator, at 937-402-7309. Interested parties usually begin with a phone conversation to ascertain goals and dreams, followed by a on-site orientation to the Sanctuary, detailed discussion of the program, and a tour of existing land steward projects -- including an opportunity to talk to other land stewards. We also recommend that you sign up for our e-magazine which notifies subscribers of land steward opportunities as they arise.