Building a
Stewardship Economy
Every community has assets worth stewarding — its land, water, businesses, people, knowledge, and traditions.
There is no single blueprint. The work begins with the people, priorities, and possibilities unique to your place. By continually reinvesting in that foundation, communities can build healthy landscapes, strong local businesses, meaningful livelihoods, and greater resilience together.
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THE ROLE OF COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP
Local Knowledge. Shared Responsibility. Lasting Change.
Stewardship economies are built by people who understand their communities and have a stake in their future.
County commissioners, ranchers, business owners, nonprofit directors, Tribal leaders, educators, and community members all have important roles to play.
Some bring technical expertise. Others connect people, organize projects, develop businesses, or advocate for public investment.
What matters is the ability to connect these contributions around a shared vision for the future.
EFFECTIVE COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP HELPS
Build trust among people with different interests and perspectives.
Identify shared natural resource and economic priorities.
Connect existing projects, businesses, and organizations.
Create opportunities for local participation and leadership.
Turn individual efforts into coordinated, long-term community development.
Five Ways Community Leaders Can Advance Stewardship
COMMUNITY GUIDE
Building a
Stewardship Economy
A Community
Guide
A practical guide and framework for regional development professionals ready to build durable, place-based economies rooted in the health of the natural resources and the rural communities that steward them.
These recommendations are adapted from the Community Guide, with examples from communities across the rural West.
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One of the most effective ways to build support for stewardship is to help people experience it firsthand.
Field tours, restoration days, educational events, and community projects can bring people together around shared interests and visible results.
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Every community has a story about its relationship with the land and the people who care for it.
Sharing these stories helps residents recognize the economic, cultural, and ecological value of local stewardship activities.
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Local and regional policy decisions influence land management, business opportunities, infrastructure, and access to funding.
Building relationships with elected and appointed officials before support is urgently needed can help create a stronger foundation for stewardship activities.
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Strong relationships are among a community’s most valuable assets.
Gatherings create opportunities for residents, businesses, landowners, and organizations to exchange knowledge, identify shared concerns, and develop partnerships.
Not every gathering needs a formal agenda. Cultural events, community festivals, and informal conversations can be just as valuable for building trust and participation.
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Communities do not have to build stewardship economies alone.
Regional partnerships can provide technical assistance, connect communities with funding opportunities, strengthen policy advocacy, and help local leaders learn from others facing similar challenges.
ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR COMMUNITY IN ACTION
Connecting Stewardship to the Local Economy
Once community relationships and priorities begin to take shape, leaders can explore opportunities across the five cornerstones of a Stewardship Economy.
Local Businesses & Value-Added Production
Connect restoration and conservation work to local contractors, producers, and businesses. Explore investments in small-scale processing, local markets, and infrastructure that help retain more economic value.
Land & Water Stewardship
Strengthen collaboration among landowners, agencies, and community organizations to address wildfire risk, watershed health, habitat restoration, and climate resilience.
Policy & Public Investment
Work with local, state, Tribal, and federal partners to identify policies and programs that support community priorities and long-term stewardship.
Education, Training & Research
Create pathways for youth employment, apprenticeships, mentorship, and technical training. Partner with educational and research institutions to strengthen local knowledge and innovation.
Access to Capital
Explore ways to combine public programs, philanthropic investment, private financing, and local funding mechanisms to support businesses, projects, and community capacity.
Start With What You Have. Build Toward What You Need.
A Stewardship Economy does not require every cornerstone to be in place before a community can begin.
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