Our Activities & Programs
What is Community Stewardship?
At the Chinook Institute, we define ‘community stewardship’ as local people taking responsibility for the well-being of the natural landscape. It is grounded in community needs and interests, and involves taking care of the natural and cultural assets relating to the landscape for both present and future generations. Most commonly, it begins with communities identifying the ecological and cultural values of a particular place, and then taking action to protect them.
Our communities exist as an integral part of the landscape. We are a part of the natural systems that sustain us. Community stewardship recognizes the importance – to humans and all other species – of maintaining healthy communities within a healthy environment. It promotes sustainable approaches to land use and development that foster the integrity of ecosystems and wildlife habitat, of working landscapes and rural lifestyles, and of other important societal values.
Community-based stewardship involves people of diverse backgrounds and perspectives learning and working together on local initiatives, and actively participating in decisions that affect their lives. It assumes that communities that possess good information, broad-based dialogue, inspired leadership and strategic support are best able to set themselves on a path of ecological, social and economic sustainability.
Building a public understanding of the link between the environmental, social and economic needs of local people is a cornerstone of community stewardship. When people see their values and livelihoods reflected in conservation successes – whether through their jobs, recreation, politics or relationships – they develop a vested interest in further efforts to protect and manage the natural landscape. In case after case, we see that conservation efforts are most likely to succeed over the long term when local people become the conscientious care-takers of the natural assets that surround their homes. And that’s what community stewardship is all about!
Program Areas
To be effective in achieving its goal of the sustainable use, stewardship, and conservation of natural landscapes, the Chinook Institute has organized its programs around three broad themes:
Community Capacity Building and Training
- Building the capacity of communities, local organizations and private landowners to implement sustainable land use and conservation practices, through the design and delivery of educational programs and resources.
Community Assistance
- Directly assisting communities through community-based stewardship, land management and conservation projects, for example: natural asset mapping and inventories, community economic trend analysis, proactive visioning and planning strategies, and stewardship education initiatives.
Outreach and Partnerships
- Increasing public understanding through research, publications and outreach focusing on cutting edge land use and conservation trends.
- Building collaborative partnerships with community organizations, conservation groups, government, and local businesses to achieve on-the-ground stewardship and conservation results.