photo by Eric Aldrich

The Partnership’s continued conservation responsibilities include the collaborative management of conserved properties from a landscape scale perspective that respects the integrity of the entire ecosystem. Partner organizations collaborate on stewardship activities such as resource management, public access and restoration on conserved lands.

The Stewardship Grant Program provides small grants to land trusts, municipalities and units of government for stewardship projects on protected priority lands in the Great Bay watershed. Grant funded projects implement Best Management Practices for habitat management and existing trail maintenance, and support property management planning and natural resource inventory projects.

The Partnership facilitates the sharing ideas and resources among conservation landowners to promote effective long-term resource management. Resource sharing includes everything from tractors, tools, signs, volunteer crews and technical expertise.

Landscape-scale stewardship plans assist conservation landowners manage large blocks of conserved lands. Delineated by watershed, the management plans identify common goals and guidelines for management priorities. Successful implementation of the cooperative stewardship model has been demonstrated in the 752-acre Tuttle Swamp Conservation Area (Natural Resource Management Plan for the Tuttle Swamp Watershed, 2006) and the 2,425-acre Crommet Creek Conservation Area (Crommet Creek Management Plan, 2012).