Environmental stewardship refers to the responsible use of, protection and enhancement of natural resources. It involves efforts by individuals or families as well as communities to preserve, sustain, or improve the health local natural resources. Local environmental stewardship may be accomplished through actions and activities such as maintaining or creating community gardens, removing invasive species, volunteering to clean up the public space, observing wildlife habitats or participating in cleanup events for the watershed. It can also involve the community in planning policies and decisions that affect the environment on the local or state level. The literature on stewardship in academia offers a wide range of insights into the variables that affect the results. These include strategies for sustainable livelihoods, CBNRM and adaptive co-management, as well as concepts of a socio-ecological system and ecological sustainability.
In general, stewardship actions are driven by the desire to accomplish environmental or social goals (e.g. increasing biodiversity, restoring habitats which are in decline, or preserving wildlife or fishing catches). The process of setting goals often involves considering the desired benefits, costs and risks of stewardship decisions. Economic motivations include the desire to receive external rewards or avoid sanctions including financial incentives to stewardship activities that reduce environmental impact and market premiums for products that are environmentally sustainable and fines for violations of regulated resource uses (Wunder 2007).
A more comprehensive view of environmental stewardship is to consider the notion of civic engagement, which is a form of environmental stewardship. Communities or individuals can take action to improve the environmental quality by following a pattern of reflection, practice, and https://mountaincountryfarm.com/what-is-environmental-stewardship/ research. This cycle helps them master concepts, skills and beliefs that empower them to engage in environmental stewardship in their everyday life (Stern 2000 offsite link).