Lessons Leopoldfrom Foundation (www.aldoleopold.org) What is Land Stewardship? Photo courtesy of the Aldo Leopold BY STEVE NELLE

Individual ethics is the basis of land conservation. It is hard to make a man do a thing which does not spring naturally from his own personal sense of right and wrong. A land ethic refl ects the existence of an ecological conscience. Conservation can accomplish its objectives only when it springs from an impelling conviction on the part of private landowners.

he quotes above from Aldo by land ethics, and these in turn are what may not bring financial return. Leopold form the basis for what drive our decisions and activities on In 1949, Leopold lamented that as far as we now call land stewardship. the land. he could tell, no ethical obligations toward TThe subject of land stewardship has I have had the privilege of working with the land were being taught by schools, gained a great deal of positive attention many Texas landowners over the last 40 agricultural colleges, land bureaus or in the last decade, but although the term years and have learned a lot from them. extension services. This deficiency is commonly used, it has seldom been While not all landowners demonstrate no doubt slowed the development of clearly defined. responsible land ethics, those that do are stewardship ethics in America. But fast When a phrase comes into such popular living examples of what genuine land forward 60 plus years, and that gap is now use, there is a danger of it becoming merely stewardship looks like. They have taught being filled; and in Texas, TWA has taken an overused buzzword, obscuring some of me that the land steward is primarily the primary leadership role. Our TWA its true meaning. This lesson will offer a a caretaker of the land. They inwardly leaders, staff and directors understand definition of land stewardship based on consider themselves to be the custodians what genuine land stewardship is. the ideas of Leopold and examples from of the land entrusted to them rather As we begin a new year, it is fitting that Texas landowners. than owners of the land. I have observed we remind ourselves that a strong emphasis First, we should mention what land a strong sense of humility, respect, on conservation and stewardship is one of stewardship is not. Land stewardship is not admiration and love expressed toward the TWA’s cornerstones. If you have not done a list of practices, such as brush control, land by these stewards. so recently, take a few minutes to explore prescribed burning, rotational grazing Based on my experiences with Texas land the Conservation Legacy tab on the TWA or native grass planting. These may be stewards and the ideas of Aldo Leopold, website. Here you will find a summary of components of good land management, I offer the following as a definition of the many programs, events and initiatives but they are not synonymous with land stewardship: Land stewardship is a designed by TWA to promote land stewardship. Land stewardship is not deeply held inner conviction that compels stewardship to youth and adults. about awards, gate signs, banquets and and inspires people to be responsible Everyone— city folks, country folks, public recognition. Land stewardship is caretakers of the land entrusted to them. children, adults, hunters, birders, about a person’s relationship to the land. The motivation for this stewardship is fishermen and anyone else who benefits Stewardship is about who you are on based on three essential things: present from healthy land—needs to understand the inside. benefits to the landowner; benefits to the importance of land stewardship. Pitch Leopold stated that true conservation future generations; and the benefits that in and volunteer when the opportunity springs from inner convictions about accrue to society outside the boundary of arises. There is no issue more important to the land. He proposed that these inner the land. Genuine land stewardship has a the future of Texas than the conservation convictions originate from an ecological strong element of benevolence. The land and stewardship of our lands, waters and conscience that defines right and wrong. steward realizes that what they do on the wildlife. Leopold taught that stewardship is driven land benefits others in ways that may or

WRITER’S NOTE: Aldo Leopold (1887—1948) is considered the father of modern wildlife management. More importantly, he developed and described many of the concepts of conservation, ecology and stewardship of natural resources. Leopold was an amazingly astute observer of the land and man’s relationship to the land. His writings have endured the test of time and have proven to be remarkably prophetic and relevant to today’s issues. Th is bimonthly column will feature thought-provoking philosophies of Aldo Leopold, as well as commentary.

20 TEXAS WILDLIFE JANUARY 2017