Stewardship Assessment and Mapping Project
What is STEW-MAP?
The Stewardship Mapping and Assessment Project (STEW-MAP) of the Thomas Jefferson Planning District is a survey and public database designed to map where stewardship groups work and how they are connected, with the goal of strengthening community capacity for environmental stewardship within the region. STEW-MAP was developed by the USDA Forest Service in New York in 2007. Since then, the framework has utilized from Seattle to Beijing. Each project is conducted separately by a local research team in partnership with local agencies and organizations.
STEW-MAP addresses the questions:
- Who are the environmental stewardship groups in the region?
- Where do they work, how do they collaborate and what type of work do they do?
- Where are there gaps and where are there concentrations of care?
What is a Stewardship Group?
The developers of the STEW-MAP program at the USDA Forest Service define a “stewardship group” as a group that works to conserve, manage, transform, fund or provide in kind material support, monitor, advocate and/or educate others about their local environments. Groups include neighborhood organizations, nonprofits, educational institutions, government organizations, contractors, and others supporting stewardship within the region. Are you a part of a local stewardship group and interested in learning more? Go to the bottom of the page to review the kickoff meeting further detailing the project.
Educate
Monitor
Fund
Transform
Conserve
Advocate
Manage
How does my organization get involved?
The TJPDC staff has completed robust research into the stewards working within the region and is sharing the voluntary 15-30 minute STEW-MAP survey in April of 2023 via email to the identified groups. One person representing each organization (or for larger groups, one person per department), will complete the survey for the entire group. As these stewards complete the survey and share more information about the stewardship groups they partner with, any newly identified groups will be contacted and receive the survey. Completing the online survey for the organization is all that it takes to get on the map! Please contact iobrien@tjpdc.org with any questions.
What are the benefits?
- Maps and STEW-MAP databases highlight stewardship gaps and overlaps
- Natural resource managers, funders, policymakers, civic groups, and members of the public understand where environmental stewards are in a landscape of interest
- Strengthens partnerships among stakeholders of similar focus areas
- Enhances citizen monitoring programs
- Strengthen disaster preparedness and response, from heat waves to riverine flooding
- Helps stewards develop stronger funding proposals
- Promote greater community engagement with on the ground stewardship
What is the project area?
For the TJPDC STEW-MAP Project, the focus is groups working on land and water stewardship in the Thomas Jefferson Planning District. Thomas Jefferson Planning District serves these six jurisdictions by providing regional vision, collaborative leadership, and professional services which include planning, technical assistance, data gathering, and grant administration.
