Land Stewardship

We expand conservation practices on public and private lands to preserve both natural and working landscapes throughout the Midwest.

Publications

State of Land Stewardship in Illinois

July 1, 2019

Land Tenure and Conservation in Agriculture

May 1, 2019

Integrated Strategies to Reduce Nutrient Loss and Regenerate Soils

December 1, 2017

Preparing for Long-Term Stewardship: A Dual Approach for Illinois

November 1, 2016

Projects

Examining the State of Land Stewardship in Illinois

Roughly 50,000 acres of the 1.5 million total acres of conserved land in Illinois are owned by non-governmental conservation groups, also known as conservation land trusts. Traditionally, conservation land trusts have protected land, often restored it, and later transferred it to government entities for long-term ownership, which effectively transfers the responsibility of land stewardship to those governmental entities.

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Reducing Water Pollution through Agricultural Conservation in Western Michigan

Delta Institute is leading a coalition of partners to implement best management practices in the Rabbit River watershed, a tributary to the Kalamazoo River, Michigan. Up to 4,500 acres of highly erosive lands will be addressed through cover crops, exclusion fencing, no-till and mulch-till practices to reduce sediment loading by 1.5 million pounds annually.

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Land Tenure and Conservation in Agriculture

Agricultural land management decisions are situated within a complex and interconnected system, influenced by a suite of social and economic factors, many of which are difficult to control. Landowners can, but often don’t, take it upon themselves to drive stewardship of their land. This report focuses on land ownership and tenure as levers to increase conservation and rebuild soil health in the Midwest, where over 50% of the agricultural land is leased. 

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