Summary #
Watershed stewardship means understanding and responsibly managing the natural resources within a watershed. Proper stewardship protects environmental quality, supports sustainable economic development, and reduces the need for costly reclamation later. This page introduces the concept and explains why it matters for watershed health.
What is stewardship?
To be a steward is to be charged with the care and management of something: a store, a piece of land, a house, etc… Stewardship, therefore is the process of the care and management of a natural resource (in this context). Watershed stewardship involves studying, knowing, and managing the area included in the watershed.
Why is it important?
Proper stewardship is very important. Stewardship does not mean forbidding economic development or any changes that the populous wants to make. Stewardship involves understanding and respecting the integration and interconnectedness of the watershed. Land use explains the various effects of land use practices. http://amrclearinghouse.org/Sub/WATERSHEDbasics/LandUse.htm
Once a management plan has been devised, it is possible to develop new economic opportunities within the watershed without adverse effects on the environment. Trees can still be harvested for lumber, but the method of harvesting may change to protect the watershed.
Effective stewardship also benefits future generations. Respecting the balance of the watershed reduces the likelihood of reclamation efforts being required later. In the long run, proper stewardship is extremely cost effective. Though it may involve extra cost now in changing planned activities to reduce impact on the watershed. There is a definite economic and environmental savings in the preservation of the natural watershed. Watershed reclamation is possible, this web site is devoted to AMD reclamation, however it is much easier to not have to rehabilitate your environment.
Sources/Links (as provided in the source text):
- http://amrclearinghouse.org/Sub/WATERSHEDbasics/LandUse.ht
Related Pages #
- Land Use — How different land uses affect watershed health
- Evolution of the Watershed — How watersheds change over time
- What is a Watershed? (Watershed 101)
- Riparian Buffers — What Are They? (Watershed 101)
Source and Last Reviewed #
Source: AMR Clearinghouse (amrclearinghouse.org). Migrated to AML-Connect. Last Reviewed: 2026-03-13.
[Admin note: Some external links in this article may be outdated. Verify before relying on them. Flag dead links for removal or replacement.]
Tags: watershed, stewardship, planning, practitioner
