The Oxford dictionary describes stewardship as, “The job of supervising or taking care of something, such as an organization or property.” Since joining Joshua’s Trust, I’ve learned that this is much more than simply picking up litter I may find on a hike. It’s recognizing the scope of responsibility humans have in regards to our natural environment. It wouldn’t be enough for a piece of land to be protected from developers, but invasive species also pose a threat to the wildlife, and native habitat. For example, plants like Japanese barberry should be removed as much as possible to reduce the amount of disease carrying ticks. Another invasive, oriental bittersweet, choke out trees by overgrowing tightly around the trunks and branches so the trees are unable to get sufficient sunlight and water. Volunteer trail crews at Joshua’s Trust help to manage the spread of these plants to promote healthy, thriving forests on our properties.
You can exercise your environmental stewardship for the planet in everyday choices as well; Support local farms whenever possible, minimize the use of single use plastics, turn the lights off when not in use and make a choice to not participate in fast fashion. You’ve most likely heard these tips before, so why not try something new and get involved with an organization like Joshua’s Trust for a hands on experience! Our stewards oversee conserved properties by keeping the trails trimmed, free of litter, and protected from disturbances that could harm wildlife habitat. Other volunteers ensure that “easements” or private properties protected by the Trust are compliant with conservation contracts.
If you would like to learn more about how to get involved send me an email at ada.snodgrass@joshuastrust.org. We can’t wait to get back to hosting trail crews and adding more year-round volunteers! In the meantime, I hope to see out on my next hike!