The work of stewardship never ends.
But we’re not complaining.
What is farmland stewardship?
Stewardship is the practice of caring for a property over time. For us, stewarding land means ensuring preserved farms stay protected forever. To do this, our staff members perform annual monitoring visits to each of our preserved properties.
How It Works
Think of monitoring visits like a yearly check-up.
Our staff (or volunteers) visit each of our farms to check that the property, soil, and water are in good health. On these visits, we ensure that best management practices are being followed, soil has not been paved over, and there are no violations to our preservation agreement. We also verify that waterways, woodland, and other important ecosystems are clean and undisturbed.
Why do we monitor properties?
When Lancaster Farmland Trust preserves a farm, we do so in perpetuity. From that moment on, we assume the responsibility for stewarding that land throughout the life of the farm—following up EVERY year to ensure that the land remains available for agricultural use. Protecting land is about more than just limiting development: It requires a mission-driven commitment and a legal obligation to enforce our easements and maintain the land forever.
Save the land you love.
