The Role of Landowners. Our Choices and the Consequences

Size: px

Start display at page:

Download "The Role of Landowners. Our Choices and the Consequences"

Rose Cannon
7 years ago
Views:

1 The Role of Landowners Our Choices and the Consequences

2 Healthy Land

3 What is Healthy Land?

4 Healthy Lands Means Healthy and Abundant Waters

5 Keeping water on the land longer

6 Healthy Land Means Productive and Profitable Agriculture

7 Healthy Land Means Good Wildlife Habitat

9 Healthy Land is Good for Many Species

10 Healthy Land is Beautiful

11 Healthy Land Benefits All Texans

12 Healthy Land Means Managed Land

13 Wildlife Mgt Economics Stewardship Infrastructure Plant Cover Ethics Gov. Programs Litter Cover Soil Condition Erosion Tradition & Culture Water Quality Infiltration Runoff Labor Family Land Health is Complex Landowner Objectives Regulatory Estate Issues Bare Ground Plant Diversity Marketing & Profitability Rainfall & Drought Recharge & Sustained Flows Grazing Mgt

14 Land Stewardship The Backbone for sustaining the natural resources and natural values of Texas

15 What is Land Stewardship?

16 Land Stewardship is not a list of practices

19 Aldo Leopold John Chip Merrill Mr. Land Stewardship

20 Leopold: It is inconceivable to me that an ethical relation to the land can exist without love, respect, and admiration for land, and a high regard for its value. Merrill: One cannot work closely with the land for very long without developing a deep respect and appreciation for its character and capabilities.

21 Man s Relation to the Land Deep respect Appreciation Character & Capability Ethical relationship Love Admiration High regard

23 Land Stewardship: A deeply held inner conviction that motivates landowners to care for and sustain the land entrusted to them... not only for personal benefit, or for the benefit of future generations, but also for the benefits to society

24 JX RANCH Ranch Stewardship.... we realize that the decisions we make on this ranch have a rippling effect... Our goal is to improve the ecological health of the land, while at the same time making a living for ourselves...

25 A land ethic reflects the existence of an ecological conscience, and this in turn reflects a conviction of individual responsibility for the health of land.

26 An ethic, ecologically, is a limitation of freedom of action. - Leopold

27 We consider ourselves tenants and stewards of the land, rather than owners

29 Land Stewardship Knowledge Skills & Ability Commitment Perseverance Investment Big Picture Realistic Integrity

30 Stewardship Lands Diverse Stable Resilient In Balance Productive Profitable Functional Self Sustaining

31 Flexibility Innovation Creativity

32 Clear Thinking Moderation Balance

33 Choices

34 Consequences

35 Try to anticipate the consequences and side effects of our decisions

36 Land Water - Stewardship Connection

37 In the primitive state of the country, the mountains and hills were covered with soil and there was an abundance of timber.

38 The plains were full of rich earth, bearing an abundance of food for cattle. Moreover, the land reaped the benefit of the annual rainfall; receiving the rainfall into herself and storing it up in the soil.

39 The land let off the water into the hollows which it absorbed from the heights, providing everywhere abundant fountains and rivers.

40 Ancient Greece, prior to 400 BC Such was the state of the country, which was cultivated by true husbandmen, who made husbandry their business; with a soil the best in the world and an abundance of water.

41 In comparison of what then was, there now remain only the bones of the wasted body. All the richer and softer parts of the soil have fallen away a single night of excessive rain now washes away the earth and lays bare the rock. Now the land is losing the water, which flows off the bare earth into the sea.

42 Water Comes From the Land

43 As the land goes, so goes the water

45 Don t pray for rain if you can t take care of what you get R. E. Dickson

46 Make the Most of Your Rain

47 Land Stewardship helps process and protect the water of Texas: Absorbing the rainfall Storing the water (soil health) Releasing the water in moderation Prolonging base flows Maintaining high quality water

49 Poor Stewardship also Processes the Waters of Texas Fast runoff Reduced infiltration Reduced storage Flashy stream flow Poor water quality

51 Those who do not understand nature are destined to deplete it

52 Those who understand nature best are compelled to conserve it

53 Education & Understanding

54 Healthy Land; Good Stewardship Sustainable Agriculture Clean Water Sustained Flows Fish and Wildlife Habitat Natural Beauty Recreation

56 Next Workshop Sept 25 Understanding Creeks and Rivers

64 Water Shedding Creek Water Catching Creek

How To Plan A Buffer Zone

How To Plan A Buffer Zone Backyard Buffers Protecting Habitat and Water Quality What is a buffer? A buffer (also called a riparian buffer area or zone) is the strip of natural vegetation along the bank of a stream, lake or other