Lakehead University

Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada

Students from Lakehead University are studying to gain an even broader comprehension of protected areas, through an understanding of stewardship on non-government owned land. We explore the system of land trust; standard tools and practices of stewardship; Indigenous ways of stewarding the land; of the benefits and disadvantages of private stewardship in protecting ecological integrity; and more with the goal of eventually designing and/or evaluating a land stewardship plan. This program has offered our students the opportunity to learn about the ecological, cultural, and traditional requirements land use practices on non-government lands. As part of Lakehead's School of Outdoor Recreation, Parks, and Tourism, students will examine the role of private stewardship in the provision of sustainable outdoor recreation activities and the protection of ecological integrity, as achieved using voluntary land conservancy options.