Land Steward: A Management Planning Course
March 1 @ 8:00 am – May 6 @ 5:00 pm
Tualatin SWCD is excited to host OSU Extension’s Land Steward Short Course. This 9 week program provides Washington County land owners and managers with tools, resources, and guidance to help them craft a practical management plan for their property.
The course is a blend of self-paced online modules, virtual check-ins, and in-person field trips. Participants will develop property management and planning skills, see real-life examples of stewardship practices, network with other land managers in Washington County, and meet local natural resource professionals and learn how they can support you. At the completion of the course, participants will have a deeper understanding of their site conditions as well as a plan to put into action.
Topics covered include:
- Woodland and pasture management
- Wildfire preparedness
- Creating healthy soil and wildlife habitat
- Water systems and stream management
- Economics and enterprise
Schedule at a glance:
- March 1st, in-person evening orientation
- Weekly, self-guided online lesson and activity
- Optional, weekly Zoom “study-hall”
- April 8th, in-person woodland field day
- May 1st, in-person agricultural field day
Frequently Asked Questions:
I don’t own or manage a large or rural property; can I still participate?
Yes! The course explores natural resource management practices and issues that affect our region and its residents. Although weekly assignments involve learning about a specific property’s characteristics and conditions, people without their own land can participate by studying a public natural area or a friend’s property.
How much time per week does this course require?
This is a self-guided, choose your own adventure program. At a minimum, participants can expect to spend about two hours per weekly online lesson and related activities. Modules contain a wealth of resources to be explored should participants choose to take a deeper dive. Most supplemental materials are available to download and can be reviewed on your own time during or after the course.
Some of the course topics don’t apply to me, do I need to complete everything?
No. This course is meant to help you develop a management plan that is specific to your property and needs. If a module covers topics that are unrelated to your objectives, there is no need to complete that module.
Several members of my family are interested in the course. Can we participate together?
Yes! Families, couples, and partners are welcome to attend together and work through the materials as a team. For registration purposes, we ask that only one member register.
Although Tualatin SWCD does not charge a fee for workshops or events, this program is produced by OSU Extension. As such, it requires a one time enrollment fee to Oregon State University. Tualatin SWCD will subsidize a portion of the registration fee for Washington County residents.
Enter the code, SWCD60, at checkout to reduce the fee from $150 to $60.
For technical difficulties with registration, please contact the OSU Enrollment Team at pace@oregonstate.edu or 541-737-4197
For general questions about the course, please contact Annie Bronez at annie.bronez@tualatinswcd.org