Stewardship Salons Guide

Stewardship Salons are collaborative learning spaces that foster a relational, practitioner network for voices in natural resources care and stewardship that:

• Transcend institutional hierarchies and organizational boundaries to build an inclusive and informed community of practice.
• Create a brave space where participants can feel valued and affirmed with their experiences in natural resource management.
• Encourage sharing both professional and personal connections to nature and each other.
• Amplify capacity for place-based stewardship and caretaking of the environment.

The Stewardship Salon concept drew inspiration from a 2017 workshop called “Learning from Place” that brought Kekuhi Kealiikanakaoleohaililani, a Native Hawaiian master teacher, and her learners from Hawaiʻi to exchange with NYC stewardship practitioners. Kekuhi encouraged us to organize our own community prior to the exchange, to prepare ourselves to be in dialogue with different ways of knowing and Indigenous practices. From this exchange, the Stewardship Salon concept commenced.

In a nutshell, this resource offers:

• An explanation of the Stewardship Salon concept including how it was developed.
• A how-to guide for hosting a Stewardship Salon.
• Additional resources and an implementation checklist.

How to use this resource:

• To learn more about the Stewardship Salon concept.
• As an example of a community engagement event for natural resource management.
• As an explanation of an intentional facilitation process.

Authors: Lindsay K. Campbell, Erika Svendsen, Julie Capito, USDA Forest Service, Northern Research Station; Novem Auyeung, Nichole McClain, Neha Savant, NYC Department of Parks and Recreation, Division of Environment and Planning

Date published: August 2024

Resource is available online here.