WHO WE ARE
The Landsward Foundation is a private non-profit foundation that operates solely for charitable, educational and scientific endeavors. The foundation was founded in 2001. It provides scientific data, both baseline and range-shift information, about the biology, habitats, wildlife populations and general environmental condition and quality of the land. That information is disseminated to private and public landowners and managers to assist in understanding and protecting the short-term and long-term integrity and biodiversity of this environment.
​
The name, Landsward, derives from the vision and mission of the Foundation to support the land use ethic and comprehensive land stewardship. Steward originates from the Old English terms stig (manor) and ward (guard), or one who minds the home and grounds of the landowner. In this sense, the compound term Landsward names the keeper of the land itself. It is the archaic term for Landward, used in navigation, a meaning appropriately echoed in the Foundation’s purpose to provide vision and guidance toward the future of land stewardship. Finally, the Old English word sward denotes Earth or open land covered by grass.
The Colors
The colors of green, yellow, blue and
white represent the life, energy, water and
air of Earth’s ecological processes.
​
The Globe
The globe, with poles and an equator,
references the worldwide implications of
land stewardship and the Foundation’s
goal to disseminate knowledge and
lessons learned from scientific research.
The Leaf
The leaf stands for healthy, sustainable ecological processes, which must be
valued and respected under the principles of a land use ethic.
The Compass
The compass combines all elements into a tool that symbolizes our efforts to participate in the natural world. In the same way, the Landsward Foundation aims to acquire and provide knowledge to help direct society’s continuing relationship with nature and the landscape.
WHAT WE DO
The Foundation brings together researchers who share a common interest in understanding and sustaining the lands of the Coconino Plateau Region and the Little Colorado River Valley, and promoting environmental stewardship in conjunction with agricultural production and other land uses. Activities include: collecting and assessing scientific data relative to the environment, monitoring changes to the land, and disseminating information to private and public landowners and managers.
​
The Foundation serves as a liaison between landowners, land use managers and the scientific community. Its relationship with land managers is summarized through a Statement of Awareness. This serves as an acknowledgment to operate with the utmost consideration for each other when making decisions and taking action. The Statement recognizes a responsibility and obligation to the broad regional perspective, appreciating that quality regional planning begins by honoring relationships through our behavior and decisions, recognizing that we are separate, yet connected. As such, we will remain aware of others’ goals and objectives as we work together and independently to be effective land stewards today while setting the standard for future generations.
LANDSWARD STRUCTURE
ORGANIZATION
The Foundation is guided by a Board of Directors made up of representatives from the regional landowner and science community. The board meets approximately two times per year.
​
ADMINISTRATION
The Landsward Foundation is responsible for securing funding for programs and operations, administering contracts, providing administrative management for programs and research projects, and ensuring the vision, mission and goals of the Foundation are met. In addition, administrators will work to ensure that the Coconino Plateau Region and Little Colorado River Valley landowners and resource managers have early access to research findings, and that publication timelines do not unnecessarily delay the sharing of findings with vested stakeholders.