The costs incurred by a land trust in owning and operating a preserve vary greatly depending on the land trust’s plans for and activities on the land.

Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy uses this spreadsheet to calculate stewardship costs for a fee-owned property with trails, a parking lot, signs, and other amenities.

The Stewardship Handbook is a compilation of the knowledge gained from the organization’s four decades of experience managing its 20,000-acre network of nature preserves in the region. The 220-page book serves as a resource for professional land managers and planners as well as to homeowners seeking to adopt a greener approach to caring for their properties.