Across the country, National Forest managers are making strides in engaging new and strengthening existing partnerships. Northern Research Station scientists are working with National Forest staff in multiple states to apply the Stewardship Mapping and Assessment Project (STEW-MAP) approach on and around National Forest landscapes to understand the stewardship territories, social networks, and organization capacities of current and potential partners.

In the face of climate change, extreme weather, and social inequality, land managers are keen to identify ways to strengthen the capacity of new and existing partners, particularly in underserved communities. These challenges require multisector solutions, and civic partners offer capacity, knowledge, and voice in decision-making and implementation. Replicable, scalable approaches will help to better understand and mobilize civic capacity to increase stewardship. STEW-MAP is designed to create tangible products such as databases and maps to increase awareness and networking potential.

STEW-MAP was piloted on the Angeles National Forest and adapted on the Bridger-Teton National Forest. Additional projects are being developed in consultation with the National Forests of North Carolina and with the USDA Forest Service Eastern Region across a rural-to-urban extent from the Mark Twain National Forest to St. Louis, MO. Objectives of the STEW-MAP National Forest System projects are to identify shared priorities and organizations that work across jurisdictional boundaries for forest management solutions at scale; track new and existing partners and develop a collective partnership knowledge bank among forest staff; improve understanding about shared priorities; foster more inclusive and equitable partnerships, including with underserved communities; and build collaborative relationships to foster welcoming and inclusive recreation and shared stewardship opportunities.