What kind of groups and projects fit within TSN?
When working in such an important, vast, and interconnected space, it can be hard sometimes to maintain strategic focus. The alternative is bleak, though, and many in the nonprofit realm have witnessed firsthand that those who try to do everything often end up doing nothing. Over time, The Stewardship Network has become better at articulating our role as champions of collaborative stewardship. It was through this articulation that we learned to evaluate any projects and/or groups we might take on against two core criteria:
- COLLABORATIVE | Our dedication to the strength of collective action requires that all TSN Member Communities be collectives representing multiple organizations, agencies, and individuals.
- STEWARDSHIP | Any group or project we bring into the fold must either conduct direct stewardship of natural ecosystems (this is by far the majority) or support the stewardship of natural ecosystems through education, empowerment, or advocacy.
Wait, what about everything else?
There are, of course, many other ways to care for nature that fall outside these TSN focus areas. Issues like environmental policy and law, renewable energy production, and the identification or repair of failing human systems matter greatly to us as people and impact our hands-on stewardship work profoundly. That is why The Stewardship Network proudly supports and is an official member of various specialized alliances with expertise in these areas, including Michigan Environmental Council, Michigan Climate Action Network, Healing Our Waters, Southeast Michigan Stewardship Coalition, Great Lakes Stewardship Initiative, Freshwater Future, and more.
