Land Stewardship
Wildlands manages thousands of acres of natural lands, consisting of wetlands, riparian, and upland habitats. These lands include properties held by Wildlands, and others held in partnership with public and private landowners and nonprofit organizations. Unlike most mitigation banking companies, at Wildlands we retain hands-on management responsibilities for our mitigation properties. Wildlands' land managers, farm and range specialists, and biologists take care of the land with innovative practices including adaptive management and integrated agriculture.
Services include:
- Adaptive management to meet habitat goals effectively
- Biological monitoring for birds, wildlife, vegetation, and water quality
- Wetland marsh, vernal pool, and upland management
- On-site water system improvement and repair
- On-site facility, road, and fence maintenance and repair
- On-site restoration, construction and nursery activities
- Multi-use management including education and agriculture
Biological Monitoring
and Adaptive Management
Adaptive Management is a system for evaluating and improving habitat management practices. Biological monitoring and analysis are used to compare habitat performance against objective standards, creating a feedback loop. As more information becomes available, the land steward adjusts management techniques.
Wildlands' commitment to adaptive management shows in the background of the company's land management personnel, many of whom have a background in biology, natural resources or ecology. If a situation that needs attention develops, it will be recognized by the personnel who regularly tend the land - rather than waiting for some seasonal or annual survey. The feedback loop becomes seamless and instantaneous, providing high-quality stewardship of the habitat.
Integrated Agriculture
Through integrated agriculture practices, Wildlands can preserve open space and farming heritage while improving ecological benefits for wildlife. This concept can be applied two ways: by utilizing agricultural techniques such as controlled grazing to assist in the management of ecological preserves; or by using environmental principles in farming to enhance the farm fields' value as habitat.
On our Western landscapes, we use our own cattle and goats to manage vegetation on habitat preserves. Prescribed grazing helps the land managers maintain grasses at heights that meet habitat objectives for target species such as burrowing owls and Swainson's hawks. The cattle also can help suppress invasive non-native plants.
Environmental management of farmland serves many purposes: preserving open space and farming heritage; producing revenue; and enhancing the usability of the farmland for wildlife habitat. Relatively minor adjustments to irrigation schedules; weed control practices, and mowing patterns can make a field livable for threatened and endangered species.
Read more about Wildlands' agricultural activities.
