Stewards' Circles

Stewards‘ Circles are an opportunity to meet up with other natural areas professionals to share science, struggles and successes in a relaxed setting. It's also our chance to hear from you how NAA can  better support the work you do! 

Scroll down for upcoming Stewards' Circle dates, venues, and topics. We can't wait to see you there!

Questions, comments, concerns? Email us at info@naturalareas.org


Past Stewards' Circles

Thank you to our sponsor for this Stewards' Circle

Thank you to all that attended this Stewards Circle! We hope to see you again for the next one. 

September 2021 Stewards Circle -
Identifying Creative Approaches to Addressing Capacity Needs in your Natural Areas When you Don‘t Have Capacity
Wednesday, October 13, 2021, 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Southern Tier Brewery Pittsburgh, 316 N Shore Drive
Pittsburgh, PA 15212

The conservation of a natural area  begins with assessing its biological, hydrological and geologic features. Which can be easier said than done in a program with tight budgets and limited staff. Not to mention that once you know what you have, truly understanding the diversity of plant and wildlife species, identifying the unique challenges to their long - term conservation , and developing the capacity to address a long list of needs is daunting. 

Join your colleagues in land management and conservation ecology to discuss these very real challenges to the management of natural areas, and to consider:

  • Affordable and creative options to obtain the expertise and information you need to understand a property.
  • Gaining access to the science you need to inform your decisions.
  • Creative ways to source the human and financial capacity you need to manage natural resources. 

Sometimes the most creative solutions can be found in a conversation with a colleague over a beverage and snacks. 



Thank you to all that attended our first in-person Stewards' Circle event! 

2021 Inaugural Stewards’ Circle -
Managing Natural Areas Under COVID
Wednesday, May 26, 2021, 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Penn Brewery Biergarden, 800 Vinial Street,
Pittsburgh, PA 15212

While the spirit of Stewards' Circles is to create space for you to discuss any aspect of your work, we thought we would offer a timely topic to get the conversation started. 

As you know, COVID restrictions created a heightened interest in exploring the great outdoors. Unfortunately, the concept of leave no trace got left behind, requiring natural areas professionals to quickly develop and implement COVID-19 best practices that would allow the public to engage with nature in a safe and responsible manner. In addition, for many who work with volunteers, getting stewardship done with limited capacity also became a challenge.

Join NAA and your colleagues for a conversation about Managing Natural Areas Under COVID. Grab a beer or a soft pretzel and let's talk about what you've learned as we explore this topic.

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Join the people who protect and manage our natural areas.