The Stewardship Planning Process is the main function of the Stewardship Section. The result of this process is the park-specific Stewardship Plan. This is a comprehensive biological resource management plan and by far the best way to get to know the resources at a park!
The plan is a result of field surveys and background research. It details the condition of the resources at the park. The format is based on methods the Nature Conservancy and the National Park Service use for their planning, but with significant input from park staff to make the process specific and appropriate for Colorado State Parks. The Plan has clear resource protection objectives for the park along with a set of clear actions to achieve these goals. There are also recommendations for additional surveys and plans, as well as monitoring to see if we are meeting the objectives over time.
As of 2005, the Colorado State Parks Five-Year Strategic Plan requires managers to incorporate stewardship objectives and actions in their annual workplans, as well as to incorporate stewardship objectives in the General Management Plans when they are revised.
Almost all parks have stewardship plans. This year the Stewardship Section is working on producing plans for Arkansas Headwaters and John Martin Reservoir. Once these two are completed, the final plans to be written will be Lone Mesa and State Forest State Park. When all park plans are completed, we will start with the first plans done in 1999 and begin updating the plans.
