Outdoor recreation supports land stewardship

At the Camping Advocacy Network, we believe in the power of outdoor recreation to support and fund land stewardship. Hosting recreationists and campers on private land - from working farms and ranches to land trusts, nature preserves, and everywhere in between - opens up previously inaccessible places to the public while creating new and sustainable revenue streams for the individuals who own and steward land across the country and around the world. 

As a landowner, hosting campers can help you secure the economic and ecological future of your land; you can use what you earn to curb land use change by keeping your natural lands intact and bolstering sustainable management practices and biodiversity, the foundation of a long and healthy legacy of stewardship on the land.

“We consider ourselves privileged to be stewards of this magical property. We’re deeply committed to protecting the land and waterways through active forestry management. We’ve recently begun offering temporary camping as a way to defray rising costs of owning and maintaining the land. We’ve found incredible fulfillment in sharing this special place with people who may otherwise never have an opportunity to experience what’s so special about it.” - Cathy, host

As a camper, booking unique stays on private land and learning about what it means to recreate responsibly there helps support critical preservation and restoration efforts. Your outdoor adventure keeps land intact and in the hands of long-time local landowners. 

“John's dedication to preserving the land is a great story. Instead of letting a developer come in and build homes on the land he purchased the entire 400 acres to match the adjoining 350 acres he already owned. This means that there are a total of 750 acres to explore, all naturally preserved between 3 tent sites. The small details stuck out to me ... like, the way John doesn't mow the grass until August so he doesn't disturb the animals and birds that nest there.” - Paulina, a camper on landowner John’s property

We need more nature to solve the interconnected crises of climate change and biodiversity loss. While it’s essential that we continue to invest in the protection of public land, stewarding private lands is a critical piece of the puzzle as well. Private land makes up more than 60% of undeveloped land in the United States, representing a significant portion of key habitat for wildlife. Private landowners play a critical role in protecting healthy ecosystems across the country, and helping them keep their lands intact is an important step towards addressing habitat fragmentation and detrimental land use changes on private lands. 

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