Join us as we launch the next phase of the Regional Stewardship Mapping and Assessment Project (STEW-MAP)— an critical tool to better understand and strengthen the network of people and organizations caring for our region's natural resources and communities.

The Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission (TJPDC) first completed a regional STEW-MAP inventory in 2023–2024. Since then, new organizations have emerged, partnerships have evolved, and stewardship efforts have expanded across the region. This project will update that information to reflect today's stewardship landscape and create a more complete picture of the people and organizations working to care for our communities and natural resources.

This effort is being conducted in partnership with Biophilic Cities at the University of Virginia. With support from the RK Mellon Foundation, Biophilic Cities is exploring how philanthropic and other private funding can support priorities for planning and designing communities with abundant and accessible nature as an element of daily urban life. The aim is to develop a decision-making framework to help funders better understand, support, and invest in urban nature initiatives.