Private Land Stewardship Academy

Course Information

Strong land stewardship depends on more than technical knowledge. It also requires an understanding of how science, economics, and people influence decisions on private lands.

The Private Land Stewardship Academy brings those pieces together in one clear, self-paced learning experience. This online course gives you the tools you need to support private landowners with confidence and clarity.

Upon completion, you will have stronger knowledge of private lands in the United States and the tools used to solve common management problems. You will have strengthened your communication skills to build trust, collaborate effectively, and support long-term stewardship across diverse communities.

Who This Course Serves

Perfect for university students, private landowners, and natural resource professionals working with private landowners through state and federal agencies, land trusts, consulting firms, and conservation organizations.

Skills You Will Build

Through 17 modules, this self-paced academy strengthens the core skills natural-resource professionals need to support private landowners, including:

• Understanding private land systems: Learn how ownership history, land values, and current challenges guide decisions on working landscapes.
• Interpreting policies and conditions: Read and apply regulations, programs, and local factors that shape land management.
• Recognizing stewardship tools: Become familiar with the practices, incentives, and approaches used to address common conservation challenges.
• Assessing landowner motivations: Understand how values, goals, and community influences guide landowner choices.
• Applying science-based practices: Connect research-backed strategies to the needs of agricultural and working land operations.
• Communicating with clarity and respect: Build trust and collaborate effectively across diverse landowner perspectives.

Course Modules

Module 1: The Origins of Private Land

Module 2: Land Stewardship - A Concept

Module 3: Public Benefits of Private Lands

Module 4: Land in the United States - National Overview

Module 5: Land Status and Trends - Regional Overview

Module 6: General Demographics

Module 7: Values and Attitudes

Module 8: Common Motivations

Module 9: Approaches and Tools

Module 10: The Nexus of Public Lands in a Private Landscape

Module 11: Legal and Regulatory Challenges

Module 12: Economic Challenges and Opportunities

Module 13: Land Stewardship: Agency Perspective

Module 14: Land Stewardship: Professional Manager Perspective

Module 15: Land Stewardship: Landowner Perspective

Module 16: Spiritual Responsibility of Stewardship

Module 17: Development of a Land Ethic

Course Length

• This course will take approximately 15 hours to complete.
• You can complete this course at your own pace. Your progress in the course will be saved if you exit AgriLife Learn.

Enroll in the Private Land Stewardship Academy today and strengthen your ability to support the land stewards shaping our shared landscape.