Citizen-led land and river stewardship takes shape within complex and often uneven systems of ownership, governance, and access. In contexts characterised by fragmented land ownership and layered regulatory frameworks, communities must navigate not only material constraints, but also relational dynamics between power holders such as private and institutional landowners, councils, and funders. Strengthening these relationships presents important opportunities to support shared learning, coordination, and the long-term viability of stewardship practices.
The EcoLandS project frames stewardship not merely as a set of actions, but as a relational capacity that must be cultivated through shared understanding, dialogue, and trust across diverse stakeholder groups. As part of this one-year project, we collaborated with illustrator Joey Yu and Surge Co-operative to develop an illustrated narrative series tracing Surge’s stewardship journey along the Channelsea River. The illustrations surface the legal, ecological, social, and emotional complexities of stewardship, revealing the invisible labour through which these practices unfold. Combined with a set of case studies and a glossary of key terms developed through the research, the Sensemaking Stewardship tool forms a storytelling resource designed to support learning, and the building of legitimacy around citizen-led land and river stewardship.