The Stewardship Mapping Project (STEW-MAP): Superior National Forest

The Superior National Forest has a long and fruitful history of establishing highly successful partnerships. The Forest is seeking to develop and implement an intentional and strategic approach to framing a Forest-wide partnership program. To inform this approach, the Forest is using STEW-MAP methodologies to collect a comprehensive set of stewardship data from civic groups in geographic proximity to the Forest.

We seek to answer questions about the Superior National Forest’s partnerships, including: 

• Who do we partner with in formal and informal ways? 
• What types of stewardship activities are our partners engaged in?  What other types of work do they conduct?  In what ways can the Forest support our partners? 
• Where are our partners stewarding on the landscape? 
• Why do they choose to partner with the Forest?   

The online STEW-MAP survey was initially administered in 2025. The survey identified approximately 200 organizations and over 300 unique partnerships between organizations involved in environmental stewardship on or near the Superior National Forest. Online and interactive resources are currently being built using the data collected in the survey – come back soon to learn more. The tool will identify, map, and visualize the work and relationships of land stewards such as volunteer groups, recreational and trail clubs, environmental organizations, Tribal and government entities, community-based groups, nonprofits and beyond. Benefits include:

• Increasing collaboration by supporting and building networks
• Amplifying, visualizing, and telling the story of stewardship work in northeast Minnesota 
• Connecting communities and volunteers to stewardship groups of interest