Universities as engaged stewardship stakeholders: Science and monitoring for adaptive management, managing lands for societal benefits, and guiding community groups for resilience

While faculty have led the charge to embrace the conservation of biological diversity, few universities stand as designated stewards of natural lands or signatories to conservation plans under Federal and State endangered species legislation.  Universities managing a conservation parcel on their campus find a conflict of faculty values, student conduct norms, financial management commitments, the role of science or education in conservation, and the use of set-asides for a growing university enterprise.  Interestingly, these settings provide a broadly applicable natural laboratory to understand long-term barriers to conservation and opportunities for the informed decision-making that creates ecosystem resilience.