What can absentee landowners do?

We just recently acquired a piece raw property. Currently, I am only able to make it out to the property once a week.

So I am hoping to get some strategic advice. I have no access to heavy equipment, and limited funds, but I do have shovels, and 3 children

Some possible starting points I am considering....

Build compost bin-start a pile
Sheet mulching.
Start digging a Hugelswale
Attempt to mark contour lines

Any guidance here would be greatly appreciated.

Plant trees that are likely to survive sporadic care. No point trying peaches just yet, but many hardy trees do fine without us. Trees make us wait. Start them sooner than later.

Just spending time observing is important too. Where are the wet spots? The cold spots? What areas get the most sun in the dead of winter? What gets shaded all summer? The answers to all these questions will help you determine what to plant and where. When you go out to the property, take a journal and write down notes.

Agreed on the observation assignment. In the meantime, start a nursery project at your day-to-day home. You don't say what climate, but winter is a good time for stratifying seeds of all sorts, from acorns to yarrow. Cut the tops off gallon milk jugs if yard sales don't yield cheap pots. You'll learn a lot about plant propagation and save a ton of money in the long run. Even an apartment patio has room for 100 milk jugs.

How is the hunting on the property? It's a bit late, but selling a hunting/trapping lease for the remainder of the year could help fund some of your future projects.

definitely observation. Visit as often as you can so you know what's going on through out the year. Compost pile yes, for humanure so you will have a bucket toilet on your visits. Maybe build a small cabin for your visits. There's a saying among carpenters. Measure twice, cut once. It applies here also. Don't be in a rush to start digging. Spend plenty of time planning. It could save you from a lifelong regret.

Thank you

Some wonderful idea's here.

I am working on a tiny house for extended stays on the property.

Ann, I am southern Colorado Zone 5a , I love the idea of getting some tree's going.
If anyone has suggestions on some good species for this zone......

The humanure compost is another great idea that had not occurred to me.

The hunting idea is very clever, and I know we can hunt on our piece, I am just concerned with how my neighbors would perceive such activity.

Wish I had a time lapse video of an entire season on the property, I always think "observation" when I'm there, but always feel like-- nothing is happening in the moment I'm on the property that would give me any insight.