Sustainable Communities

A Holistic Approach

We believe a sustainable community is one where people and place are able to thrive now and for future generations. It actively stewards its lands and waters to ensure a livable world and honors and follows the lead of the Indigenous peoples who have done so since time immemorial. It works for health and opportunities for all. It imparts youth with important values, knowledge and skills. A sustainable community is resilient and brings people together to tackle challenges like climate change, decolonization and food insecurity. We work with diverse partners to pursue this holistic vision of sustainability for communities across the Tongass.

Youth Engagement

Due to the increasingly limited timescale needed to take action on climate change and the worsening effects facing our region, young people will be forced to deal with climate change for most of their lives. We believe that youth should be leading the charge on climate change action to take control and advocate for their future, and we aim to support them in achieving their goals through the provision of mentorship, materials and resources, and career experience. Through partnerships and programs like the Alaska Way of Life 4-H Club, vocational classes, and internships, we give students of all ages opportunities to learn about climate change, government, and leadership through hands-on experiences. Contact us to learn about internship opportunities!

4-H Alaska Way of Life

Youth Leadership Programs

Youth Development in Southeast Alaska

The Sustainable Southeast Partnership

The Sitka Conservation Society is a founding partner in the Sustainable Southeast Partnership, a dynamic collective uniting diverse skills and perspectives to strengthen cultural, ecological, and economic resilience across Southeast Alaska. SSP includes Tribal governments, community-minded organizations, local businesses, native corporations and entities, culture bearers, educators, state and federal agencies, storytellers, passionate individuals, and experts in food sovereignty, land management, local business, energy systems, storytelling and more. SSP envisions self-determined and connected communities where Southeast Indigenous values continue to inspire society, shape our relationships, and ensure that each generation thrives on healthy lands and waters.

Equity in Land Management

Climate Resilient Communities

Changing the Story

Community Health & Food Security

We can’t protect the Tongass without supporting the people who live here. SCS recognizes that our ability to live sustainably within the natural environment is contingent on the health and well-being of the people who call these lands and waters home. For many people in Southeast, the food we harvest and gather from the surrounding environment is critical to our way-of-life and our home economics. As pre-existing economic inequality is worsened by the effects of climate change and the Covid-19 pandemic, it is more important than ever to recognize that community health and honoring the land go hand in hand. The Sitka Conservation Society recognizes this in its programs that directly invest in people’s wellbeing, such as Fish to Schools and the Sitka Mutual Aid Network.

The Fish to Schools Program

Supporting Place-Based Education

Sitka Mutual Aid

Community and Regional Partnerships

Southeast Alaska is a unique region with over thirty communities and twenty federally recognized Tribes. As a result, regional collaboration and partnerships are greatly important to our mission.

Within our Southeast community, we support and partner with projects and organizations like the Sitka Carbon Offset Fund and Yakutat Surf Club to combine efforts to mitigate climate change, invest in the next generation, cook local foods, and more.