Support Student Civic Engagement in Subsistence Policy

Decisions about fish, wildlife, and subsistence shape daily life in Southeast Alaska. Through Connecting Young Leaders to Policy, Sitka Conservation Society helps students learn how these decisions are made and how to take part in the process.

In partnership with the University of Alaska Southeast, the USDA Forest Service, and regional partners, students learn how to follow proposals, understand public processes around subsistence regulations, and bring their own lived experience to meetings that influence subsistence management.

Your donation helps cover student expenses like travel, lodging, meals, and materials so young people from Southeast Alaska communities can participate in these processes in person.

One Hoonah student shared:

“I was born and raised in Hoonah. I have hunted, fished, and foraged my whole life with my aunties, uncles, and parents. Taking this class opened my eyes to what is happening at these meetings, and how I’m able to be involved as a subsistence user.”

When students see that their voices belong at the table, they begin building the skills and confidence to become future leaders, resource managers, and advocates for their communities.

Make a donation today to help the next generation take part in the decisions shaping their lands, waters, and ways of life.