Sitka Conservation Society (SCS) has been working to protect the temperate rainforest of southeast Alaska and Sitka's quality of life since 1967. We are based in the small coastal town of Sitka, Alaska, located on the west coast of Baranof Island in the heart of the Tongass National Forest.
The Tongass National Forest, at 17 million acres, is the largest national forest in the U.S.and the largest remaining temperate rainforest in the world. The Tongass, which comprises almost all of Southeast Alaska, is managed by the U.S. Forest Service, but it is owned by all U.S.citizens. View map of the Tongass.
Sitka Community Wilderness Stewardship Project The Sitka Community Wilderness Stewardship project brings together people and wilderness in an original and exciting way. Funded by the National Forest Foundation and the Sitka Conservation Society’s Living Wilderness Fund, this project creates a working partnership between the USFS Sitka Ranger District, the Sitka Conservation Society, and a broad spectrum of community members to conduct scientific research expeditions and community monitoring in the two Wilderness Areas surrounding Sitka. By kayaks, float planes, skiffs and on foot, volunteer Sitka residents and Wilderness Rangers are exploring some of the most wild and remote places in Southeast Alaska this summer. Working together for the common goal of stewardship, they are experiencing wildness first hand and gathering needed baseline data about these significant areas.
Sitka Farmers Market
Sitka’s First Farmers Market Season was a Success!
This past summer, Sitka held three farmer’s market, a result of a key action area identified at the Sitka Health Summit in the spring of 2008. The markets featured local seafood (fresh, frozen and cooked and ready to eat), locally grown vegetables, live entertainment, locally brewed and roasted coffee, kids’ activities, local arts and crafts, and a variety of other items gathered or made in Sitka.
Sitka Conservation Society has helped with the administration of funds for this project as well as organizing and working at the markets. These events were also sponsored by the Sitka Health Summit, Alaska Longline Fisherman’s Association, ANB/ANS, Baranof Island Housing Authority, University of Alaska Fairbanks Cooperative Extension Service, Sitka Advancing Our Community, SEARHC Health Promotion and Diabetes Prevention programs, and the State of Alaska Comprehensive Cancer Control Program.
The Sitka Farmers Market will be this year with a full schedule.
National Wildlife Refuges in Alaska celebrate 100th
Anniversary
In honor of the designation of the first National Wildlife
Refuges in Alaska, two special Allen Marine boat trips will take place this
summer in Sitka with visits to the bird biologist's camps located on St. Lazaria Island, an
Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge.
These trips are being sponsored by the Sitka Conservation Society,
Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge and Friends of Alaska National
Wildlife Refuges.
For more information on these two special boat trips and
other SCS boat trips scheduled this summer, click here
Sealalaska Senate Bill
Sealaska legislation
A new version of the Sealaska Land Exchange bill was introduced in Congress on April 23, 2009. Although we say "new", the bill looks very much like the previous versions. Some changes have been made but they seem to be token changes that fail to address the larger community concerns. The current bill selects lands that are treasured by local residents for their ecological, subsistence and recreational values outside of the original ANSCA selection box. It also includes a series of enterprise sites scattered around the Tongass and set of cultural sites which are important to local tribes. There are many concerns that need to dealt with on this bill and details that are still uncertain.
SCS works with diverse partners to find ways to restore wildlife habitat
One of the Sitka Conservation Society’s strategic goals is to shape a policy for 2nd growth management on the Tongass and assure that restoration of wildlife habitat is a funded priority. Recently, we held a workshop in Sitka that brought together diverse user groups from the Tongass with Forest Service staff to think about how we can work together to achieve mutual goals. Some of the participants in the workshop included a recreational user group of the Tongass, Sitka Tribal Council members, City of Sitka Assembly Members, representatives from State legislative offices, loggers, fishermen, and representatives of the local Economic Development Board.
One of the Sitka Conservation Society’s strategic goals is to shape a policy for 2nd growth management on the Tongass and assure that restoration of wildlife habitat is a funded priority. Recently, we held a workshop in Sitka that brought together diverse user groups from the Tongass with Forest Service staff to think about how we can work together to achieve mutual goals. Some of the participants in the workshop included a recreational user group of the Tongass, Sitka Tribal Council members, City of Sitka Assembly Members, representatives from State legislative offices, loggers, fishermen, and representatives of the local Economic Development Board.