Sitka Conservation Society runs an intensive
schedule of free public events throughout the year. In 2009 we served
almost 4,000 people with our Backwoods and Waters Natural History
Series, with boat trips, hikes, and parades. We believe that the more
people get to experience first hand the incredible wildlands and waters
of our Tongass backyard, the more they will be willing to help us
protect these areas. To see a calendar of upcoming events, please click
on the right menu bar link "This Month." To learn more about our
educational programs, see below.
Collaborative natural resource planning - Meeting the needs of the community and the environment. It's an exciting time to be involved in conservation on the Tongass. Regionwide collaborative efforts are making progress at finding solutions to meeting the needs of Southeast Alaskan residents and communities. To share these emerging lessons with the greater public and academia, the Sitka Conservation Society has collaborated with the University of Alaska Southeast to develop a summer field course, Conservation and Society Field Studies. This 3-credit college course explores the issues and challenges of natural resource management on the Tongass National Forest. Students spend time in Sitka discussing resource issues with a diversity of stakeholders, including business, conservation, government, and cultural representatives, and then travel to a remote field camp to learn about and develop proposals that address community and conservation priorities.
The Backwoods and Waters Natural History Series is held every year, autumn through late spring. Events take place monthly on Monday evenings and usually includes a slideshow and talk on a nature-related topic. Talks are always free and open to the public.
This past summer, Sitka held six 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, kid's activities, local arts and crafts, and a variety of other items gathered or made in Sitka.
The Sitka Farmers Markets are made possible by the Sitka Local Foods Network. The Sitka Local Foods Network is a non-profit group dedicated to promoting the growing, harvesting and eating of local foods in Sitka, Alaska.
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 Fishermans 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 again with a full schedule.
Sitka Conservation Society Summer Boat Cruises to the Tongass Temperate Rainforest
Throughout the summer, the Sitka Conservation Society sponsors summer boat cruises with local boat builders and tour guides, Allen Marine. During the cruises, we visit the places that are on the frontlines of the conservation issues that we work on. The goal of these trips are both to educate the public and discuss the issues as well as seeing the places first hand. Of course, because it is Southeast Alaska and the Tongass National Forest, we usually can't help but see spectacular scenery, amazing natural phenomenon, and marvelous wildlife such as the coastal brown bear, humpback whales, seabirds, and endangered Steller's sea lions. Last summer we visited places throughout the Sitka Community Use Area (SCUA) and discussed future Forest Service management of these areas. This summer's boat cruises will visit similar areas and focus on the SCUA as well. As an organization and as a community we are seeking to figure out what kind of management would best preserve the ecological integrity of these areas while also considering Sitkan's dependence on these areas in terms of subsistence, recreation, outfitter and guiding, and traditional and customary uses. As a community surrounded by the nation's largest national forest, management of our community use areas is key to our community goal of environmental sustainability. This summer will be hosting several boat cruises focusing on themes such as Kruzof Island - Pinnacles to Peak, A Cultural History of the Sitka Community Use Area, Marine Mammals and Our Coastal Zone and more.
For more information and to see the 2010 Summer Boat Cruise schedule click here
It's an exciting time to be involved in conservation on the Tongass. Regionwide collaborative efforts are making progress at finding solutions to meeting the needs of Southeast Alaskan residents and communities. To share these emerging lessons with the greater public and academia, the Sitka Conservation Society has collaborated with the University of Alaska Southeast to develop a summer field course, Conservation and Society Field Studies. This 3-credit college course explores the issues and challenges of natural resource management on the Tongass National Forest. Students spend time in Sitka discussing resource issues with a diversity of stakeholders, including business, conservation, government, and cultural representatives, and then travel to a remote field camp to learn about and develop proposals that address community and conservation priorities. 