Promoting sustainable forests, resources and communities through increasing collaboration between Alaska tribes and the U.S. Forest Service was the focus of the gathering of the Alaska Tribal Leaders Committee meeting in Cordova April 10-13.
The ATLC meeting at the City Center was hosted by the Native Village of Eyak.
Forest Service Cordova Ranger Robert Skorkowsky said he appreciated the support of the Native Village of Eyak in coordinating and hosting the meeting, and for being able to work with NVE on the many outstanding collaborative projects that benefit the Cordova Ranger District and the community of Cordova.
Photo by Cinthia Gibbens-Stimson/The Cordova Times
Since its formation in December 2008, the ALTC has met monthly via teleconference, with an in-person meeting held annually.
During the recent meeting, the ATLC reviewed its goals and accomplishments in 2016, including youth and emerging leader work, and outreach partnerships between Alaska tribes and the Forest Service.
Membership is comprised of nine U.S. Forest Service members, six elected tribal delegates, and two emerging young adult leaders.
Chad VanOrmer, Admiralty Monument Ranger with Tongass National Forest in Juneau, spoke about a Forest Service youth program and last summer’s four-person crew from Angoon, of youth ages 15-18.
Photo by Cinthia Gibbens-Stimson/The Cordova Times
“It was an eight-week season, about work and building relationships. The crew was high school students. They’re always the best workers, ready to get up, and get out and work,” VanOrmer said. “It was a whole summer of firsts for them. It was their first time in a kayak, first time camping in the woods, and cooking outside.”
Tongass Forest Service Tribal Relations Specialist Carla Casulucan gave a power-point presentation on the Tongass National Forest District’s new Junior Ranger coloring book.
“The coloring book incorporates Native language, cultural stories and artwork,” Casulucan said. “Previously, there was a lack of traditional information in the (books). I’m so happy to see the mention of three indigenous nations, Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian. Sealaska Heritage Institute gave us permission to use their dictionaries as we (saw) fit. We incorporated more Native language into what we’re doing.”
Once printing is completed, the Tongass National Forest coloring books will be distributed among that district’s offices, where youngsters will have the opportunity to complete the activities in the book and earn a junior ranger badge.
Skorkowsky said ATLC members had set themselves a goal of engaging five Alaska youth per year, but are exceeding that number. “It’s important to get kids involved in stewardship, science and leadership,” he said.
Photo by Cinthia Gibbens-Stimson/The Cordova Times
“One of the primary goals of the annual meeting is to bring Alaska tribal leaders together with Forest Service leadership, with the continued goal of building relationships. The annual meetings of this committee provide an excellent forum for achieving this goal. Working together to outline opportunities for better collaboration is often better achieved after people spend time together and get to know each other. Building relationships is often difficult to achieve during a conference call,” he said.
The ATLC identified several goals for 2018, which include continuing focus on opportunities to engage Alaska Native youth and young adults with the national forests in Alaska; building relationships between Alaska tribal and Forest Service leaders, developing opportunities for collaborating on projects and sharing the model developed by the Alaska Tribal Leaders Committee with other tribes and national forest officials.
They also hope to share accomplishments of the ATLC over the past 10 years with others; and to complete the election/nomination process for tribal delegates to the committee, as terms for several delegates are winding down this year.
The committee talked about the Forest Service’s program partnerships with Chugachmiut, support for the Alaska Forum on the Environment, outreach with the Youth Leadership Congress and the Forest Service’s summer intern projects, coastal studies on climate change, Native languages being used in signage, discussion on the Alaska Place Names Project, involvement in the upcoming National Tribal Relations Program Team Meeting in October, tribal participation in the Federal Subsistence Management Program, and collaborative subsistence management between the tribes and the Forest Service.
On April 12, representatives from the Native Village of Eyak and Cordova Ranger District took the group on a field trip to see their ongoing and upcoming collaborative projects.
The group visited the Eyak River Boat Launch, the future site of the Sand Trail Parking Area, and the proposed Saddlebag firewood collection site, collaborative projects of NVE and the Forest Service.
Sharing information on these collaborative efforts is another key purpose of the annual face-to-face meeting, Skorkowsky said.
Mark King, vice president of the Native Village of Eyak’s Tribal Council, said he believes this year’s ATLC meeting went well.
“We have good collaboration going on with the Forest Service and they’re aware of the issues. We’ve worked on several projects together in the past, and we’re working on new projects together, such as the elders’ firewood program out at Saddlebag,” King said. “The Forest Service understands our needs. The ATLC is a way for us to keep informed as to what’s going on, and what plans are being considered for the future. It’s important we stand close to the issues.”
Participants included Becky Nourse, deputy regional forester, Alaska Region (Juneau); Maria Lisowski, acting deputy regional forester, Alaska Region (Juneau); Melinda Burke, tribal relations program manager, Alaska Region (Juneau); Carla Casulucan, tribal relations specialist, Tongass National Forest (Juneau); John Kinsner, tribal relations specialist, Chugach National Forest (Anchorage); Earl Stewart, Tongass Forest supervisor (Ketchikan); Terri Marceron, Chugach Forest supervisor (Anchorage); Chad VanOrmer, Admiralty Monument ranger, Tongass National Forest (Juneau); Robert Skorkowsky, Cordova District Ranger, Chugach National Forest; Susan Alexander, director, Pacific Northwest Research (Juneau); Chief Gary Harrison, ATLC Southcentral tribal delegate (Chickaloon); Mark King, ATLC Southcentral tribal delegate, Native Village of Eyak (Cordova); Patience Andersen Faulkner, ATLC Southcentral tribal delegate alternate, Native Village of Eyak (Cordova); and Dawn Jackson, ATLC Southeast tribal delegate alternate (Kake).
Tom Whitford, Forest Service regional subsistence program leader; DeAnna Perry, Regional Subsistence Advisory Council coordinator; Anthony Christianson, chairman, Federal Subsistence Board and Robert Francis, cartographer, were guest speakers.
Photo by Cinthia Gibbens-Stimson/The Cordova Times
