The Kake Community Forest project supports the engagement and empowerment, capacity development, and sustainable economic development within the community of Kake.

In 2011 a collaboration between SEACC, SEAWEAD, and the Organized Village of Kake produced the Kake Community Forest project report. This report included a summary of community and ecological values for the community of Kake as well as descriptions for opportunities to develop a sustainable forest stewardship economy that reflects customary and traditional practices of the local people.

 

Ongoing work stemming from the information included in this report is currently focused on developing capacity for stewardship contracting, development of a small timber and biomass business model and feasibility of non-timber forest products as a contributor to local economic development. Partners on this project include the Organized Village of Kake, the US Forest Service, and local contractors.

 

A key factor in the development of forest stewardship opportunities is integration with local renewable energy project work as well as future efforts in business and marketing development.

 

Recent progress on this project has included work with local community members on a small timber program and pre-feasibility of the potential to use local forest products to fuel biomass energy conversions for larger buildings within the community. Local community contractors have recently been awarded contracts for community road and timber projects.

 

For more information on this project, please contact:

 

Bob Christensen, Coordinator

Tongass People and Place Program

baidarkabob@gmail.com

(907) 209-3006

 

or

Daven Hafey, Community Organizer

Southeast Alaska Conservation Council

daven@seacc.org

(907) 586-6942

If you would like SAWC to promote your community based project or program, please contact

Angie Eldred

SAWC Communications Coordinator

angie@alaskawatershedcoalition.org

(907) 766-3745

(616) 481-2101 (c)