Fieldnotes Blog | Southeast Alaska Watershed Coalition

11Mar 2013 by Angie Eldred

Kake Community Forest Project

The Kake Community Forest project supports the engagement and empowerment, capacity development, and sustainable economic development within the community of Kake. [caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="199"] Kake mill owner Kevin Merry inspects a likely cull Yellow-cedar on a resource inventory field trip.[/caption] 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…

08Mar 2013 by Angie Eldred

Wrangell BioBrick Energy Collaborative

Community Watershed Stewardship

The Wrangell BioBrick Energy Collaborative is a partnership effort aimed at supporting the development of a local BioBrick manufacturing business in the community of Wrangell. [caption id="attachment_1019" align="aligncenter" width="534"] BioBricks[/caption] Concerns about the availability of sustainable and cost-effective energy sources in rural Southeast communities has prompted the formation of this Collaborative with partners including Southeast Alaska Conservation Council, the Wrangell Cooperative Association, local residents and business owners, the City and Borough of Wrangell, the US Forest Service, Wrangell Resource Council, Southeast Alaska Power Agency (SEAPA), Alaska Energy Authority, and the Wrangell Chamber of Commerce, with support from the Tongass People and Place Program. The Wrangell BioBrick Energy Collaborative is looking into the feasibility of developing a Wrangell-based biofuel manufacturing facility. Waste generated from the community in the form of…

08Mar 2013 by Angie Eldred

Kake Renewable Energy Planning

Community Watershed Stewardship

The Kake Renewable Energy Planning project coordinates with community partners and stakeholders in an effort to reduce high energy costs and increase community capacity in Kake. [caption id="attachment_1014" align="aligncenter" width="720"] Angel and Todd of SEACC work with Loyd, Bob and Nick of OVK on installing a solar panel array pole mount.[/caption] The Tongass People and Place Program has partnered with Southeast Alaska Conservation Council, the Organized Village of Kake, the City of Kake, Kake Tribal Corportaion, the National Renewable Energy Lab, and a number of regional organizations and private energy consultant in project and planning efforts aimed at reducing high energy costs and increasing community capacity in Kake. The goal of this project is to increase community engagement and empowerment, capacity development, innovative projects, sustainable economic development, and…

08Mar 2013 by Angie Eldred

Hoonah Community Forest

Community Watershed Stewardship

The Hoonah Community Forest project promotes opportunities to develop a sustainable forest stewardship economy that reflects customary and traditional practices of the local people. [caption id="attachment_1011" align="aligncenter" width="300"] USFS staff meet with Hoonah Indian Association Natural Resource Manager John Hillman to discuss the Kennel Creek Forest Restoration project.[/caption] A partnership between the Tongass People and Place Program, SEACC, Hoonah Indian Association, the City of Hoonah, the US Forest Service, Alaska Department of Labor, and SEAWEAD has developed the Hoonah Community Forest project in an effort to promote engagement and empowerment, capacity development, ecological restoration, sustainable economic development, and storytelling in the community of Hoonah. The purpose of the Hoonah Community Forest project is to provide tools and recommendations for management of the landscape that is immediately accessible to the community…

07Mar 2013 by Angie Eldred

Salmon Stream Habitat Assessment

Community Watershed Stewardship

Hydaburg Cooperative Association has implemented a Salmon Stream Habitat Assessment program to assess anadromous stream habitat to properly classify stream systems and to nominate any assessed streams that qualify under state criteria as "fish habitat" for cataloging. [caption id="attachment_1007" align="aligncenter" width="444"] Jim Giese, Minnie Kadake, Herbert Nix and Tony Sanderson next to the Hetta Fish Weir[/caption] Partnering with the Sustainable Salmon Fund, The Nature Conservancy, Kai Environmental, and the State of Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Hydaburg Cooperative Association is working to assess anadromous stream habitat to ensure that everything is accurately classified in order to maximize the amount of protection available for habitat in areas of concern facing growing development. The information collected provides baseline data on fish habitat in the stream systems identified. The stream…

06Mar 2013 by Angie Eldred

Hetta Lake Sockeye Stock Assessment

Community Watershed Stewardship

Hydaburg Cooperative Association has partnered with the Office of Subsistence Management, AK Department of Fish and Game, the US Forest Service, and Kai Environmental to develop the Hetta Lake Sockeye Stock Assessment project. The goal of this project is to increase the number of returning adult sockeye salmon to the Hetta Lake stream system. This assessment program is also used to enhance local management of fisheries resources by gathering the harvest information of local subsistence users and accurately reporting harvest data to the State and Federal departments of Fish and Game. This data provides an estimate of the total return of sockeye to the Hetta Lake stream system, which is the primary stream used for subsistence by Hydaburg residents. This sockeye stock assessment project has been implemented to…

05Mar 2013 by Angie Eldred

Pullen Creek Streamwalk

Community Watershed Stewardship

Taiya Inlet Watershed Council has partnered with the Municipality of Skagway, the US Fish and Wildlife Service, the National Park Service, and the Rivers, Trails, and Conservation Assistance Program to develop the Pullen Creek Streamwalk. [caption id="attachment_990" align="aligncenter" width="728"] Conceptual design for Pullen Creek Streamwalk[/caption] The Pullen Creek Corridor has long been an area of interest to visitors and residents of Skagway. The creek's proximity to the cruise ship docks and downtown area as well as annual runs of king, pink, and coho salmon in the creek make it an attractive and accessible nature retreat. Unfortunately, a network of informal social trails lead people onto the riparian zone and into the creek, which degrades salmon spawning and rearing habitat, causes erosion, and tramples riparian vegetation.…

27Feb 2013 by Angie Eldred

Haines Youth Beach Cleanup

Community Watershed Stewardship

Takshanuk Watershed Council organized a Youth Beach Cleanup effort this past August to improve water quality and bring awareness to the effects of improper waste disposal. Many of the beaches in this area, especially those with a southern exposure, collect a lot of debris during winter storm events. Bringing youth to these beaches to see the amount of trash that accumulates even where no one lives shows them the effects of improper trash disposal. On August 16, 2012 five youths and three adults spent 6 hours picking up debris along the outer beach of Taiyasanka Harbor. A total of 660 pounds was collected and hauled to the ACME transfer station. The cost of the disposal of this trash was $195. A majority of the debris consisted of…

27Feb 2013 by Angie Eldred

Recreational Shellfish Beach Monitoring Pilot Program (Haines)

Community Watershed Stewardship

The Chilkoot Indian Association and Takshanuk Watershed Council are working together on a Pilot Recreational Shellfish Beach Monitoring Program in the Haines area. [caption id="attachment_972" align="aligncenter" width="811"] Sites of PSP monitoring[/caption] The goal of this monitoring program is to build knowledge of local trends in paralytic shellfish toxins and to establish knowledge of the risks of Paralytic Shellfish Toxins in specific harvests. This pilot program is not yet sufficient to certify beaches as "safe" or completely ensure harvester safety from paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP). Staff from CIA and TWC sample harvesting sites at Viking Cove and Portage Cove each month, year round, for the two year pilot program. Mussels are collected from rocks on the beaches, the mussels are shucked, and the meat is sent to a…

27Feb 2013 by Angie Eldred

Beach Sampling in Haines

Community Watershed Stewardship

The Takshanuk Watershed Council in Haines has instated a beach sampling program to test the town's beaches for the presence of fecal coliform and enterococci bacteria. Impacts such as shoreline development, wastewater collection and treatment facilities, septic tanks, urban runoff, disposal of human waste from boats, commercial and domestic animals, and natural animal sources such as wildlife can affect and contaminate waters close to shore. People who swim and recreate in contaminated waters with such bacterial pollution are at an increased risk of becoming ill. During the summer months, when people use beaches and shoreline areas most for recreation, Meredith Pochardt, of Takshanuk Watershed Council takes water samples at Lutak and Portage Cove beach areas. She sends the samples to a lab in Juneau for testing. [caption id="attachment_970"…