Hoonah Indian Assocation Addresses Community Energy, Natural Resource Management, & Workforce Development
Like many communities in rural Southeast Alaska, Hoonah is working to address issues with high cost energy, sustainable economic development, and informed resource management. John Hillman, Director of Natural Resources for the Hoonah Indian Association, has developed a multi-faceted project that addresses multiple community needs while building a workforce with the skills necessary to adapt to the changing economic climate in rural Southeast Alaska. The primary goal of this project is to use ecological forest restoration as an avenue for local workforce capacity development in an effort to improve both forest and community resilience. In a collaborative effort between the US Forest Service, Hoonah Indian Assocation, City of Hoonah, Southeast Alaska Conservation Council (SEACC), and Southeast Alaska Wilderness Exploration, Analysis, and Discovery (SEAWEAD), John has assembled…