[su_frame][/su_frame]The only permanent settlement on Admiralty Island, 55 miles Southwest of Juneau and 41 miles North of Sitka, Angoon is a small community of about 570 residents. Because of the community’s remote location, produce available in town is very expensive and has often traveled hundreds if not thousands of miles before reaching the consumer. Angoon’s climate is much drier than that of other Southeast communities, providing residents with an excellent opportunity to grow produce that will offset the expensive and reduced-quality produced currently barged in. Meredith Pochardt, Takshanuk Watershed Council’s Food Security Coordinator is working with the community of Angoon to initiate the Angoon School/Community Garden Project. The goal of the projects is to establish a garden that will be utilized by teachers, students, and the community as…
Food security and self-reliance are critical components to building sustainable communities in Southeast Alaska. Southeast communities’ characteristic remoteness and isolation make transport and delivery of important resources such as food or fuel more difficult. Recognizing the importance of working toward community self-reliance and increasing community food security, the residents of Haines voiced a desire for access to more locally produced foods. The Takshanuk Watershed Council listened to this request and responded with the development of their Grow Strong food security program. The World Food Summit of 1996 defined food security as existing “when all people at all times have access to sufficient, safe, nutritious food to maintain a healthy and active life”. Food prices in Southeast communities carry a shipping cost that can be seen in the higher price…
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…
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…
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"…
In the fall of 2012, the Takshanuk Watershed Council (TWC) brought together funding from USFWS, Representative Bill Thomas, and mitigation money from the Haines Borough to replace the 0.1 mile Comstock Culvert and rebuild the incised stream to provide unimpeded fish passage. [caption id="attachment_962" align="aligncenter" width="478"] Damaged culvert in poort condition[/caption] The Sawmill Creek tributary that crosses Comstock Road 0.1 miles from Allen Road supports spawning Coho salmon, cutthroat, and Dolly Varden Char. In 2008 a survey of the 0.1 culvert revealed that it was in extremely poor condition, with day-lighting in the road, a perch of 42”, and an incised channel, not allowing for fish passage. In the fall of 2012 A new culvert was installed to provide unimpeded fish passage. [caption id="attachment_963" align="aligncenter" width="541"] Finished culvert…
Takshanuk Watershed Council is currently working with Haines School District to present an introductory and advanced permaculture course teaching sustainable gardening practices. Students and community members will be able to complete the course and, upon completion, apply their knowledge to maintaining the school's garden, which supplies fresh produce for school meals. The program will be offered to 20 individuals, 5 students and 15 community members. The courses will be taught by Melissa Aronson in partnership with 7 Echoes Homestead and the Haines Borough. Through this program, Takshanuk Watershed Council and its partners will encourage and promote sustainable gardening practices as well as more production of local foods in the Haines community. In the future the school garden will be used as a teaching site to bring more permaculture education…
