NATIVE CONSERVANCY

OCEANBACK HABITAT RESTORATION: OCEANBACK ADVANCES MARICULTURE PROGRAMMING THROUGH COMMUNITY TRAINING, SEED PRODUCTION, AND PILOT SCALE PROCESSING INNOVATION IN SOUTHEAST AND SOUTHCENTRAL ALASKA. DURING THE YEAR, THE PROGRAM TESTED A FLOATING, AT SEA KELP PROCESSING MODEL IN PARTNERSHIP WITH AN ALASKA BASED ORGANIZATION, HARVESTING AND PROCESSING SUGAR AND RIBBON KELP TO EXPAND LOCAL PROCESSING CAPACITY. THE PROGRAM ALSO CONDUCTED A HANDS ON KELP FARMING TRAINING IN KAKE, ALASKA, PROVIDING INSTRUCTION IN CULTIVATION, HARVEST METHODS, AND BUSINESS PLANNING. THESE ACTIVITIES SUPPORTED INDIGENOUS LED MARINE STEWARDSHIP, LOCAL CAPACITY BUILDING, AND SUSTAINABLE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT THROUGHOUT COASTAL COMMUNITIES IN ALASKA.

PEOPLEBACK: PEOPLEBACK FOCUSES ON FOOD SOVEREIGNTY, FOOD SECURITY, AND CONTRIBUTING TRADITIONAL PRACTICES IN LINE WITH CULTURAL RESTORATION PROGRAMMING IN SUPPORT OF INDIGENOUS ELDERS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS. THROUGH MONTHLY DISTRIBUTIONS, FROZEN SUBSISTENCE FOODS AND PREPARED MEALS WERE PROVIDED TO SUPPORT NUTRITIONAL SECURITY AND THE PRESERVATION OF TRADITIONAL FOODS. THESE DISTRIBUTIONS HAVE ALSO BEEN SHARED OUTSIDE OF THE ORGANIZATION'S BASE OF OPERATIONS, REACHING COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT ALASKA. PEOPLEBACK ALSO ADVANCED A CULTURAL CARVING INITIATIVE THROUGH THE TRANSPORT AND STORAGE OF TWO YELLOW CEDAR LOGS TO CORDOVA, ALASKA, FOR FUTURE HEALING POLE DEVELOPMENT. THE ORGANIZATION COORDINATED LOGISTICS, AND COMMUNITY CONSULTATION WITH ELDERS, CULTURAL PRACTITIONERS, AND TRIBAL LEADERS TO ENSURE THE PROJECT IS GROUNDED IN TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE AND CULTURAL PROTOCOLS.