Banner photo: A birds-eye view of the whale necropsy on Kruzof Island.
Building a New Model for the Future of Our Homelands
On September 16th, the Sustainable Southeast Partnership, Sealaska, the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska, the Nature Conservancy, and the Organized Village of Kasaan came together to announce a powerful long-term funding approach to community-driven economic development in Southeast Alaska called The Seacoast Trust.
If you missed it, you can watch the full announcement here.
This funding solution envisions a new economic model for Southeast Alaska, one in which access to capital and a strong foundation of Indigenous values is the basis for healthy communities, in tandem with the conservation of natural resources for the benefit of future generations. As the permanent stewards of this place, we are seeking to build a future for our lands and waters on our own terms.
The Seacoast Trust is taking the work and relationships we have built over a decade, and allowing us to level up… to go deeper, and wider. And whether you have been involved for ten years, or this is your first time hearing about us, there is a role in it for you too
To establish the Seacoast Trust, we are fundraising $20 million. Sealaska kicked off fundraising efforts by pledging a $10 million challenge grant. The Nature Conservancy then announced that they are seeking to commit $7 million. Since the event in September, we’ve had two foundations invite proposals for $1 million each. That leaves us with just $1 million left to raise. To help us reach this goal, you can contribute to the Seacoast Trust here and leverage Sealaska’s commitment to the people and communities of Southeast.
This announcement has been celebrated throughout the region, featured in KTOO, KCAW, Juneau Empire. Most recently, Indian Country Today ran this story on the Seacoast Trust and the impact the Sustainable Southeast Partnership (SSP) is having on communities across Southeast Alaska. We’re excited to think about how much this impact will increase once the Seacoast Trust match has been realized.
“The fund aims to promote a new type of conservation — one based on trust and relationships, and centers Indigenous-led stewardship.”
Meghan Sullivan
Journalist, Indian Country Today
Grounded in Indigenous values, annual earnings from the Seacoast Trust will fund a different kind of conservation: one that understands people and communities are inseparable components of a healthy environment. If we want thriving rivers and forests, we need mechanisms that shift power and resources to the people living here. The Seacoast Trust is taking the work and relationships we have built over a decade, and allowing us to level up… to go deeper, and wider. And whether you have been involved for ten years, or this is your first time hearing about us, there is a role in it for you too.
Watch our celebration video here. And special gratitude to the brilliant work of the Yakutat Dance Group whose cross-generational singing and dancing became the backdrop and foundation of this video.
Gunalchéesh Hawaa Thank you
