Gaining Community Perspectives: Climate Adaptation Planning in Hoonah, Alaska

Abstract

To help the community of Hoonah, located on Chichagof Island in Southeast Alaska, be prepared for and resilient against regional climate change impacts, we assisted the Hoonah Indian Association Environmental Department in creating a community-led climate adaptation plan. We reviewed relevant background information and existing climate adaptation plans, assessed which natural resources were deemed highest priority to the community via a survey, used interviews to identify the felt impacts of climate change in Hoonah as well as community members’ thoughts on how to adapt to these challenges, planned and led educational games about Hoonah’s natural environment for students, and hosted a community event to further discuss felt impacts and ideas for adaptation strategies. Resources including bears, birds, crustaceans, yellow cedar, deer, hemlock, halibut, herring, marine mammals, salmon, seaweeds, shellfish, Sitka spruce, and wild berries were all identified as highly valuable to the community. From the interviews, we found the community is experiencing a loss and/or degradation of resources overall, as well as increases in challenges accessing these resources undermining Indigenous sovereignty. Ideas for adaptation were heavily discussed at the community event, including increased environmental monitoring, restoration, and employing various traditional natural resource management practices. Finally, all of this information was incorporated into the first iteration of Hoonah’s Climate Adaptation Plan to provide guidance for future projects and use community voices to lead Hoonah’s development with the goal of reducing adverse climate change impacts on the Hoonah Tlingit village’s way of life.