Media Contacts
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Emily Heber
Phone: 206-971-4376
Email: emily.heber@tnc.org
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has awarded nearly $2 million from the Climate Resilience Regional Challenge to the Bristol Bay Indigenous Guardians. This program is a community-based approach to stewardship led by the Alaska Native Village of Igiugig, and supported by The Nature Conservancy in Alaska.
The funding will help expand Indigenous Guardians to more communities in the Bristol Bay region.
Quote: Ivy Spohnholz
This is an example of our relationship- and community-first approach to conservation in Alaska. We are thrilled to be able to help our partners bring this groundbreaking approach to scale in Bristol Bay and beyond.
TNC Alaska has been working with program founders Mary Hostetter and Bill Kane for the past two years on the Indigenous Guardians program, which provides freshwater monitoring on the Kvichak River at the mouth of Lake Iliamna for the U.S. Geological Survey. Guardians collect important baseline data about water levels on the river, which is one of two major rivers that support the globally significant wild sockeye salmon fishery in Bristol Bay. Kane and Hostetter are both tribal stewards with Igiugig Village Council, and Kane also works for Alaska Venture Fund.
Now in its second year, the Guardian program is more than a conservation effort; it’s an investment in a collaborative approach to environmental stewardship, with the goal of disseminating valuable insights and methodologies across neighboring Tribal communities, cultivating a robust regional “guardians” network inspired by the successful Indigenous Guardians programs of Canada. Through training opportunities and knowledge-sharing, the program equips residents with the tools to protect their cultural heritage and the environment. Central to this endeavor is the elevation of Indigenous and local knowledge in harmony with Western scientific practices to inform natural resource management across Bristol Bay.
Quote: Rick Spinrad, Ph.D.
Alaskan communities are on the frontlines of the climate crisis. Reducing risks for people and infrastructure are critical components in creating a climate-resilient future.
“NOAA is proud to recommend this funding that will help Alaska Native communities plan and take actions to reduce risks now while also helping future generations adapt to the impacts of our changing climate," continues Spinrad.
Funding from NOAA has been made available through the Inflation Reduction Act, the U.S.’s largest federal climate investment, and focused on collaborative projects benefitting coastal communities and those facing the brunt of climate impacts.
The Bristol Bay Indigenous Guardian program and The Nature Conservancy are grateful for the investment in local, community-driven climate resilience and environmental stewardship.
Read more about the Igiugig Indigenous Guardians work in our FY23 annual report.
The Nature Conservancy in Alaska has worked for more than 35 years in Alaska communities to build the strong and lasting partnerships that help make major conservation achievements possible.
The Nature Conservancy is a global conservation organization dedicated to conserving the lands and waters on which all life depends. Guided by science, we create innovative, on-the-ground solutions to our world’s toughest challenges so that nature and people can thrive together. We are tackling climate change, conserving lands, waters and oceans at an unprecedented scale, providing food and water sustainably and helping make cities more sustainable. The Nature Conservancy is working to make a lasting difference around the world in 81 countries and territories (40 by direct conservation impact and 41 through partners) through a collaborative approach that engages local communities, governments, the private sector, and other partners. To learn more, visit nature.org or follow @nature_press on X.