The National Forest Foundation (NFF) and U.S. Forest Service, Alaska Region (USFS) are pleased to announce the recipients of $136,000 in grants to improve landscape conditions, forest health and water quality on the Tongass National Forest. The Community Capacity and Land Stewardship grant program helps forest collaboratives and community-based organizations reach agreement on landscape-scale restoration and create forest-based jobs.
Developed as a partnership between the NFF and the USFS, the Community Capacity and Land Stewardship program provides capacity‐building support for local collaborative efforts that work toward improving landscape conditions, forest health and water quality.
Through this and many other programs, the National Forest Foundation facilitates local involvement and encourages community participation in forest stewardship to enhance the viability of natural resources while considering benefits to, and the involvement of, surrounding communities. Brief summaries of supported projects are provided below.
Prince of Wales Landscape Assessment Team
To develop recommendations for a Landscape-Level Assessment for 3.5 million acres of land on Prince of Wales Island and also develop recommendations on specific FS projects based upon recommendations developed in the landscape-level assessment.
Tongass National Forest
Tongass Transition Collaborative Organizational Capacity
To provide regional stakeholders a way to work constructively with the Forest to successfully transition to young growth-based forest management, in an economically beneficial way for Southeast Alaska communities.
Tongass National Forest
Photo by U.S. Forest Service
Indian River Watershed Partnership Formation
To form a working group of all property owners and water rights holders in the Indian River watershed to research the needs and begin developing a restoration plan in the lower portion of the watershed.
Tongass National Forest
Southeast Alaska Community Watershed Symposium
To will build the capacity of Southeast Alaska's rural community leaders and environmental practitioners to develop collaborative solutions for the restoration and informed management of Southeast Alaska’s watersheds.
Tongass National Forest
Southeast Alaska Watershed Coalition
HNFP Commercial Blueberry Feasibility Study
To determine the ecological, social and economic feasibility of developing a commercial blueberry economy in Hoonah, Alaska and increase capacity of partners to collaborate on sustainable community-based natural resource development.
Tongass National Forest
Southeast Alaska Wilderness Exploration Analysis and Discovery
The Nature Conservancy
Tongass Collaborative Stewardship Group
To support a part-time coordinator for the Tongass Collaborative Stewardship Group, which is working to build regional capacity for collaborative land stewardship.
Tongass National Forest
