Sustainable arctic communities: securing indigenous peoples' future in Alaska.

• Author: Lavrakas, Dimitra
• Position: ALASKA NATIVE CORPORATIONS

While the rest of the world looks at the Arctic as a pinata of wealth close to exploding as its climate changes, indigenous people move to make sure they maintain control of the region and its resources.

As the natural world changes around them, Arctic communities are proactive in finding sustainable means to continue to live in the homelands they know and love.

Postponed from March of this year to late winter 2014 due to funding, a major indigenous conference to connect Native knowledge with modern technology is planned to facilitate discussions and develop guidance for securing the sustainability and future of Arctic communities.

"The idea of the conference is to make sure these communities move forward in a healthy way in physical health, cultural values and development," says Dalee Sambo Dorough with the University of Alaska Anchorage Department of Political Science, and one of the conference organizers.

The conference is Alaska-specific and is planned to be held at UAA with approximately 100 to 125 individuals from North Slope, Northwest Arctic, Bering Straits Region and Lower Yukon Delta communities, according to the concept paper. Panel sessions will be followed by "small group working sessions where every participant would be called upon to contribute to the discussion and help to identify possible solutions to Arctic community challenges."

Workshop leaders would be those who are addressing the following issues in their communities as outlined in the concept paper: maintaining traditional economies of hunting, fishing, trapping, bartering and other harvesting rights yet balancing them with outside economic forces to ensure food security; utilizing effective ways and means to address the mental and physical health of Arctic indigenous peoples; pursuing economic development that is equitable and sustainable as well as consistent with the customs, practices and institutions of Alaska Native peoples; and providing cost-effective, innovative and environmentally friendly alternatives for our geographically remote, cold climate communities, including the related infrastructure.

In the meantime, Arctic communities across Alaska continue to work toward sustainability. Here's a glimpse at some of the progress being made in housing, energy and food security.

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