Adapt Alaska Coasts

Alaskan communities are disproportionately affected by extreme weather and coastal related hazards and often lack the resources to effectively address these threats. Flooding, sea level rise, and changes in marine environments pose threats to infrastructure and fishing economies. Tribal communities, many of which are reliant on the subsistence way of life, are particularly at risk of changes to the coastal geography and ecosystems. Ongoing statewide monitoring efforts have provided important insight into coastal changes such as harmful algal blooms, sea level rise, and ocean acidification. In response to these changes, coastal towns and villages around Alaska are implementing adaptation solutions to build climate resiliency. In a time of increasing uncertainty, coastal communities will benefit from knowledge sharing and connections with experts and leaders working on climate adaptation.

The Adapt Alaska Coasts project consisted of four regional workshops focused on community-led resilience solutions to climate change. The four regions represented by the workshop series were the Kodiak Island, Chugach Region, the Bristol Bay Region, Southeast Alaska, and the Aleutian and Pribilof Island Region. These workshops were hosted by Alaska Native Organizations and customized by place. Each workshop was designed as a “project accelerator”, where communities and Tribes worked on projects to reduce the impacts of coastal hazards exacerbated by climate change and gathered over the course of 3 days to advance their work, learn from one another, and build connections with key experts and entities that can support these efforts. We worked to collectively define the types of nature-based solutions that resonate with communities in this region and focus on moving towards actionable solutions to address these coastal challenges. Participants gained an in-depth understanding of resilience solutions planning, including direct contacts and next steps to seeking funding and/or technical expertise. This supports the implementation and continuation of nature-based solutions in each region.

These workshops aimed to:

• Bring together Tribal representatives and leaders across each region to share programs
  and projects that are strengthening coastal resilience.
• Improve trust and connectivity between Alaska Native Tribes, Indigenous organizations,
  and supporting entities while increasing capacity.
• Generate a common understanding of what nature-based solutions means across Alaska,
  improving the chances that Alaskan communities will benefit from funding for these
  types of resilience approaches in the future.

Dialogue and research from around Alaska have outlined the climate challenges and vulnerabilities that communities are facing – these efforts have been essential to understanding the threats faced and developing climate adaptation plans. We hope for participants in the Adapt Alaska Coasts series to have left the gatherings with tangible next steps for climate adaptation. Coastal Alaska is characterized by its tight-knit communities with deep reliance and knowledge of the marine environment. While climate change will pose major challenges, proactive planning and adaptation will make communities more resilient in the years ahead.