Sitka, Alaska Workshop

On February 17, 2009, Headwaters Economics facilitated a day-long workshop on how to apply the Forest Service’s new Integrated Resource Management approach on the Sitka Ranger District. Participants included the Tongass National Forest, Sitka Conservation Society, community and business leaders, local elected officials, and tribal representatives.

The goal of the workshop was to explore how to integrate community needs such as jobs, biomass, and subsistence along with natural resource management objectives relating to habitat, wildlife, and restoration.

The workshop focused on alternative contracting mechanisms that allow forest treatments to bundle price and non-price values into a single contract. We also explored collaborative forestry success stories from other communities across the country that employed Stewardship Contracting.

Workshop Documents and Socioeconomic Profiles

Profiles are from the Economic Profile System (EPS) which contains historical trends from a variety of data sources and are available down to the borough and census area level.

• Workshop Agenda
• Profile of Sitka Borough
• Profile of Alaska

Headwaters Economics Report on the Changing Economy of Southeast Alaska

Learn more about how Headwaters Economics is working with groups participating in the Tongass Futures Roundtable to better understand Southeast Alaska’s economy, and based on a shared understanding to discuss initiatives that can bring greater prosperity to the region while conserving important natural resources.

Stewardship Contracting Resources

• Federal Agency Guidance
• Sustainable Northwest

Raven Radio Interview on the Sitka Workshop

To hear more about the Sitka workshop, listen to the Raven Radio interview with Ben Alexander from Headwaters Economics and Andrew Thoms of the Sitka Conservation Society: