Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Alaska Region partner wins 2021 Rise to the Future Award

July 13, 2022

ALASKA—It certainly means a great deal when a Forest Service partner wins a “Partnership Award” from the agency. It speaks to the remarkable relationships that exist not only in Alaska, but in the country’s largest forest—the Tongass National Forest.

The partner is the Southeast Alaska Watershed Coalition. The recognition is part of the 2021 National Rise to the Future Awards, which celebrate excellence and leadership in Fisheries, Hydrology, Soil Science, Air, and Wildlife Programs.

The coalition is a key Alaska Region partner, leading community, interagency and tribal initiatives to monitor, assess, plan and restore federally managed and mixed-ownership watersheds across the diverse island archipelago landscape of southeast Alaska.

Through competitive grants, contracts, agreements and matching funds, this amazing organization implemented over $5.2 million of watershed activities over the past five years, with much of that work on, or helping, public lands and aquatic resources.

This citizen-led coalition promotes watershed stewardship for the benefit of fish, wildlife and sustained use by people, to bolster the capacity of geographically isolated communities of over 40 entities including seven Alaska native tribes.

Their organizational strategy of completing watershed assessments, prioritizing actions and actively engaging the community and tribal members, as part of the workforce, has led to a cohesive and effective restoration program.

The coalition is integrated across multiple program areas of the Tongass including the Ecology and Recreation programs, as well as engaging with ongoing aquatic research and monitoring initiatives with the Pacific Northwest-Juneau Forestry Sciences Lab.

Congratulations to Southeast Alaska Watershed Coalition on its National Rise to the Future – Partnership Award. The Alaska Region is proud to be YOUR partner!
 

https://www.fs.usda.gov/inside-fs/recognition/alaska-region-partner-wins-2021-rise-future-award