Hello Friends, Whether you spent it at home eating pie or out skiing on the trails, we hope you had an enjoyable long weekend.
Heading into the final few weeks of the year, we are grateful to see an array of new national and international efforts aligning to support our work to create a more vibrant, just future. Nationally, the Federal infrastructure bill will bring millions in investment to Alaska, much of it earmarked for rural communities and clean energy initiatives. And, despite frustrations with COP 26’s final outcomes, the importance of global energy transition and nature-based climate solutions are finally gaining recognition.
With 53% of the US’s stored carbon held in our forests, wetlands, and tundra, and intact ecological systems that absorb the nation’s highest rates of carbon, Alaska has an enormous role to play in climate solutions. Make sure you’ve taken a peek at our report on emerging opportunities for leadership.
As always, we are grateful for your interest in our work. If you would like to learn more about any of our ventures, please drop us a line.
With best wishes,
The Alaska Venture Fund team
Alaska Venture Fund - News & Views Project updates, stories and perspectives that inspire our work. 
Capacity Building: Alaska Native Birthworkers Community Alaska Native Birthworkers Community continued their work to expand the availability of culturally responsive support for Alaska Native families by hosting a week-long Indigenous Breastfeeding Counselors Training in Anchorage. The training, which produced more than 20 newly qualified breastfeeding counselors, is one of an ongoing series of events being held by ANBC. Find out more on Facebook. 
Webinar Recap: ‘Climate-resilient salmon and insights from the bioregion’ Program Director for Fisheries and Communities, Dr. Stephanie Quinn-Davidson recently participated in the Festival of What Works, a week-long event hosted by Salmon Nation exploring what you need to know to build a bioregion where people, culture, and nature all thrive. Stephanie’s session on “Climate-resilient salmon and insights from the bioregion” can be accessed here. 
Concluding: The Indigenous Ecosystem Stewardship Virtual Exchange Program The Indigenous Peoples Ecosystem Stewardship Virtual Exchange Program continues through until December 9. Facilitated by Alaska Venture Fund in partnership with World Wildlife Fund’s Arctic Program and The Nature Conservancy, the program offers 30 Indigenous leaders from across Alaska the opportunity to learn from Indigenous peers who have successfully created land and marine stewardship projects elsewhere in the world. You can find out more here.
From Across Alaska Bristol Bay - EPA announces timeline for restoring Bristol Bay CWA protections: Great news out of Bristol Bay earlier this month as the EPA proposed a public timeline for permanent Clean Water Act protections, potentially securing a future for the region’s ecosystems, communities, and waterways free from the threat of Pebble Mine. As host of the Bristol Bay Defence Fund, we hold this issue close to our hearts and are deeply grateful to our partners, collaborators, and funders for their unceasing commitment to this fight.
Tongass - Restoring the roadless rule: Last week, the Biden administration began the process of reinstating the ‘Roadless Rule’, protecting more than 9 million acres of Alaska’s Tongass National Forest from new roads and logging. The Tongass, which stores 44% of all the carbon in America’s national forests, is of immense environmental and cultural importance. You can leave a comment in favor of the ‘Roadless Rule’ here.
New Indigenous leadership at the helm of the National Parks Service: With over 60% of US National Park lands located in Alaska, the NPS has a significant influence on land management issues in our state. Earlier this month, Charles “Chuck” Sams III was officially confirmed as the first Native American Director of the National Parks Service. We are hopeful that his leadership will create more opportunities for Indigenous co-management and stewardship in Alaska’s National Parks.
Protecting Indigenous subsistence rights in Alaska: Continuing Indian Country Today’s excellent series on ANSCA @50, this thought-provoking article explores subsistence rights in Alaska, their critical importance to Alaska Native communities, and the complex legal mires that continue to undermine them.
In case you missed it:
Building a more sustainable future for Alaska and beyond.
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