Inflation Reduction Act helps Alaska Native producers implement climate-smart forestry practices on Afognak Island, Alaska
Thanks to historic federal funding from the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), Alaska Native landowners are managing their privately-owned forestland to mitigate climate change while also supporting local economic development.
AFOGNAK ISLAND, ALASKA – Thanks to historic federal funding from the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), Alaska Native landowners are managing their privately-owned forestland to mitigate climate change while also supporting local economic development.
The IRA nearly doubled the budget for the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and represents a once-in-a-lifetime investment in voluntary, private lands conservation. Nationwide, NRCS received $19.5 billion in IRA funds that supplements existing conservation programs beginning in fiscal year 2023 and rapidly building over four years.
NRCS is working with two Alaska Native entities, Koniag and Afognak Native Corporation, to help them plan and implement climate-smart forestry conservation practices on Afognak Island.
Afognak Island is the second largest island in the Kodiak Island Archipelago in Alaska. It’s located 25 air miles north of the city of Kodiak and spans 40 miles long and 25 miles wide. Land ownership includes a mix of federal, state and private, and much of the island is owned by Alaska Native corporations.
Afognak Island is dominated by a rugged, forested landscape of dense, old-growth Sitka spruce. It’s a haven for fish and wildlife, providing pristine habitat for salmon as well as Kodiak brown bear, Sitka black-tailed deer, Roosevelt elk, bald eagles, and other wildlife. It’s bounty of fish and wildlife, combined with its scenic beauty and remoteness, makes Afognak Island a popular destination for hunting, fishing, nature photography, and sightseeing – though getting there can be a logistical challenge as it’s only accessible by boat or plane.
Forest management on Afognak has many challenges due to its remote location. Landowners manage for timber production of Sitka spruce and are transitioning from old-growth harvest to second-growth management.
The IRA projects will help both Koniag and Afognak Native Corporation meet their forest management goals to sustain the health and diversity of the landscape. Both entities have entered into contracts with NRCS via the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) using IRA funds.
EQIP is a popular financial assistance program in which NRCS provides technical and financial assistance to reimburse private landowners for costs to perform conservation practices on their land. The conservation practices must address a natural resource concern.
Resource concerns to be addressed through the Afognak Island projects include emission of greenhouse gases, plant productivity and health, plant structure and composition, erosion, wildfire risk, and wildlife habitat.
In 2023, Koniag entered into a contract with NRCS for $1.8 million in IRA funds to implement forest stand improvement and tree plantings on 685 acres of forest land. These forestry practices will take place over the next couple of years as part of a landscape-scale reforestation effort. The project will develop a fully-stocked forest with trees that will store more carbon in the long run and improve wildlife habitat over the next 15 to 20 years.
Koniag has been an active partner with NRCS for years and has successfully accomplished multiple EQIP contracts including trails and walkways and forest health projects. They recently received a national Conservation Innovation Grant (CIG) to develop the first adaptive management silvopasture grazing system for subsistence species in Alaska. The project will investigate innovative cost-effective reforestation and habitat enhancement methods (such as AI technology, infrared drones, compost and seed briquettes) and use subsistence species population surveys to inform harvesting decisions.
“The IRA funding has enabled Koniag to continue our program of forest improvement with an ultimate goal of long-term sustainable forestry,” said Peter Olsen, Koniag Natural Resources Manager. “This translates into a reliable source of food, wood products, and employment for generations to come.”
In 2024, Afognak Native Corporation entered into a contract with NRCS for $3.3 million to plant trees on 1,700 acres of forest land that had previously been harvested for timber. The tree plantings will help regenerate forest stands of Sitka spruce following timber harvests and ensure the forestland continues to be managed sustainably.
“For Afognak Native Corporation, the IRA funding is significant as it allows us to replant and regenerate our forests, while keeping our camp open for subsistence use,” said Dr. Malia Villegas, Senior Vice President of Community Investments with Afognak Native Corporation. “Our lands and our cultural practices are central to who we are, and we could not be more grateful for this investment that helps us preserve both in perpetuity.”
Both projects are using locally sourced Sitka spruce seed from Juneau, which has been shown to dramatically increase tree growth. Going forward into the next few years, NRCS staff and Alaska Native landowners are excited to implement the IRA funds on-the-ground and to create meaningful change on the landscape.
Story by Tracy Robillard, Public Affairs Specialist for NRCS Alaska, September 2024.