10/11/21
The third workshop for the central policy effort of WGA Chair, Idaho Gov. Brad Little, will feature conversations between federal, state and local policymakers and stakeholders in Ketchikan, Alaska on Nov. 2. The day-long event, hosted by Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy, will provide a forum for regional experts to examine emerging issues, share success stories and develop bipartisan strategies for improving cross-boundary land management, wildfire mitigation, and rural economic development.
WGA will livestream all of the workshop sessions on its YouTube Channel and Facebook page. You can also follow along via live tweets from WGA’s Twitter account. Check back later to find the links to view sessions. All times in this agenda are Alaska Daylight Time.
TUESDAY, NOV. 2
8:00 a.m.: Roundtable I – Recreation and Tourism Challenges in Accessing Public Lands
This panel will explore the challenges that some gateway communities have accessing their local public lands due to forest landlocking. Discussion will include how better land planning can increase recreation and tourism opportunities for those areas. Panelists include: Robert Venables, Executive Director, Southeast Conference; Sarah Leonard, President & CEO, Alaska Travel Industry Association.
9:15 a.m.: Introductory Remarks from The Honorable Mike Dunleavy, Governor of Alaska
9:45 a.m.: Roundtable II – Rural Workforce Capacity
Remote communities, like many in Alaska, require importation of out-of-town personnel to fulfill workforce capacity needs. This panel will examine successful capacity-building strategies, how COVID restrictions on travel impacted natural resource sector workers, and how communities are recovering their workforce. Panelists include: Mike Satre, Director of Governmental Affairs, Hecla Mining; Dan Robinson, Research Chief, Alaska Department of Labor.
11:00 a.m.: Roundtable III – The Future of Mineral Production and Dependent Economies
In February of 2021, the Biden Administration released an Executive Order on America’s Supply Chains resulting in blueprints for securing the domestic supply of certain critical minerals. This panel will discuss how mineral resource-dependent communities and their economies will be impacted by changing land planning, permits and mineral production. Panelists include: Alan Weitzner, Executive Director, Alaska Industrial Development Export Authority; Deantha Skibinski, Executive Director, Alaska Miners Association; Mike Satre, Director of Governmental Affairs, Hecla Mining.
12:30 p.m.: - Roundtable IV- Building a Resilient Long-term Timber Supply
Actively managed working forests are often a major part of a sustainable rural economic base. Federal lands constitute a large portion of the land base in most western states. Pressure from conservation organizations has greatly reduced timber management and wood supply on federal lands, and this trend is likely to continue. A challenge for many states, therefore, is how to marshal the resources of private, state and local landownerships to provide the reliable long-term timber supply necessary to maintain a thriving timber industry in local communities. Panelists include: Laura Schweitzer, Executive Director of the Council of Western State Foresters; Helge Eng, State Forester for the State of Alaska; Tessa Axelson, Executive Director for the Alaska Forest Association; Robert Venables, Executive Director for the Southeast Conference; Jusdi Doucet, Executive Director for the Alaska Trust Land Office.
1:45 p.m.: Roundtable V – Fisheries and Local Water Resource Management
This panel will explore how fishing communities balance their economic needs with maintaining healthy wildlife populations and water quality. Panelists will discuss the relationship between fishing, water and terrestrial management plans, and how fisheries are incorporated into resource planning. Panelists include: Kyle Moselle, Executive Director, Alaska Department of Natural Resources, Office of Project Management and Permitting; Doug Vincent-Lang, Commissioner, Alaska Department of Fish and Game; Jason Brune, Commissioner, Department of Environmental Conservation; Tom Gemmell, Publisher, Fish Notes.
3:00 p.m.: Roundtable VI – Supporting Tribal Engagement in Long-Term Agreements
Tribal lands share their borders with state and federal as well as private lands. Incorporating tribal perspectives and knowledge from the beginning of project planning is essential for maintaining successful long-term efforts, but many potential partners do not know how to productively engage with tribes. Panelists will discuss the barriers and strategies for supporting tribes and early, meaningful collaboration. Panelists include: Kristi Harper, Acting NRCS National Tribal Liaison Officer, USDA – Natural Resources Conservation Service, Alaska; and Rex Rock, Special Assistant, Office of Alaska Governor Dunleavy.
4:15 p.m.: Roundtable VII – Overcoming Barriers to Cross-boundary Land Use Planning
Federal lands have varying designations and purposes, resulting in vast differences in management needs and planning goals. Panelists will explain how bordering landowners can understand and integrate the unique needs associated with land planning around specifically designated management areas. Panelists include: Rodney Dial, Mayor of Ketchikan Gateway Borough; Trey Acteson, CEO of Southeast Alaska Power Agency; Travis Million, CEO of Copper Valley Electric Association; Ed Cushing, Division Manager of KPU Telecommunications.