Indigenous Communities Chart a Path for Sustainable Future — The Nature Conservancy in Washington

For decades, timber harvesting in the Tongass rainforest has caused deep divides between environmental organizations, industry groups, and Indigenous communities, often villainizing native communities that were strapped by limited economic opportunities. Understanding that a new path was needed, TNC has worked with local tribes and institutions, including Sealaska, the Alaska Native corporation that is the region’s largest owner of private timberlands, to launch a regional network based on a collective impact model. The resulting Sustainable Southeast Partnership (SSP) has successfully reshaped how the region works together on shared goals.