Sitka Tribe of Alaska

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Slideshow

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) is useful to an organization for plannning and land asset management. At Sitka Tribe of Alaska, the resource protection staff has been successful in using GIS to collaborate with other governmental agencies and plan for industry growth, while also keeping a careful eye on customary and traditional resources.

For our Sheet'ka Kwaan Traditional Use Mapping Project, the Sitka Tribe staff began with large charts of the Sitka area. Sitka Tribal citizens were invited in groups to mark up the maps (covered with clear mylar material) with information that would be helpful for us when we discuss protection of resources.

Figure 1. Harvey Kitka, Jessica Perkins, Ralph Guthrie, and Helen Dangel mark up the charts.

The group chart exercise is followed up with individual interviews with high harvestors and elders to get more precise numbers and stories for Tribal records.

Figure2. A topographical map of the Sitka area without information layers added.

Once the interview phase was completed, Sitka Tribal staff members 'digitized' the information onto a map, using ESRI's programs: Arcview and ArcGIS. Each different type of information comprised a different 'layer.'

Figure 3. In this layer, salmon harvest areas are marked using icons. The different icon colors represent different species of salmon. In the associated database, other information is included that is not shown on the map, such as harvestor names and special features of the area.

Figure 4. This is the deer layer. Most of the area surrounding Sitka is pristine forest and therefore deer habitat. However, subsistence hunters have known since time immemorial where the best habitat is and where the best-tasting deer live. It is the on-going purpose of this project to keep this information alive in the Tribe's geographic database.

Because of the immensity of the Sitka Tribe's traditional territory, or Sheet'ka Kwaan, a database like this is a very powerful tool for planning purposes. At one time, all of this information was on sheets of mylar and stored in a closet and useless to everyone. Now the database is a dynamic, organic system that is constantly improving. As the environmental department expands its expertise into the area of water resources, the GIS database will be able to quantify stream data with the click of a mouse.

For more information, contact Michael or Helen at the Sitka Tribal offices.