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How Did the Climate Resilience Area Come About?  

 

The Climate Resilience Area was the result of a direct request made by more than 70 Tribes in the Northern Bering Sea region. The effort was lead by Kawerak Inc., AVCP, and the Bering Sea Elders group.  

story-knife. Object Type: story-knife.

Museum number: Am1890,0908.74.

Production ethnic group made by: Eskimo-Aleut.

Found/Acquired: Bering Sea (?), Pacific Ocean  Found/Acquired: Alaska (state), 

Americas: North America:

USA: Alaska (state). 

Materials: walrus ivory

British Museum

Description: Traditional girl's story knife carved from ivory (walrus) and with  incised line pattern in black on one side. Representation of two seal heads carved into the handle.

   In 2008, BSEG, Kawerak, and AVCP entered into Memorandum of Understandings (MOUs) to collaborate on the goal of preventing trawling on the ocean bottom in the Northern Bering Sea. These MOUs were the beginning of what continues to be, a long and productive relationship. Between 2008 and 2016, BSEG, AVCP, and Kawerak each passed resolutions calling for the long-term permanent protection for the Northern Bering Sea Research Area; urging the federal government to undertake a rigorous tribal consultation process and ensure Tribal Self-Determination for decisions affecting the Northern Bering Sea; and affirming the commitment to protect traditional ways of life and the future of the region. The three organizations passed similar resolutions. This led to President Obama creating the Northern Bering Sea Climate Resilience Area. In the years following President Trump’s revocation of the Northern Bering Sea Climate Resilience Area, the three organizations were joined by the Aleut Community of St. Paul Island Tribal Government.  

Kawerak Inc., is a non-profit Tribal consortium representing 20 Tribes across 16 communities. It formed in 1970 to provide a wide range of services including pooling resources and providing social, educational, construction, and economic services to residents of the Bering Strait Region. This region spans 23,000 square miles and contains 570 miles of coastline. Kawerak has conducted decades of social and fisheries science since the 1970’s. They have worked for years to achieve better protection of the Northern Bering Sea, leading to the partnerships that achieved the NBSCRA.

Kawerak, Inc.

The  Association  of  Village  Council  Presidents  (AVCP),  is  a non-profit  Tribal  consortium  created  in  1964,  representing 56 member Tribes  across 48  communities of  the Yukon- Kuskokwim Delta. This region spans 55,000 square  miles.  AVCP was created to promote self-determination, protection, and enhancement of cultural and traditional values, as well as furthering community development, education, social services, culturally  relevant  programs,  and  advocacy  to  serve  and  connect  the  people  in  the  region. It   also   has   had   strong   interests   in   protecting   the   Northern   Bering   Sea   region.

Association of Village Council Presidents

The Bering Sea Elders Group (BSEG) was founded in 2007 to address concerns related to large scale destructive fishing in the Bering Strait and Yukon-Kuskokwim coastal regions―specifically the impact of trawling on the bottom has on subsistence and its irreplaceable ecosystems. BSEG is made up of elders from both the AVCP and Kawerak regions. Its mission is to work together to protect the traditional ways of life and the ocean web that Bering Sea Elders Group member Tribes depend on.

 Bering Sea Elders Group

The Aleut Community of St. Paul represents the Pribilof Islands. The total area of the island is 43 square miles. Its community includes over 1,400 members (on and off island) and it is a Federally recognized Tribe. The Aleut Community of St. Paul seeks to advance its own resilience efforts through co-management of ecosystems that includes original stewards of the land and waters.

Aleut Community of St. Paul Island

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