Glacier Bay Ecosystem Partnership Members
(These are the signatories of the Memorandum of Understanding for the Formation and Operation of the Glacier Bay Ecosystem Partnership)
Federal agencies
U.S Geological Survey, Biological Resources Division
Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve
Bureau of Land Management
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Minerals Management Service
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Chatham Area
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Alaska state agencies
Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation
Alaska Department of Fish and Game
Alaska Department of Natural Resources
Native organizations
Hoonah Indian Association
Yak-Tat Kwaan, Incorporated
Other federal and native organizations with interests in the Glacier Bay Ecosystem region:
National Marine Fisheries Service, Alaska Region
Central Council Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska
Huna Totem Corporation
Sealaska Corporation
Yakutat Tlingit Tribe
Federal agencies
The mission of the The Biological Resource Division (BRD), U.S. Geological Survey (formerly National Biological Service) is to work with others to provide the scientific understanding and technologies needed to support the sound management and concervation of our Nation's biological resources. The BRD was created to ensure that the science used by regulatory agencies and natural resource managers is sound and unbiased. Unlike most bureaus within the Department of Interior, USGS has no direct regulatory, management, or enforcement responsibilities. However, the biological information gathered by the BRD is used by federal, state, and local governments, industry, and private landowners to manage natural resources. Both research needed to meet short term, tactical information needs and long term, strategic needs is conducted at 16 Science Centers and 81 Field Stations, as well as 54 Cooperative Research Units in 40 states.
There are two broad categories of BRD research activities. One focuses on those species for which the Department of Interior has trust responsibilities, including endangered species, marine mammals, migratory birds, and anadromous fish. Research on these organisms involve studies of (1) individual species (e.g. physiology, behavior, genetics, and ecological requirements); and (2) populations dynamics (e.g. birth, productivity and mortality rates; causes and effects of variation in population size and composition). These activities are conducted to facilitate management of these species.
The other focus is on ecosystem-level research. The goal is to develop practical knowledge of the complex interactions within natural communities and, through observation, experimentation, and modeling, predict the effects of management decisions and other natural and human-caused changes on ecosystem structure and function. Activities range from broad-scale investigations of effects of global-level changes, to highly specific studies of how a species functions within ecosystems.
Fundamentally, the BRD is committed to programs that prevent costly environmental train wrecks ... programs that help us protect ecosystems and plan for the future. Key partners in many of these endeavors include Interior resource management bureaus, other Federal agencies, States, and private organizations with regional and ecosystem-specific interests.
National Park Service
The National Park Service was established "...to promote and regulate the use of the...national parks...which purpose is to conserve the scenery and the natural and historic objects and the wild life therein and to provide for the enjoyment of the same in such manner and by such means as will leave them unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations." — National Park Service Organic Act, 16 U.S.C.1.
The National Park System was created by Congress for the protection of the scenic, scientific and cultural legacy that spoke to the hearts and minds of the first European settlers who saw them. From that early sense of wonder sprang the idea of "saving something for tomorrow," as a reminder of the world these settlers found when they came — a gift to their children and their children's children. Care of these park lands is entrusted to the National Park Service. The mission is to conserve and protect the nation's cultural and natural heritage and to make those places and resources available for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of present and future generations.
Within the Glacier Bay region, the National Park Service manages the Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve. The research functions of the National Park Service were transferred to the NBS in 1993. The NBS operates a research station in Glacier Bay.
www.nps.gov (Park Service Home Page), www.nps.gov/glba/ (Glacier Bay Park Page)
Bureau of Land Management
The 270 million surface acres managed by the BLM were once called "the land nobody wanted" because 19th-century Western settlers — the homesteaders — had passed it by. More Americans today recognize the ecological, aesthetic and economic value of BLM-managed lands. As a result, the BLM is working harder than ever to improve the way it manages the land. One of the ways the agency is doing this is by taking a "big picture" or ecosystem approach to land management. This style of management is aimed at promoting biological diversity (nature's variety of life forms and processes) and sustainable development (the long-term use of natural resources without damaging the environment).
This "big picture" type of management is consistent with the BLM's mandate under the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, which requires the agency to manage in a way that accommodates many uses of the land -such as fishing, camping, hiking, boating, grazing, timber harvesting and mining.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
The US Fish and Wildlife Service is a bureau within the Department of the Interior. Its mission is to conserve, protect, and enhance fish and wildlife and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. Its major responsibilities are: migratory birds, endangered species, certain marine mammals, freshwater and anadromous fish, the National Wildlife Refuge System, wetlands, conserving habitat, and environmental contaminants.
In 1993, the Service's research activities, which is conducted at 14 research stations and their satellite offices around the country, were transferred to a new Interior Department bureau called the National Biological Service. The research conducted at these and other facilities continues to provide important information to the US Fish and Wildlife Service for making decisions on how best to conserve fish and wildlife.
Minerals Management Service
The Minerals Management Service (MMS) is a bureau of the Department of the Interior. The mission of the MMS is to manage the mineral resources of the Outer Continental Shelf in an environmentally sound and safe manner and to timely collect, verify, and distribute mineral revenues from federal and Indian lands.
The two primary programs of the MMS are the Offshore Minerals Management and Royalty Management programs. The Offshore Minerals Management program administers the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) leasing program and oversees the safe and environmentally sound exploration and production of the Nation's offshore natural gas, oil and other mineral resources.
The Royalty Management program is responsible for all mineral revenue management functions from federal and Indian lands. The Royalty Management program provides an integrated process for collecting, accounting for, distributing, verifying, and auditing revenues generated from these lands. Since MMS' creation in 1982, this program has collected and distributed more than $77.4 billion.
U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service
The United States Forest Service (USFS) manages nearly 23 million acres of Alaska public land. The agency's mission is to protect, improve, and wisely use forest resources to meet the needs of current user and future generations. National Forest System lands are administered for many uses including watershed protection, mineral extraction, wildlife habitat, diverse recreational opportunities, and timber production. In Southeast Alaska, the USFS manages the almost 17 million acre Tongass National Forest, the nation's largest national forest.
Visit the Admiralty Island National Monument Homepage
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was established December 2, 1970, to consolidate a number of federal environmental activities into a single agency. The agency's broad mission is to preserve and improve the quality of the environment and protect human health from environmental threats. The four northwestern states of Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington comprise EPA Region 10, one of ten regions in the country. The agency works closely with state governments to delegate responsibilities for carrying out environmental programs. The Environmental Services division provides technical and scientific support, including laboratory analysis. Three other divisions, Water, Air and Toxic, and Hazardous Waste, carry out specific programs to implement environmental laws.
Alaska state agencies
Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation
According to their mission statement, "the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation is dedicated to strengthening families and job opportunities through a cooperative stewardship with the citizens of Alaska that ensures protection of public health and the environment." The two divisions with programs most pertinent to the Glacier Bay Ecosystem Partnership are the Divisions of Air and Water Quality and Spill Prevention and Response.
The mission of the Division of Air and Water Quality is to prevent, monitor, and control emissions into the air and water to protect the public health and the environment. Programs of the Division of Air And Water Quality include: Industrial Operations/Watershed Development, Water Quality Technical Services, Watershed Management/Watershed Protection, Air Quality Maintenance, and Air Quality Improvement.
The mission of the Division of Spill Prevention and Response (SPAR) is to prevent, respond to, and ensure the cleanup of unauthorized discharges of oil and hazardous substances. The division administers five programs: Prevention and Emergency Response, Industry Preparedness and Pipeline, Contaminated Sites and Remediation, Storage Tanks and Exxon Valdez Damage Assessment and Restoration. Of primary concern to the Glacier Bay Initiative is the Prevention and Emergency Response Program. The mission of this program is to prevent and mitigate oil and hazardous substance releases through government planning and rapid response. The program is Alaska's primary State of Alaska response organization for oil and hazardous substance releases.
Alaska Department of Fish and Game
The Alaska Department of Fish and Game's mission is to manage, protect, maintain, and improve the fish, game and aquatic plant resources of Alaska. The primary goals are to ensure that Alaska's renewable fish and wildlife resources, and their habitats are conserved and managed on the sustained yield principle, and the use and development of these resources are in the best interest of the economy and well-being of the people of the state.
While fulfilling this mission statement, the department will seek excellence in carrying out its responsibilities under state and federal law to:
- Provide for the greatest long-term opportunities for people to use and enjoy Alaska's fish, wildlife and habitat resources.
- Improve public accessibility to, and encourage active involvement by the public in, the department's decision making processes. Build a working environment based on mutual trust and respect between the department and the public, and among department staff.
- Maintain the highest standards of scientific integrity and provide the most accurate and current information possible. Foster professionalism in department staff, promote innovative and creative resource management, and provide ongoing training and education for career development.
www.state.ak.us/local/akpages/FISH.GAME/adfghome.htm
Alaska Department of Natural Resources
The Alaska Department of Natural Resources (DNR) manages Alaska's land, water and surface and subsurface resources (except for fish and game) for both development and conservation. The federal government promised Alaska 106 million acres of uplands at the time of statehood. By June, 1995 approximately 89 million acres of its total had been conveyed. The Department of Natural Resources oversees 65 million acres of tidelands, shorelands and submerged lands in addition to the uplands conveyed by the federal government.
The Alaska Department of Natural Resources has eight divisions. Those most pertinent to this initiative include the divisions of Forestry, Geological and Geophysical Surveys, Land, Mining and Water Management, Oil and Gas, and Parks and Outdoor Recreation.
Native organizations
Hoonah Indian Association
The Hoonah Indian Association is the recognized Tribal governing body of the Huna Tlingits. It was chartered in 1939 as a federally recognized tribe in accordance with and by authority of the Indian Reorganization Act of June 18, 1934 (48 Stat. 984), and May 1, 1936 (49 Stat. 1250), the Indian Reorganization Act (IRA).
The governing body of the Hoonah Indian Association is a Board of Directors composed of seven members elected each year (with staggered terms of office), who exercise the following powers, subject to any limitations imposed by the statues or Constitution of the United States Government and subject further to all express restrictions upon such powers contained in the Constitution and By-laws of the Hoonah Indian Association:
(a) to negotiate with the federal and state governments on behalf of its membership and to advise and consult with representatives of the Interior Department on all activities of the Department that affect the Hoonah Indian Association.
(b) to manage and control all the economic affairs and enterprises of the Association in accordance with the terms of a charter which may be issued to the Association by the Secretary of the Interior.
(c) to manage and control all the economic affairs and enterprises of the Association in accordance with the terms of a charter which may be issued to the Association by the Secretary of the Interior.
(d) to prevent the sale, disposition, lease or encumbrance of Association land, interest in land or waters or in other assets of the Association without the consent of the Board.
(e) to organize or to charter associations of its members for economic purposes and to regulate the same.
(f) to provide for the guardianship of the persons and property of minors and mental incompetents, consistent with state and federal law.
(g) to levy dues, fees, assessments, and fines on the members for Association purposes, and charges on nonmembers for the use of the property of the Association and to provide for the collection thereof.
(h) to provide for filling vacancies of office consistent with the Constitution.
(i) to make assignments of Association lands to members of the Association in accordance with custom or the regulations of the Board.
(j) to protect and preserve the property and natural resources of the Association.
(k) to cultivate native arts, crafts and culture.
(l) to aid needy members and protect the general welfare and security of the Association.
(m) to control the use by members or nonmembers of any reserve set aside by the federal government for the Association and to keep order in the reserve.
The Constitution of the Hoonah Indian Association states that it will manage and protect the property of the Hoonah Indian Association, aid the needy and cultivate Native arts and culture. Although the governing functions have been limited in the past, the Hoonah Indian Association is moving towards Self-Governance. On March 16, 1994, the Hoonah Indian Association signed Resolution #94-09 of Retrocession from the Central Council Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska. The Association believes that they are best suited to contract for services for their Tribe. There are currently (1997) 542 enrolled tribal members of the Hoonah Indian Association.
Yak-Tat Kwaan, Incorporated
Yak Tat Kwaan, Inc. is a village corporation formed under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act of 1971 (ANCSA). {link to ANCSA section} {link image land ownership map}The southern boundary of village corporation lands border on Glacier Bay National Park. Yak-Tat Kwaan fishermen, hunters and resource gathers have ancestral ties to the Glacier Bay region. The establishment of the Glacier Bay National Park did not change the role, use and importance of the area around Dry Bay to the Yak-Tat Kwaan peoples. As a result of the importance of these lands to its shareholders, Yak-Tat Kwaan is always an active participant in activities and development pertaining to the Glacier Bay region. For this reason, the village corporation is involved in the Glacier Bay Ecosystem Partnership.
Yak-Tat Kwaan has 343 original shareholders and, like other village corporations, received title to 23,040 acres of land. Since then it has purchased additional land in the Yakutat area. Yak-Tat Kwaan is involved in a number of business activities including timber harvesting, air taxi service, construction, and seafood processing. The corporation also recently built and now operates the Yakutat clinic.
Other federal and native organizations with interests in the Glacier Bay ecosystem region:
National Marine Fisheries Service, Alaska Region
The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The Alaska Region administers NOAA's programs to manage living marine resources in Alaska for optimum use. The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) conducts multi-disciplinary research programs to provide scientific and technical information necessary to manage living marine resources and to support the information requirements and decision-making processes of Regional Fishery Management Councils.
The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) has a number of offices (divisions) with programs and projects in Alaska. These include the Office of Fisheries Conservation and Management which provides advice and guidance on fishery management responsibilities; the Office of Habitat Protection which promotes federal actions essential for the conservation, protection, management, and restoration of habitats critical to the nation's marine, estuarine, and anadromous living marine resources; the Office of Protected Resources administers the conservation and protection of marine mammals and endangered species; and the Office of Research and Environmental Information provides oversight for advice and guidance on the scientific and technical aspects of NOAA's programs.
Visit the National Marine Fisheries Service Homepage
Central Council Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska
The establishment of the Central Council Tlingit and Haida Tribes of Alaska developed from Native assertion of claims to land in Alaska which date back to 1867. Immediately after the sale of Alaska by Russia to the United States, the Tlingit Indians of southeast Alaska protested the sale, arguing that they were the owners of the land they occupied. The Tlingit and Haida petitioned Congress for the right to present their grievances to a court of law. As a result of Congressional lobbying and the petition, Congress passed the Jurisdictional Act of June 19, 1935 which authorized the Tlingit and Haida people the right to prosecute their claims in federal court. The 1935 Act provided for the formation of a "Tlingit and Haida Central Council" for the purpose of pursuing the legal claims. In 1935, the Tlingit and Haida sued to establish their aboriginal claim to lands taken from them for the Tongass National Forest.
In 1959, the Tlingit and Haida secured a judgment in the action they had brought in 1935: they were entitled to compensation for the land taken from them to create the Tongass National Forest and Glacier Bay National Monument. Lost hunting and fishing rights were not considered in this decision, and the matter of determining the value of the land withdrawn by the US was set aside for future judgment. The US Court of Claims explicitly declared that the Treaty of Cession, 1867, did not extinguish aboriginal title.
On August 19, 1965, Congress amended the Jurisdictional Act of 1935. The amendment recognized the Central Council's role as the governing body of the Tlingit and Haida people and approved the rules of organization of the Central Council. It also directed the Central Council to "prepare plans for the use of said funds [from the pending settlement], and to exercise such powers with respect to the advance, expenditure, and distribution of said funds."
Finally, in 1968, they were awarded $7.5 million. No land was included as part of the settlement. When the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act {link with ANCSA section} (ANCSA) was developed and debated, the Tlingit and Haida settlement served, in the opinion of Native leaders, as a model of an inadequate settlement.
The mission of the Central Council was enumerated in the "Six Point Plan" prepared by the Central Council staff and approved by Congress in 1970. This plan called for programs in the areas of education and skills training, industrial and commercial development, housing assistance and financing. The Central Council has developed numerous programs and services and plays an active role serving the interests of the Tlingit and Haida people. The Central Council's role in the Glacier Bay Ecosystem Partnership stems from this role representing the Tlingit and Haida people who have used Glacier Bay and the rest of the region for traditional cultural and subsistence harvesting activities.
Huna Totem Corporation
The Huna Totem Corporation sees itself as the advocate for the Huna people, who are its shareholders. Huna Totem Corporation is a village corporation formed under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act of 1971 (ANCSA). {link to ANCSA section} {link image land ownership map}As a village corporation formed under ANCSA, it was allowed to select 23,040 acres of lands. As of January 31, 1996, the corporation had received an interim conveyance of 23,034 acres and patent to 22,594 of this interim conveyance.
The mission statement of the Huna Totem Corporation is
"Huna Totem Corporation is a for-profit ANCSA Village Corporation which shall strive to provide maximum, assured, equal and continuing returns to its shareholders, while maintaining control of its land and recognizing the cultural values of its shareholders."
The corporation sees itself as a corporate body with a purpose to protect the lands, monies and resources presently owned by the shareholders as designated by ANCSA, and to ensure the corporations survival for the benefit of the Huna People, their children and all future generations. To further this goal, the Huna Totem Corporation Shareholders Settlement Trust and Huna Heritage Foundation were established. The Settlement Trust was established to promote the health, education and welfare. The Heritage was established with the mission of perpetuating the culture and awarding education assistance grants to shareholders and their descendants.
Sealaska Corporation
Sealaska Corporation is an Alaska Native corporation formed as the result of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act of 1971(ANCSA). {link image land ownership map} It has grown to become the third largest Alaska-owned, Alaska-based corporation of any kind, and it is the largest private land owner in Southeast Alaska.
Sealaska is owned by nearly 16,000 Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian shareholders whose ancestry is rooted in Southeast Alaska — the most shareholders of any Alaska Native corporation. Almost half of the shareholders still live in the region, while 10 percent live in other parts of the state, and the remainder live outside Alaska.
Sealaska seeks to maximize financial returns to provide dividends and shareholder benefits. Unlike most American corporations, Sealaska also depends on its business success to help support many cultural, educational and social programs for its shareholders.
The role of the Sealaska Corporation in the Glacier Bay Ecosystem Partnership stems from its role representing the Native people of Southeast Alaska who for centuries have used Glacier Bay and the rest of the region for traditional cultural and subsistence harvesting activities.
Yakutat Tlingit Tribe
The Yakutat Tlingit Tribe became a Federally Recognized Tribe in 1993. The Yakutat tribal members have lived in the Yakutat area for hundreds of years. At one time the Yakutat Tlingits were one people. They migrated from the south through Ketchikan, Sitka and to Yakutat. The Lux-na-axdi tribe settled in the Dry Bay area and had a large settlement on the Akwe River. They also had a permanent settlement at Lituya Bay. The Thunderbird tribe came from the Haines/Klukwan and Hoonah area. They settled at the head of Italio and Dangerous Rivers. On occasion, they used Glacier Bay for hunting and fishing purposes. The Yakutats did a lot of trading with the Chilkats from the Haines/Klukwan are and its stands to reason that Glacier Bay was utilized for subsistence purposes as they made their ventures back and forth between Yakutat and the Haines area.
Yakutat Tlingit Tribe has 380 tribal members. The tribal President has been involved in the meetings for the development of the Glacier Bay Ecosystem Partnership Plan.
