Coastal Community Resilience

Coastal resilience in Alaska

Temperatures in the Arctic are warming at four times the global average. Many residents of Alaska, a geographically and culturally diverse state, are experiencing thawing permafrost, significant erosion, coastal inundation, ocean acidification, invasive species, and other impacts to their way of life. This is impacting traditional activities such as subsistence activities and commercial fishing, which provide food security and economic well-being to coastal communities. Although there are significant impacts to the coasts and resources Alaskans rely on and are connected to, coastal residents are resilient and are learning to adapt.

Diagram showing relationships among climate stressors, bio-ecological systems, socio-economic systems, and adaptation actions in Alaska communities. Central green circle labeled Salmon connects to species like halibut, herring, crab, deer, and clams. Top red box Climate Stressors includes fish size, warmer conditions, range shift, and uncertainty. Bottom orange box Socioeconomic System includes ecosystem health, subsistence, food security, co-production, and traditional knowledge. Right blue box Adaptation Actions includes management, local knowledge, and monitoring. Yellow box Barriers to Action lists capacity, funding, governance. Purple box Movements Toward Adaptation links barriers and actions. Arrows show bidirectional relationships among all components. — **Long Description:** The diagram consists of interconnected colored boxes and circles representing socio-ecological interactions in Alaska communities.

**Climate Stressors (red box):** Large circles labeled "Fish Size", "Warmer Conditions", "Range Shift". Smaller circles include "Uncertainty", "Ecological Change", "Scale of Impacts", "Timing", "Magnitude".

**Bio-Ecological System (green box):** Central large circle labeled "Salmon". Surrounding circles include "Halibut", "Herring", "Crab", "Deer", "Clams". Additional smaller circles: "Ecosystem", "Health", "Society".

**Socioeconomic System (orange box):** Large circles labeled "Ecosystem Health", "Subsistence". Smaller circles include "Food Security", "Co-production", "Traditional Knowledge", "Community Well-being".

**Adaptation Actions (blue box):** Large circle labeled "Management". Smaller circles include "Local Knowledge", "Monitoring", "Partnerships", "Capacity Building", "Research", "Policy Development".

**Barriers to Action (yellow box):** Circles labeled "Capacity", "Funding", "Governance", "Coordination", "Expertise", "Resources", "Policy", "Communication", "Trust", "Equity".

**Movements Toward Adaptation (purple box):** Circles labeled "Pathways", "Networks", "Collaboration".

Red and green arrows indicate bidirectional relationships among all components, showing feedback loops between climate stressors, ecological systems, socioeconomic systems, and adaptation strategies.

Social, Economic, and Environmental Stressors (red) and Resilience and Adaptation Strategies (green) in Gulf of Alaska Communities. Gulf of Alaska Ocean Acidification Regional Vulnerability Assessment, Alaska Sea Grant and NOAA Alaska Fisheries Science Center. Figure by Abigail Sweetman, Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission.Click on the image to enlarge it in a new tab.

The Alaska Sea Grant Coastal Resilience Program provides expertise, research, and extension services to communities across Alaska. Our team facilitates workshops and other activities by building trusted collaborations. We provide data and decision support tools to Alaskans to adapt to rapidly changing environmental conditions, build resilience, and enhance community well-being. Our team facilitates workshops and other activities to empower the communities we serve to enhance their community well-being, including but not limited to community and environmental health, economic development, workforce development, and other aspects that make communities more resilient.

Climate adaptation StoryMap

Open StoryMap in a new window ↗

Adapt Alaska

Adapt Alaska logo Developed by Alaska Sea Grant and partners, Adapt Alaska provides a guide for resilience and adaptation planning. The website provides an overview of changes that are impacting coastal communities across Alaska. The core function of the website is to guide users through the resilience and adaptation process, from initiating a community conversation to monitoring and mitigation activities, and ultimately to resilience and adaptation planning. Each step of the process includes case studies from resilience and adaptation efforts statewide, along with useful resources.

News

State Fellow alum Meeker supporting community resilience in Alaska

May 20, 2024

During her Alaska Sea Grant State Fellowship in 2018, Danielle Meeker worked in the Office of Alaska Lieutenant Governor Byron Mallott, where she helped draft the Alaska Climate Change Strategy…

Fostering local resilience for Alaska fishing communities

April 12, 2024

Climate change has dramatically impacted Gulf of Alaska fisheries. The global phenomenon has led to fisheries disasters over the last several years, including declines in Chinook and other salmon as…

Climate adaptation specialist joins Alaska Sea Grant

February 12, 2024

Alaska Sea Grant welcomes Sean Kelly as our new climate adaptation specialist. Based at our downtown Anchorage office, Kelly will add capacity to Alaska Sea Grant’s coastal community resilience efforts.…

Fellow spotlight: Biz Wallace

October 5, 2023

For her Alaska Sea Grant State Fellowship, Biz Wallace is working on the Alaska Clean Harbors Program. The voluntary statewide program helps harbormasters, communities and boaters prevent pollution and reduce waste. Wallace is focused on increasing harbor participation, developing a tiered certification system, and public outreach events and activities.