Southeast Alaska students learn to shape resource policy through federal board process

A unique University of Alaska Southeast program is teaching high school students how to participate in federal subsistence management decisions by bringing them directly into the public process.

The dual enrollment course, which offers high school students two university biology credits, prepares participants to engage effectively with the Federal Subsistence Board - the body overseeing subsistence hunting and fishing regulations on federal public lands in Alaska.

"I truly believe now, in my experience of navigating the processes for the last decade, that you can't learn this stuff from books. You have to learn it by doing it," says instructor Heather Bauscher, who first encountered the program as a student seeking biology credits nearly 10 years ago.

The four-week practicum has expanded from its Sitka origins to include remote cohorts from Hoonah, Wrangell, and Petersburg. Currently, two Petersburg students - Oliver Petersen and Thomas Olsen-Phillips - are preparing to participate in the upcoming statewide Federal Subsistence Board meeting in Anchorage. Petersen has already demonstrated the program's impact by presenting testimony on Ketchikan's rural designation request at a Regional Advisory Council meeting last fall.

Students earn two biology credits while learning about policy procedures and public testimony. The course includes two weeks of twice-weekly meetings covering background information about the board's structure and history, followed by hands-on experience at actual board meetings.

"Even if they hate the meetings, all of them in the end realize that their voice has a lot more power than they initially thought," Bauscher explains. "That's the biggest goal I have in the whole thing."

"I think it's important just for people to learn about how these processes work, so that they know they can be involved in it, and so we have voices in our community and actual people making decisions, instead of politicians," adds Petersen.

Olsen-Phillips says the course has sparked a desire to share the realization to "possibly classmates or friends that like, 'hey, as an Alaskan resident you can put your voice out there and have a say in things.'"

At the upcoming fishery cycle meeting, the board will consider several Southeast Alaska proposals, including regulations regarding eulachon, the Taku River subsistence fishery, and herring fishing near Makhnati Island. They will also make a final decision on Ketchikan Indian Community's request to change from urban to rural designation for subsistence purposes.

The Petersburg Rotary Club has demonstrated strong community support for the program, contributing $3,000 to help cover student travel expenses. This funding enables local students to participate in person at the meetings in Anchorage, where they can directly engage with resource management decisions affecting their community.

Public participation in these meetings is actively encouraged, with multiple ways for community members to get involved. Each morning of the Federal Subsistence Board meeting begins with an open public comment period where anyone can speak about subsistence-related concerns, whether they're on the agenda or not. Interested participants can join either in person or through teleconference, making the process accessible to remote communities throughout Alaska. Meeting details can be found by googling: Upcoming Federal Subsistence Board Meetings.

The program's impact is expanding through a recent initiative that creates youth non-voting seats on all regional councils across Alaska. Applications are currently open for individuals aged 18-25 who wish to serve two-year terms. Additionally, the Regional Advisory Councils, which serve as local advisory groups to the Federal Subsistence Board, are accepting applications for regular membership positions until mid-February. These positions are appointed by the secretaries of agriculture and interior, offering community members a direct role in resource management decisions.

"There's nowhere else in the country where an individual has this much ability to influence how their resources are managed as the people of Alaska," says Bauscher. "It's just a matter of showing up and learning to navigate the system."