Why we care
Alaska’s waters are susceptible to ocean acidification, and conditions approach biological thresholds for some culturally and economically significant species. The rural region of Lingít Aaní in southeast Alaska experiences ocean acidification intensity and duration greater than the global average and this is expected to worsen in the future. Lingít Aaní communities are vulnerable to these effects of ocean acidification. All communities in this region include the past, current, and future home of the Lingít, Haida, Tsimshian, and Unangax̂ people. It is a region closely tied to the marine ecosystem that is vital to culture, food security and jobs. This project provides a culturally responsive education program for youth in this region that engages them in collecting and understanding ocean acidification data, impacts and solutions.
What we will do
Since Lingít Aaní and the Indigenous communities that reside here are particularly vulnerable to ocean acidification, the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) partnered with 4-H to develop an ocean acidification outreach and education curriculum tailored for youth in this region. The UAF Cooperative Extension office in Sheet’ká (Sitka) will implement ocean acidification literacy youth programming with 4-H in Sitka and Lingít Aaní that is scalable to other communities. The curriculum will focus on ages 5-12 and encompass youth-led monitoring activities facilitated through the Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE) program. Sitka youth will learn about pH, the carbon cycle, marine ecosystems, and ocean change in an afterschool program. They will also collect measurements in the field and learn how to engage with their own data. Evaluation on project approaches and standards of effectiveness will include youth survey data that compares data collected before and after participation.
The team will also conduct two, week-long summer camps in two to be determined communities in Lingít Aaní. As a final step, the project will leverage the Infiniscope project to create engaging digital content, showcasing the Sitka and Lingít Aaní 4-H youth as educators on ocean acidification for their peers throughout Alaska and beyond.
Benefits of our work
This work empowers a wider youth audience with knowledge and awareness of ocean acidification and action to remain resilient and adapt. This project will recruit students in Indigenous communities that do not currently have established 4-H clubs, increasing reach and engaging more youth. Specifically, there will be greater exposure to STEM activities, giving students a sense of belonging in the 4-H community, and providing positive mentor-youth relationships.
Investigators
Natalie Monacci, University of Alaska, Fairbanks
Jasmine Shaw, University of Alaska, Fairbanks
Christina Buffington, University of Alaska, Fairbanks
Simone Alin, NOAA Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory
Image: Sitka coast (2023). Credit: Mariano Mantel (Creative Commons)