Abstract
The state of Alaska is experiencing increased coastal erosion due to climatic changes that threaten shoreline, infrastructure, and Alaska Native ways of life. While several Alaska Native villages have been impacted by severe erosion, additional communities face burgeoning erosion concerns. St. Paul, a remote island located in the Bering Sea, Alaska, and home to ~450 Unangan, or Aleut, residents, is experiencing relatively new erosion and associated flooding issues. This study aimed to inform St. Paul’s erosion monitoring and climate adaptation strategies by documenting community perceptions of coastal erosion as an ecological and social threat within a broader context of multiple established climate stressors. We interviewed 21 residents to answer: (1) what are the community’s perceptions of erosion on St. Paul in the context of the island’s other environmental concerns?; (2) do current perceptions of erosion affect how local governing and management entities address erosion impacts?; and (3) how does erosion relate to and impact Unangan cultural traditions and heritage? Residents identified six locations of primary concern, owing to how erosion of those areas impact their culture, subsistence practices, and sense of place. We suggest methods in which local entities can better support proactive climate adaptation and mitigation measures and utilize resources for community-driven adaption planning. By documenting perspectives in Indigenous communities on emergent climate impacts, as well as perceptions of adaptation planning and implementation, it can establish the foundation for more collaborative, culturally relevant, and successful community-driven climate adaptation planning.
Highlights
Coastal erosion resulting from climate change impacts, such as increased storm frequency, lengthening open water periods, increased freshwater input to marine systems, and general sea level rise, represent numerous risks to coastal landscapes, infrastructure, and biological and cultural diversity (Sanò et al 2011; IPCC 2014; Radosavljevic et al.2016)
In a 2003 study conducted by the U.S Government Accountability Office, 184 out of 213 (86%) Alaska Native villages reported being affected by erosion and associated flooding, and this percentage is likely higher (US GAO 2003, 2009)
Paul in the context of the island’s other environmental concerns? (2) Do the current perceptions of erosion affect how local governing and management entities address erosion impacts? and (3) How does erosion relate to and impact Unangan cultural traditions and heritage? Through interviews and focus groups, we identified areas of primary and secondary concern and explored coastal erosion on St
Summary
Coastal erosion resulting from climate change impacts, such as increased storm frequency, lengthening open water periods, increased freshwater input to marine systems, and general sea level rise, represent numerous risks to coastal landscapes, infrastructure, and biological and cultural diversity (Sanò et al 2011; IPCC 2014; Radosavljevic et al.2016). Many coastal erosion studies and adaptation efforts in Alaska focus on communities experiencing extreme erosion impacts, such as areas where major infrastructure has been jeopardized or the ability to maintain traditional ways of life has been severely altered. For many of these communities, erosion has already affected residential, commercial, and public infrastructure, and led to the collapse and loss of numerous buildings Comm.), and Shishmaref (USACE Alaska District 2006a, 2006b; Shen and Ristroph 2020) experienced such critical degrees of flooding and erosion that these communities are currently in the discussion, planning, or implementation stages of village relocation to less vulnerable areas. The Denali Commission, a federal agency who provides utilities, infrastructure, and economic support throughout Alaska, estimated that the cost to fully relocate the community will total ~$110 million (ANTHC 2018)
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