Sitka Conservation Society

The Sitka Conservation Society works to protect the natural environment of the Tongass National Forest, while supporting the development of sustainable communities across Southeast Alaska.

Founded in 1967, the Sitka Conservation Society (SCS) is based in the coastal town of Sitka, Alaska, on the west coast of Baranof Island and surrounded by the Tongass, the nation’s largest National Forest. We work to protect the temperate old growth rainforest and the intact ecosystems within it. By protecting large intact areas of forest, we conserve crucial habitat for salmon, wolves, bears, deer, and other wildlife.

Humans also depend on the resources of an intact forest. Our ways of life are intimately tied to the coastal rainforest. Our families hunt, gather, hike, and fish here. These lands fuel our local economies and sustain our unique communities. Animals and people walk through these forests together, as symbolized by the footprints in the SCS logo.

We at SCS believe that conservation and community prosperity go hand in hand. That’s why we work closely with the Sustainable Southeast Partnership (SSP), a diverse network of tribal governments, economic development organizations, nonprofits, and other local groups. Our collective mission is to build a prosperous and more resilient future for the Southeast Alaska.