Question

Select one of the over 100 villages formed under ANCSA.  Discuss areas of concern for the sustainability of the village.  Share your recommendations for this village.

Answer 1

ANCSA stands for Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act. This act was passed in the year 1971 with the objective to solve the land claims issue in and around Alaska. It is considered to be the largest land claim settlement till date. Over 100 villages were formed as a result of this act. One of such villages is St. Lawrence Island.

St. Lawrence Island is in west Alaska and is home for over 1500 people. Though the Government is coming up with interventions to facilitate its development, there are certain sustainability issues which must be treated on urgent basis:

· The pollution quotient of the village is quite high. This is because the pollutants of Asia and North America hamper the ecology of the region.

· Military installations in and around the village has contaminated the soil as well as water reserve of the region

· Transportation is at an under-developed state in the village, thereby limiting the connectivity of the region

Recommendations which can attempt to solve the above-raised concerns:

· The Government needs to work on transportation and connectivity as it will solve majority of problems of the region

· Various filtration plants can be installed so as to purify water of the village

· The villagers can be trained to fertilize the local soil. This can enhance the overall productivity of the farmers of the region