Community Facilitation: Empowering communities

By Aldyn Brudie, Administrative & Human Resources Director

Spruce Root’s community planning and facilitation initiatives continued in 2023 as we collaborated with various stakeholders to foster sustainable development and empower local communities.

We continued to work with the City & Borough of Yakutat to lead the update of their comprehensive community plan, which was adopted by the City & Borough Assembly in December 2023. We are grateful to the community of Yakutat, the Planning Commission, and CBY staff for their invaluable input on the visions, goals and objectives that will lay the foundation for the future development of their community.

Spruce Root provided strategic planning support to partners, including Allen Marine and the Sitka Sound Science Center. Additionally, the organization supported the City & Borough of Sitka’s Tourism Task Force in community engagement initiatives, showcasing its commitment to facilitating inclusive decision-making processes. Spruce Root also kicked off a project with the U.S. Forest Service to support the Tongass National Forest Plan revision starting in early 2024.

In 2023 we put together a diverse team of over 40 representatives from across the region to begin an innovative process for addressing the needs of the region called “Transformative Scenarios Planning.” The team began their work in late 2023, which will take six months to complete, resulting in a tool that can be used to support community and regional planning for years to come.

Looking ahead, Spruce Root remains dedicated to supporting community-driven initiatives through strategic planning and facilitation.