Mary Goddard: Restoring Native Culture with Regenerative Tourism in Alaska

In the age of TikTok and Instagram, it seems there’s no place we haven’t seen, but if you’ve ever been to Alaska, you know there’s a whole lotta world left to discover—a world on the forefront of climate change, the energy transition, advocacy for Native rights, and... regenerative tourism. Because in the midst of all that Alaskans are navigating, including challenges with transportation, supply chain, and food security, they’re seeing unprecedented numbers of tourists. The islanded town of Sitka swells from under 9,000 to nearly half a million in the summertime, coming in on cruise ships. These ships bring opportunities, and they also bring complications for the people who live there, and for the environment. In her role as regenerative tourism catalyst, Mary Goddard relies on Alaska Native values of sustainability and hospitality to build a healthy relationship between her community and the tourists who visit, inviting us to join in stewarding the land, the sea, and the culture.  Mary Goddard's food blog is ForestFreshAlaska, and you can find her artwork at AlaskaMary.com. If you want to visit Sitka, she recommends you stay at CampStarlightAlaska. And if you’re a veteran or first responder, Mary and her husband invite you to reconnect with nature at Waypoint for Veterans.Mary's references in the episode include: AIANTA (American Indian Alaska Native Tourism Association), Spruce Root; Sustainable Southeast Partnership, and Sealaska. Connect with Kate Tucker on instagram.com/katetuckermusic Hosted and produced by Kate Tucker, Hope Is My Middle Name is a podcast by Consensus Digital Media in collaboration with Reasonable Volume.