The Alaska Garden Helper: A Web Tool Addressing Food Security and Climate Change

Abstract:

The Alaska Garden Helper (https://www.snap.uaf.edu/tools/gardenhelper) /is a free online tool that delivers science-based knowledge and practical information to farmers, ranchers, forest landowners, and Native Alaskan tribes to help them to adapt to climate change. The creation of this tool was part of a project led by researchers at the University of Alaska Fairbanks and the Alaska Climate Adaptation Science Center and informed by local Alaska farmers and other community experts, as well as the USDA Northwest Climate Hub. The overarching goal of this effort was to bolster food security and local empowerment in decision-making in the face of ongoing climate change. Food security is an issue of particular concern in Alaska, because the state is remote from the contiguous United States and other agricultural regions, currently produces very little food, has many communities inaccessible by road, and is vulnerable to interruptions in food supply. The relationship between food production and climate change is of particular interest and pertinence, especially given the accelerated pace of warming in the far north and the linkages with the future of subsistence foods that are crucial to the social and physical health of many rural communities. Previously available tools were limited in their ability to help Alaska’s farmers, gardeners, and communities adjust to climate change. Only via clear communication with a wide range of stakeholders can climate change assessments adequately address real-world concerns. Thus, this project began with information-sharing. Data, models, and methods were selected via collaborative discussion and planning, which included not only university scientists and modelers, but also partners from around the state, including small-scale farmers and gardeners and representatives from the burgeoning peony industry. We hope to broaden this research and outreach even further in the future.