With generous support from the Mellon Foundation, the Central Council of the Tlingit & Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska (Tlingit & Haida) is advancing a bold vision of Tribal co-stewardship at the Mendenhall Glacier Recreation Area (MGRA), historically known as Áakʼw Tʼáak Sít’ and Sít’ Aant’aakú. This monumental funding award demonstrates the Tribe’s growing leadership role in managing and interpreting one of Alaska’s most visited public lands. 

The Mellon Foundation’s $2.35 million investment is fueling a wide range of initiatives under the historic 2023 Co-Stewardship Agreement between Tlingit & Haida and the U.S. Forest Service. This agreement affirms a government-to-government partnership and commits both entities to shared stewardship of the ancestral homelands of the Áak’w Ḵwáan people. 

“Thanks to the Mellon Foundation, we’re able to carry out work that centers our stories, our language, and our relationship with the land,” said Tlingit & Haida Indigenous Stewardship Program Director Ralph Wolfe. “This partnership is about healing from past injustices and ensuring our voices are included—for generations to come.” 

Among the projects now underway or planned: 

• Totem Poles: Five (5) totem poles will be raised at the Mendenhall Glacier Recreation Area—four (4) representing the Áak’w Ḵwáan clans and one (1) representing Tlingit & Haida as a whole. 

• Visitor Center Renovation: In collaboration with the U.S. Forest Service, the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center will be updated to center Lingít history and perspectives (2025). 

• Signage & Place Names: Installation of new signage centering Lingít knowledge and language. (2025–2030). 

• Cultural Ambassador Program: Launched in 2024, this program placed tribal citizen ambassadors at the MGRA to share Lingít culture, values, and knowledge with more than 1.5 million visitors. Ambassadors received training in traditional knowledge, language, cultural sensitivity, and safety practices. 

These efforts align with a larger vision for equitable and culturally grounded co-management of public lands. Tlingit & Haida is also exploring a formal strategic planning process with the U.S. Forest Service, modeled after the Haida Nation’s Land-Sea-People Plan in Canada—a comprehensive, values-based framework for stewardship. 

“This $2.35 million investment ensures the voices and presence of the people of this land remain strong, guiding how our history and future are told,” said Chief Operating Officer, Roald Helgesen. “Tlingit & Haida has invested heavily in the success of Tribal co-stewardship, and the Mellon Foundation’s support is helping us build a model that other Tribes can look to.” 

Tlingit & Haida’s Executive Council oversees the Co-Stewardship initiative, with leadership from President Peterson, Chief Operating Officer Roald Helgesen, and coordination with U.S. Forest Service Alaska Regional Forester Monique Nelson. 

“Beautiful things are happening at the Mendenhall Glacier Recreation Area,” said Fran Houston, Seikoonie, Lʼeeneidí, Spokesperson for the Áakʼw Ḵwáan. “We have a good future coming up- not only for the visitors but for our people.” 

The budget for the three-year project is $2.35 million, covering totem poles, signage, co-management staffing, and strategic planning. 

For more information about Tlingit & Haida’s co-stewardship and Native Lands & Resources work, visit: https://tlingitandhaida.gov/service/co-stewardship/