Juneau Economic Development Council

Resources related to the Four Cluster Groups

General information on Clusters

Resources about Assets

Web Communication Tool

In order to facilitate communication on progress related to all of the different action initiatives, a Blog was developed for the participants.

Read Phase I: The Southeast Alaska Economic Asset Map...
Read Phase II: Southeast Alaska Action Initiatives for Key Economic Clusters...

USDA Forest Service Press Release

Project Team

What Is Asset Mapping?

Every region has its own unique set of assets -- both tangible and intangible -- that can be leveraged for workforce and economic development to enhance its competitive position and support innovation-based growth. Asset mapping identifies the assets a region has (human, intellectual, financial, physical, institutional capital), provides a comparison to other regions, identify gaps, provides an understanding of networks and cultural attitudes, gives a baseline to judge future progress, and provides a base for strategic planning.

JEDC News Signup

Please enter your email address below to sign up for our mailing list.

Your email address:
For Email Marketing you can trust

 

 

 

 

JEDC Leads Southeast Cluster Initiative

What's New

Through the SE Cluster Development Initiative, a total of 33 action initiatives were developed over a five-month period of time, most of which enjoyed consensus by all participants; ten by the Oceans Products CWG, five by the Visitor Products CWG, nine by the Forest Products CWG, and nine by the Renewable Energy CWG. These Action Initiatives reflect priorities and steps needed to strengthen industry, commerce and businesses of Southeast Alaska, which in turn makes communities stronger and more sustainable.

Through the SE Cluster Development Initiative, a total of 34 action initiatives were developed over a five-month period of time, most of which enjoyed consensus by all participants; ten by the Oceans Products CWG, five by the Visitor Products CWG, nine by the Forest Products CWG, and ten by the Renewable Energy CWG. These Action Initiatives reflect priorities and steps needed to strengthen industry, commerce and businesses of Southeast Alaska, which in turn makes communities stronger and more sustainable.

The following is the full list of action initiatives:

Southeast Alaska Ocean Products Action Initiatives

  1. Develop a Sea Otter Management Program in Southeast Alaska
  2. Establish a Marine Industry Technology &Workforce Improvement Consortium
  3. Ensure Southeast's Fishing Future through Targeted Education &Training
  4. Increase Wild Salmon Production through Habitat Restoration
  5. Include the Seafood Industry in USDA Programs (Regulatory Review)
  6. Enhance Salmon Production
  7. Study the Conversion of Fish Byproduct to Biogas & Fertilizer via Anaerobic Digestion
  8. Further Develop Renewable Energy Production
  9. Protect Long Term Assured Access to Fishery Resources for Both Current and Developing Fisheries
  10. Develop Region-Wide Mariculture Zoning

Southeast Alaska Visitor Products Action Initiatives

  1. Develop Land and Water Trails and Support Facilities
  2. Increase Guided Access to Land
  3. Promote Multi-Community and Regional Visitor Packages
  4. Strengthen Accountability for Tongass Recreation Fees
  5. Integrate Tourism Course with University of Alaska Southeast Existing Degree Program

Southeast Alaska Forest Products Action Initiatives

  1. Use Young Growth Wood for Cabin & Recreational Structures on Prince of Wales Island
  2. Simplify Small Timber Sale Process to Allow Small Mills on Prince of Wales Island to Operate More Efficiently, Economically, and with More Supply Certainty
  3. Increase Knowledge about Building with Alaskan Wood and Influence Attitudes about Southeast Alaska Woodworking Industries
  4. Continuously Improve Select USFS Processes
  5. Establish the "Tongass National Forest - Congressionally Designated Timberlands" to Provide a Secure and Perpetual Working Forest Land Base Managed Under Forest Regulations and Guidelines that Streamline Process and Improve Predictable Delivery of Supply
  6. Biomass to Energy
  7. Conduct a Timber Base Analysis to Determine the Volume of Young Growth and Old Growth Supply Available for Sustaining and Strengthening the Forest Industry in Southeast Alaska
  8. Create a 1.5 Million Acre State Forest (from Tongass lands) to be Managed by State of Alaska
  9. Restore a Viable, Diversified Timber Industry in Southeast Alaska

Southeast Alaska Renewable Energy Action Initiatives

  1. Review Current Net Metering, Cogeneration and Small Power Production Regulation and Promote Modifications to Enhance Renewable Energy Applications
  2. Establish a Renewable Energy Revolving Loan Fund for Residences and Small Businesses to Promote Local Installation and Fueling Industries
  3. Conduct Market-driven Renewable Energy Economic Modeling for Southeast Alaska, including Multiple Transmission and Energy Storage Strategies
  4. Support Biomass Energy Demand Development in Southeast Alaska
  5. Develop Renewable Energy Education for SE Alaska Residents, Students and Businesses

Draft Action Initiatives

  1. Market Southeast Alaska for Sustainable Energy R&D as an Economic Development Strategy
  2. Explore Opportunities to Connect the Southeast Alaska Intertie to North American Grid
  3. Determine Best Practices for Renewable Energy Industry in Southeast Alaska
  4. Improve Government Authority, Regulations and Permitting
  5. Thermal Energy Storage & District Heating with Heat Pump

Background

The Juneau Economic Development Council, under a contract with the USDA Forest Service, led a collaborative project to complete an Economic Development Asset Map and a Strategic Plan for Southeast Alaska. Known as the Southeast Alaska Cluster Initiative, the project called for two deliverables that are intended to help strengthen our regional economy:

  1. Phase I: The Southeast Alaska Economic Asset Map
  2. Phase II: Southeast Alaska Action Initiatives for Key Economic Clusters

This Southeast Alaska Cluster Initiative is yet another way in which the USDA is focusing its programs to support sustainable economic development throughout Southeast Alaska.

Phase I - The Southeast Alaska Economic Asset Map

The first phase of the Southeast Cluster Initiative was completed in December 2010 and identified key regional assets, linkages, business attitudes, and the overall business climate.

Targeted research and stakeholder input provided an asset map of the geographic organization of economic clusters of activity and infrastructure, as well as an understanding of labor market needs and resources in the region. As a result of the Asset Map, strategic economic clusters emerged to become the focus of the second phase of the project, the development of a Southeast Alaska Regional Strategic Plan focusing on actions strengthening key industry sectors in our region.

Phase II - Southeast Alaska Action Initiatives for Key Economic Clusters

The second phase of the project was completed in May 2011.

The JEDC chose a Cluster Working Group (CWG) approach to regional economic development for this phase because it brought together a private sector industry cluster with federal, state, tribal and local agencies, university faculty, trade association representatives and other stakeholders committed to addressing industry needs, concerns and opportunities on a partnership basis. An industry cluster is a set of businesses in the same or related field that are located near one another. These businesses compete with but also complement one another. They are linked by their buyer-supplier relationships and by their shared reliance on the six foundations of the Southeast Alaska economy (or indeed, any economy): human resources, technology, access to capital, business climate, physical infrastructure, and quality of life and social capital.

Based on the concentration of employment, industry growth rates and interest on the part of industry leaders to engage, JEDC assembled and facilitated the work of several Cluster Working Groups:

  • Southeast Alaska Ocean Products
  • Southeast Alaska Forest Products
  • Southeast Alaska Visitor Products

JEDC also pioneered the establishment of a "seed" Cluster Working Group, convening entrepreneurs and other interested parties to explore under what conditions a renewable energy industry could be "cultivated" for development in Southeast Alaska.

For more information, please contact:

    Brian Holst, Executive Director, Juneau Economic Development Council
    SE Cluster Initiative:  www.JEDC.org,
    Email:  bholst@jedc.org
    Phone: +1 907 523-2333

Partner Profiles

Juneau Economic Development Council (http://jedc.org)

The mission of the JEDC is to foster a healthy and sustainable economic climate in Juneau and the Southeast Alaska region. JEDC has a local presence since 1987, and a staff of economic development specialists with knowledge of regional economic development issues and with experience in participating and leading long-term planning efforts, both locally and state wide.

Southeast Conference (http://seconference.org/)

Southeast Conference is a regional nonprofit corporation that advances the collective interest of the people, communities and businesses in Southeast Alaska. Members include municipalities, native corporations and village councils, regional and local businesses, civic organizations and individuals throughout the region. Its mission is to undertake and support activities that promote strong economies, healthy communities, and a quality environment for Southeast Alaska.

Sheinberg Associates (http://www.sheinbergassociates.com/)

Barbara J. Sheinberg is firm principal, senior planner and facilitator. She is a certified planner with 27 years of experience specializing in strategic and community planning and facilitation of meetings. Ms. Sheinberg has worked with most communities in Southeast Alaska on a wide variety of planning and analysis efforts.

Alaska Map Company (http://www.akmapco.com)

Alaska Map Company is a Kenai Peninsula based Geographic Information System (GIS) consulting firm that has been a key contributor in Geospatial Mapping Projects throughout the State of Alaska for the past nine years. Gary Greenberg, owner and senior GIS Analyst, specializes in supporting small and remote Alaska communities with high quality and low cost GIS consulting.

Theodore R. Lyman (http://jedc.org/assetmapping-lyman.php)

Mr. Lyman has more than 30 years of consulting experience, nearly all of it focused on assisting government and private sector leaders with policies and action initiatives aimed at enhancing economic development. His global experience has brought Mr. Lyman acclaim as one of the world's experts in the development and implementation of cluster-based strategies for enhancing regional economic competitiveness. Mr. Lyman was inaugurated as a Fellow in the World Academy of Arts and Sciences in recognition of his contributions to civil societies around the world.

Brian Kelsey/Civic Analytics (http://civicanalytics.com/)

Brian Kelsey, consultant, was Director of Economic Development at the Capital Area Council of Governments in Austin, Texas, serving a region of 10 counties, 60 cities, and 1.8 million people, until Ocoter 2010. Previously, Mr. Kelsey was a research associate with the Council on Competitiveness in Washington, DC. Mr. Kelsey co-authored Measuring Regional Innovation, a guidebook on regional economic development funded by the Economic Development Administration.