Tribally led planetary health education in southeast Alaska

Abstract

Limited reporting of Indigenous-led planetary health education programmes has constrained efforts to expand planetary health education, in Indigenous communities and beyond, despite urgent need. Although incorporation of Indigenous knowledge and cultures cannot be standardised, showcasing successful programmes could reveal good practices and aid replicability. In this Personal View, we highlight how shellfish toxin education programmes, designed and organised by the Sitka Tribe of Alaska, reduce local environmental health risks and support youth in pathways towards careers in planetary health. We describe how programmes build awareness and understanding of the local environment, environmental and health risks, and context-appropriate adaptation strategies by centring Tlingit culture and using hands-on activities that integrate Tlingit culture with western science. Lesson plans and resources created by Sitka Tribe of Alaska staff for these programmes are available in the US National Institute for Environmental Health Sciences Partnerships for Environmental Public Health resources web database.