As warmer temperatures and droughts reshape traditional berry seasons in Alaska, subsistence harvesters are witnessing less-predictable fruiting and harvesting times. The new salmonberry “berry booklet” from the Alaska CASC sheds light on how climate change is impacting harvests and challenging communities that rely on salmonberries for food security and cultural tradition.  

Salmonberries are so important to the Metlakatla community that their Climate Adaptation Plan prioritizes berry health when making decisions about invasive species control, herbicide use, and even road maintenance. Roadsides are prime gathering locations, offering easy walkable access to berries for families and elders. One of the biggest threats to the availability of salmonberry is changing precipitation, with June water availability (an important period before the plant produces fruit) expected to decrease another 10% over the next 75 years.  

The booklet also highlights adaptation strategies communities are using, such as identifying resilient patches, pruning plants to increase berry production, sharing seeds, planting food forests, and protecting snowpacks.  

This newest salmonberry booklet completes a series on Alaska’s five most popular berries – cloudberries, bog blueberries, lowbush cranberries, and crowberries. Each booklet explores how climate change affects harvest timing, plant health, and long-term berry availability while identifying knowledge gaps to guide future research. Developed as part of the “Berry Futures” project funded by the Alaska CASC, the series was shaped by extensive community input from listening sessions with berry harvesters from over 40 Alaskan communities. By combining local observations with scientific studies, the project centers Indigenous Knowledge and lived experiences in understanding and responding to climate impacts.  

This work is supported by the Alaska CASC Project, "Alaska’s Berry Future: Planning for Changing Resources in an Altered Climate."