Elakha (ee-LAK-uh) is a Chinook trading language word for sea otter, which were once plentiful in Oregon's coastal waters. The Elakha Alliance was formed in 2018 by tribal, nonprofit, and conservation leaders with a shared belief in a powerful vision: an Oregon coast 50 years from now where our children and grandchildren co-exist along with a thriving sea otter population and a robust and resilient marine ecosystem.

Dr. Peter Hatch and Chanel Hason from the Elakha Alliance will share accomplishments and next steps for restoring Oregon sea otters, relatives to the Siletz peoples. After the lecture, everyone is welcome to join OSU students in a discussion and writing project about cultural and ecological recovery.  

Peter Hatch is a member of the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians and works in the tribe's Cultural Resources office. He's been fishing, clamming, and crabbing in Lincoln County his entire life, and he wants to ensure that his descendants can always do the same. He serves at the secretary of the Elakha Alliance Board of Directors.

Chanel Hason is the Director of Outreach & Community Relations at Elakha Alliance and has a rich background in marine biology, animal husbandry, and environmental education. She is an otter alum from CSU Monterey Bay and volunteered with sea and river otters at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. She's conducted marine science research on the Great Barrier Reef in Australia and worked for Jean-Michel Cousteau's Ambassadors of the Environment program at the Ritz Carlton Reserve in Puerto Rico. She moved to Oregon in 2016 to obtain her MS in Sustainability Education from Portland State University.

Sponsored by Kaku-Ixt Mana Ina Haws, Spring Creek Project, and the PAX 301 STS Peace Strategies class.