Newtok is one of four villages across Alaska facing the threat of erosion. As the banks of the Ninglick river encroach on the first homes in the village, Newtok is already hard at work contructing a new village 10 miles away on Nelson Island. Garnering federal support and philanthropic funding has been a hurdle, and this is where BCSF jumped in to help. In the summer of 2017, BCSF took multiple trips out to Newtok and the new site, called Mertarvik, each time bringing donors and prospective partners.
In early 2018, the Newtok Village Council created an emergency fund at BCSF to aid in the movement of families and the construction of basic infrastructure at Mertarvik.
Visit relocatenewtok.org for more information.
