10 Starter Questions to Think About Before You Arrive at Confluence - Kodiak

This September, we’re gathering in Kodiak for the 10th Annual Confluence Summit, co-presented by Koniag Inc. and Island Trails Network. It’s more than a conference—it’s the start of a bold, collaborative process to shape a 10-Year Vision for a Regenerative Outdoor and Nature-Based Economy rooted in the realities, relationships, and resilience of Alaska.

As we prepare to build this vision together, we invite you to reflect on 10 key questions that will shape our conversations. These questions are designed to spark ideas, surface needs, and imagine what’s possible when people, communities, and ecosystems thrive—together.

What does a regenerative outdoor economy look like for your community in 10 years?

Paint the picture: What’s working? Who’s involved? What’s different from today?

What traditional or place-based practices should guide how we care for land and water?

Whether Indigenous knowledge, local stewardship, or lived experience—what wisdom should shape the future?

How can outdoor recreation support—not compete with—subsistence and cultural lifeways?

What does respectful coexistence look like? What boundaries or practices help protect what matters?

What infrastructure—physical or organizational—is missing that would unlock opportunity or resilience?

Think trails, cabins, transportation, permitting systems, leadership training, and more.

How can your business thrive while helping the lands, waters, and communities you rely on thrive too?

What would it take for your operations to become more resilient, regenerative, and locally rooted over the next decade?

What types of workforce development or support would help your business or community thrive?

What skills, people, or partnerships are needed to grow your local outdoor economy?

What changes in policy or institutional practices are needed to strengthen local stewardship —especially as distant decision-making becomes more unpredictable?

How do we currently measure success—and how should we redefine it to reflect regenerative values?

Beyond dollars and visitor numbers, how might we track the health of people, place, and purpose?

What bold idea do you have that could transform your relationship with land, water, or community?

No idea is too big or too wild. Visioning starts with imagination.

What resources, alliances, or commitments will be needed to bring this 10-year vision to life?

From funding and policy change to local leadership and cultural shifts—what will it really take?

Bring your stories. Bring your challenges. Bring your hopes. At Confluence, we’re not just talking about the future—we’re co-creating it. Get more Confluence info and register here.