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Looking Back – Looking Forward; Alaska National Wildlife Refuges – Purpose, Place, & Promise; Jan 20 talk

Presented by
Robin West, Retired Biologist and 14-year Manager of the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge

Please join us in person at the locations below, or from anywhere via Zoom!

Tuesday, January 20, 2026, 5 pm Alaska Time

  • Soldotna – Robin West in person at Kenai National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center, Ski Hill Rd.  Soup supper and booksigning follows.  Bring treats if able.
  • Anchorage  – Watch Party at REI’s Community Room, 500 E. Northern Lights Blvd.
  • Homer – Watch Party at Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center, 95 Sterling Hwy.
  • Click HERE to join us via Zoom  The Zoom room will open just before 5pm

From the seat of a canoe on a solo trip on the Yukon River, Robin West had time to think back on a long life and career in Alaska.  Out of that experience came a book and this talk.  It’s part adventure tale and part reflections on the development of national wildlife refuges in Alaska from someone who was there in that heady time when the refuges were just being created and expanded.  Come hear retired biologist and long time Kenai National Wildlife Refuge Manager Robin West relive stories about his thirty-year career with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Alaska as he shares the highlights of his first book, Thirty of Forty in the 49th: Memories of a Wildlife Biologist in Alaska.  The book captures Robin’s memories as he reflects back in time while on that solo canoe trip on the Upper Yukon River and into the Yukon Flats National Wildlife Refuge in 2019, forty years after he first visited the area.  The trip spawned thoughts of work accomplishments and challenges as well as created memories from this new adventure, including paddling through, and camping along the river during a massive wild fire.  














Robin West in 1979 on the upper Yukon River just a year after coming to Alaska and 40 years before his solo canoe trip.  PC Howard Metsker/USFWS.

Robin’s career in Alaska started during the contentious time of debate over which and how much federal lands in Alaska should be included in new or expanded refuges, parks or forests.  This was prior to the passage of the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA) in 1980.  He will include discussions of this time period and of the lasting impact of the legislation, as well as an overview of Alaska’s conservation history.  His stories also will include first hand views of the evolution of national wildlife refuge management and how current issues like oil and gas development, road construction, and predator control have been addressed historically.  Robin had personal experience with two of our hot button issues – he worked on the coastal plain of the Arctic Refuge now slated for oil development and was manager at Izembek where land has now been traded away for construction of a road through the heart of the refuge.   Additionally, he will touch on other big topics from his tenure including the formation of agency policies, subsistence management, and climate change.

Biography in his own words

Alaska was not a place I ever imagined I would visit, let alone work for the bulk of my career.  Growing up in Grants Pass, Oregon, in the 1960s, my knowledge of the 49th state was what little came from reading the encyclopedia set that held a cherished place on our bookshelf and one movie I saw at the Fairgrounds.  I was intrigued, however, with science and wild animals, and I loved hunting, fishing, and visiting wild places – the wilder the better.  My goal in going to Oregon State University to become a wildlife biologist was only to work somewhere with critters.  While Alaska was not on my radar, when the opportunity came to go north to work after receiving my degree in Wildlife Science, I jumped at the chance.  I bought a one-way ticket to Anchorage and packed my belongings into 2 suitcases, 2 cardboard apple boxes, a backpack and a rifle case.  I never regretted it. 
















Robin West was Refuge Manager of Kenai National Wildlife Refuge for 14 years from 1995 to 2009.  Sockeye salmon in Bear Creek (Tustumena Lake) on the Kenai Refuge during his years as manager.  PC Gary Sonnevil/USFWS

That was in 1978 to start my career with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Alaska. For 30 years, I worked in Alaska as a contaminants biologist (working on oil and gas and mining issues), as a fisheries biologist (working in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge), Assistant Manager at Yukon Flats National Wildlife Refuge, Refuge Manager at Izembek Refuge, a wildlife biologist overseeing the Migratory Bird Program in the Anchorage Regional Office, and as the Refuge Manager of Kenai National Wildlife Refuge.  The last five years of my career were in Portland, Oregon, retiring in 2014 as the Regional Chief of the National Wildlife Refuge System for the Pacific Region with management responsibilities for over 50 million acres of land and water.

I enjoy writing, traveling, wildlife observation and photography as well as hunting, fishing, and canoeing and continue to pursue these interests around the world, having visited all seven continents and over 40 countries.  I have written three other books on wide ranging topics from a fictional work to bowhunting stories.  My wife Shannon and I moved back to Alaska from Oregon in 2023 to be closer to our adult children and grandchildren and now live in Soldotna with our labradoodle “Elu”.

Photo At Top of Page:  Robin at the start of his 2019 solo canoe trip at Eagle on the Yukon River.  PC Alexandra Jefferies



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Tribes and the Yukon Delta Refuge Uniting to Address the Salmon Collapse on the Kuskokwim – Recording Available

Presented by
Spencer Rearden, Manager, Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge 
Kevin Whitworth, Executive Director, Kuskokwim River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission

This program was recorded on Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025 at 5 pm Alaska Time

First it was the Chinook salmon that drastically declined in the Kuskokwim River.  Then the chums and coho salmon followed with steep declines.  This multi-year, multi-species salmon disaster was not just an ecological crisis for the Kuskokwim River drainages of the Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge but a significant humanitarian crisis for all the villages that depend on salmon for food security and cultural integrity.  Come hear from Kevin Whitworth of the Kuskokwim River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission and Yukon Delta Refuge Manager Spencer Rearden about this crisis and how a unique partnership of local tribes and the refuge formed up to manage salmon on the river.  They will address the current state of salmon and how we got here.  How Tribes up and down the Kuskokwim came together to form the Inter-Tribal Fish Commission to attack this problem that threatened their way of life.  And how the refuge came to co-manage a fishery with the Tribes, setting openings and closings for fish harvest, that under normal circumstances would be done by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.

















In villages along the Kuskokwim, salmon and subsistence are a way of life.   Fish drying racks awaiting the return of the salmon.   PC USFWS

Background

The Kuskokwim River is the second longest river in Alaska and home to all five species of  Pacific salmon.  Salmon are key to the wildlife and ecology of the 20 million-acre Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge, the largest refuge in the nation.  Predators such as bears and eagles depend on the fish as do other fish species such as the record-sized rainbow trout, Dolly Varden and northern pike who feast on salmon eggs.  But these impacts on the refuge were not the main reason the refuge was drawn into salmon management.  The 1980 Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA) which established the 16 national wildlife refuges in Alaska as they exist today, also specified a local rural subsistence priority for use of Alaska wildlife in times of shortage.  This is a time of shortage.  The refuge had to take over management of the fishery from the state to ensure subsistence priority which meant reducing harvest and determining fishing opportunities while balancing subsistence and conservation needs.






Yukon Delta Refuge’s fish biologist Nate Akers (left) with Evan Waska of Kwethluk collecting salmon smolt from the live trap for identification and measurements. PC Andrew Magel/KRITFC

The Kuskokwim watershed is home to  40 communities of Yup’ik, Cup’ik, Deg Xit’an, and Dené people that have depended on salmon as the mainstay of their diet for thousands of years.  Gathering subsistence foods is a central part of village life and cultural identity.  When the salmon runs collapsed in 2010 and remained depressed, tribal leaders came together in 2015 to form the Kuskokwim River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission to ensure local, Alaska Native people have a say in the fishery.  The Fish Commission represents the Tribes in fisheries management, research, and monitoring, as guided by Alaska Native values and knowledge, and the best available scientific information.  Five Managers are elected annually to represent the Tribes at the co-management table with Yukon Delta Refuge under a Memorandum of Understanding. These In-Season Managers and Yukon Delta Refuge’s fisheries team work together using in-season assessment data and local and Traditional Knowledge to conserve and restore Kuskokwim salmon, while providing for as much subsistence harvest as possible.  

The salmon crisis on the Kuskokwim is unique in its severity, longevity and impact on people. Salmon management on the Kusko is unique in that it is a partnership of a wildlife refuge and Tribes.  This is not the way fisheries decsions are usually made.  Come learn more.

Biographies

Growing up in McGrath, Kevin Whitworth learned from his elders to love the land, the river, and the natural world from an early age. He spent many hours exploring, hunting, fishing, and trapping out in the woods and on the rivers. Through high school and college, Kevin spent his summers working as a biological technician at several wildlife refuges across the state. After graduating from University of Alaska Fairbanks, he worked a number of full-time positions for U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, including Deputy Refuge Manager for the Innoko National Wildlife Refuge in McGrath. Kevin has also worked for the Alaska Department of Natural Resources, and as the Lands and Natural Resources Manager for MTNT Limited, the McGrath village corporation. While working for the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge, Kevin met his wife, Dara who also worked for the refuge. They have a young son and two daughters and enjoy spending time at their remote cabin, dogsledding with their team of dogs, and being outside as much as possible. He joined Kuskokwim River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission team in May 2018 and has served as Executive Director since 2022.


Spencer Rearden grew up in rural Alaska, where wide open spaces, vast public lands, and a deep connection to the environment shaped his passion for conservation and science. Spencer was raised in a subsistence lifestyle centered on fishing, berry picking, and hunting — traditions that continue to influence both his personal and professional life.  Spencer earned his Bachelor’s degree in Fisheries and Wildlife and a Master’s degree in Wildlife Science from Oregon State University. He started his career with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) as a Wildlife Biologist with the Office of Subsistence Management, where he became well-versed in the Federal subsistence regulatory process and Title VIII of ANILCA. Through this work, he helped develop and justify regulatory changes to conserve fish and wildlife resources while supporting rural and Native subsistence users. Over the past 20 years, Spencer has worked in both private and government positions, primarily in Alaska.

At the Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge, he has held several roles, including Big Game Biologist,  Assistant Refuge Manager, Supervisory Wildlife Biologist, and Refuge Manager since 2023.  Spencer’s education, professional expertise, and firsthand understanding of Alaska’s subsistence traditions have helped him build strong partnerships with local and Native communities to advance conservation goals. He remains dedicated to ensuring that subsistence practices, and the cultural values they represent, endure for future generations.
























The Kisaralik River, an important tributary to the Kuskokwim, was the scene of the Friends Discovery trip to the Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge in 2024.  Anecdotally, we noted sharply decreased numbers of Dolly Vardin and rainbow trout compared to a decade ago.  Trout and Dolly Vardin are predators on salmon eggs so likely their populations are affected by the salmon collapse.  PC Poppy Benson/Friends








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Friends get Unfriendly with Aleutian Invasives in the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge, Recording online Here

Presented by Mark Conrad, Deb Kurtz and Dan Esler, Friends Volunteers

This program was recorded live on Tuesday, October 21.  Recording online here. 




  • Anchorage  – Deb and Dan in person at REI’s Community Room, 500 E. Northern Lights Blvd.
  • Homer – Mark will be in person with Deb and Dan on zoom at the Kachemak Bay Campus, KPC, Bayview Building, Rm B102, Pioneer Avenue
  • Soldotna – Watch Party at Kenai River Campus, Kenai Peninsula College, Ward Building, Rm 116, 156 College Rd. 
  • Or join us from anywhere via Zoom 

Imagine a 1400 mile journey by research ship through the misty, storm swept Aleutians to two special islands where help is needed fighting invasive species.  Along the way you spot life birds, swarms of seabirds and  marine mammals in abundance.  You work with great people – scientists, refuge people and the crew of the R/V Tiglax. This was the volunteer opportunity for three of our members this past July.  Join us to hear Mark, Deb and Dan talk about their experience –  the Aleutians, the danger invasives pose to island ecosystems, their hard, back breaking work, their visits to Adak with its crumbling abandoned military base and Aiktak, the isolated summer home of two seasonal biotechs.  It was a big adventure and good work was done.  







Mark assures me that there will be birds, lots of birds and beautiful photography.  Northern fulmars at sea.  PC: Deb Kurtz/Friends

The Aleutians have been part of the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge for over 100 years.   Despite this protected status, the remoteness and the vast distances, big actions – World War II and the frantic construction of military bases and very small actions – a dirty boot coming ashore – have brought non-native invasive species, both plants and animals to these wildlife rich islands.   Rats on Adak and Poa lawn grass on Aiktak were the focus for this trip.  Rats are voracious predators on birds, eggs and chicks and introduced plants spread.  Norway rats arrived on these remote islands by shipwreck and WWII supply ships.  The non-native grass probably came on a refuge employees boot and is spreading along all disturbed areas. 

Caption for Title Photo:  R/V Tiglax in Ugamak Bay off Aiktak Island.  PC Deb Kurtz/Friends

Biographies 


Mark Conrad was recently “retired” from a 30+ year career in conservation in Wyoming, researching and protecting water quality and wildlife habitat when he felt the call to check out Alaska in 2021.  He eventually settled in Homer, throwing himself into volunteer work with the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge and other birding and conservation groups.   He monitors sea duck and shorebirds, works seasonally as a bear guard and with Friends has built rat traps and swallow boxes and participated in cleanups.  His Wyoming background in water quality and invasive weeds made him well suited for this volunteer opportunity.  Mark’s bachelor’s degree is from University of California Davis and his master’s from University of Wyoming.  Mark enjoys travelling, hunting, fishing, kayaking, xc skiing, birding, and learning about the maritime environment. Mark said he really enjoys the community of Homer and the whole state.  He is glad he made the move.

 

Deb Kurtz first came to Alaska on the ferry in 1999 for a summer of hitchhiking around the state to backpack and hike.  Two years later she returned for a seasonal job as a wilderness technician for the US Forest Service in southeast Alaska.  For the next 20 plus years she worked for the Forest Service, the Park Service, non-profits and the private sector doing marine bird and mammal surveys, invasive plant management, time lapse photography, snow surveys, glacier monitoring, oceanographic measurements, watershed management, fisheries surveys, and waterfowl banding.  Deb has been a Friends member for a few years, but it was her recent retirement that allowed her to take on a longer-term volunteer project like this.  Deb earned a bachelor’s in geography with minors in geology and environmental sciences from SUNY Geneseo and a master’s in earth science with a thesis on invasive plant modeling from Montana State.  Deb loves Alaska’s wildlands and wildlife and can be found recreating and exploring across the state’s mountains, rivers, coast, and tundra with a pair of binoculars and a camera around her neck. She lives in Anchorage.

 

Dan Esler’s parents called his bachelor’s degree from Northland College in outdoor recreation and biology “Camping for Credit.”  Dan went on to get a master’s from Texas A & M with his thesis on hydrilla, an invasive water plant, and a PhD from Oregon State.   He first came to Alaska for a three-month technician job with breeding waterfowl on the Yukon Flats National Wildlife Refuge and stayed.  Most of his career was with USGS as a wildlife research biologist with an interest and expertise in nearshore marine ecology and birds, especially sea ducks.  He also spent 12 years on the faculty of Simon Fraser University in Canada as a researcher.  His work and outdoor adventures, often centered around birding, have taken him to many of Alaska’s national wildlife refuges including Yukon Delta, Yukon Flats, Kodiak, Kenai, Alaska Maritime, Izembek, and Tetlin refuges.  Dan notes that Tetlin Refuge is a favorite spring spot for spotting species hard to see elsewhere in Alaska like Sora, Ruddy Duck and Common Yellowthroat.  Dan lives in Anchorage and enjoys all sorts of outdoorsy and naturey activities.

 

Mark, Dan and Deb with Fish and Wildlife staff Mychele Smith and Stacey Buckelew, invasive species biologist in front of the Puffin Palace where two biotechs spend the summer alone on uninhabited Aiktak Island monitoring seabirds.  Note the team has dug the Poa grass out from around the Puffiin Palace, and it is now ready for laying geotextile fabric to prevent new growth.   Aiktak is one of the annual monitoring seabird sites for the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge.  The decades of data gathered here are not only important for documenting trends in seabird populations but is also used by other researchers to shed light on the state of life in the ocean and environmental disruptions.  PC/USFWS




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A Groundbreaking Partnership for People and Wildlife: Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge and Koniag, Recording online here

Presented by Amy Peterson, Community Affairs Liaison for Koniag and the Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge.

This event was held on Tuesday, September 16, 5 – 6 pm Alaska Daylight Time

 

  • Kodiak – Amy Peterson in person at the Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center, 402 Center Ave. Reception follows.
  • Homer – Watch Party at the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center, 95 Sterling Hwy.
  • Soldotna – Watch Party at the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge, Ski Hill Rd
    • 3 pm Walk for the Wild on Centennial Trail.  Meet at trailhead at Visitor Center
    • 6 pm After talk; Wild Foods Potluck
  • Anchorage – Watch party at BP Energy Center, Fir Room, 1014 Energy Ct.
  • Via Zoom

Home of the great Kodiak bear, Kodiak Refuge is one of the nation’s most significant national  wildlife refuges, yet people have lived there and depended on refuge resources for thousands of years.  Searching for a creative way to increase cooperation among all partners on Kodiak Island,  then Refuge Manager Mike Brady and Koniag Regional & Legislative Affairs Executive Tom Panamaroff came up with the idea of a Community Affairs Liaison position.  It was to be the first in the nation and would be jointly funded by the refuge and the corporation and supervised by the corporation.

Join Amy Peterson as she describes her invaluable role as Community Affairs Liaison. Amy’s job is facilitating communication and education between the Refuge and Kodiak Island tribes, corporations, and stakeholders, with emphasis on stewardship, tribal consultation, community collaboration, and cultural and educational outreach. This collaboration is not just limited to the Refuge but occurs throughout the Kodiak Archipelago region to improve the cooperative management of resources within the Refuge, which has specific geographic, cultural, and historical significance.

Shelby Carlson said about being a Koniag Ranger, ” I’m passionate about sharing our cultural heritage, connecting with visitors, and helping others experience the beauty and history of our land.”  Shelby was born in Larsen Bay.

The nearly two million acre Kodiak Refuge makes up almost two-thirds of Kodiak Island.  Six villages are on or adjacent to the refuge and the refuge borders lands owned by Alaska Native village and regional corporations. In addition, lodges, commercial fishing sites, visitors, Kodiak City and Kodiak Coast Guard Base create a diverse human environment. The refuge needed someone who could navigate those worlds and bring people and organizations together and that is Amy. Come hear from upbeat Amy all about this hopeful project that is improving things for people and wildlife and creatively helping the refuge in a time of staff and budget crunch. And there will be a quiz! With prizes! And you can play online.

This program which started in 2021 has since been copied by Yukon Delta Refuge with a Community Affairs Liaison in Mountain Village. Other refuges across the country have made inquiries to Kodiak about how to do something similar.

Koniag Refuge Ranger, Veronica Johnson has worked two summers in the refuge visitor center.  This is one of the youth programs we will hear about.   The photo was taken in front of a mural in the Alutiiq Museum, which is a refuge partner.

Background

Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge is famous for its brown bears — largest of the brown (grizzly) bears — salmon, rugged coastline and emerald green scenery. The refuge was created in 1941 to protect Kodiak bears and their habitat. Today, the refuge has a broader purpose striving to protect interdependent species of fish, wildlife and plants within the largest intact, pristine island ecosystem in North America; and to ensure compatible management of wildlife, subsistence, recreation, and economic uses of refuge resources.

Koniag is an Alaska Native regional corporation formed pursuant to the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act. Headquartered in Kodiak, Alaska, Koniag is owned by nearly 4,600 Alaska Native Shareholders of Sugpiaq and Alutiiq ancestry who have called the Kodiak Archipelago region — including the lands within the Refuge — their traditional homeland for more than 7,500 years. Koniag Shareholders and their Descendants continue to live on or near Refuge lands and rely on the harvest of wild foods and natural resources from within the Refuge for cultural, economic, nutritional, and spiritual sustenance.

We at Friends have contributed in a small way to the partnership by securing a grant from the Sam and Mary Lawrence Foundation which was matched five times over by Koniag to fund a student program, YETI,  in the summer of 2024.  These are the 2025 YETI (Youth Environmental Education Internship) students.

Biography

Amy Peterson’s background prepared her well for this unique role as the Community Affairs Liaison for Koniag and the Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge. Although raised outside the state, she is the daughter of two schoolteachers who taught in Old Harbor and Port Lions. When Amy came to Alaska, she settled in Old Harbor, working 17 years for the school district which gave her a solid background in youth programs. In addition, she worked for the Old Harbor Native Corporation and in the Village Clinic as her original training was as a certified medical assistant.  She has five children and nine grandchildren and divides her time between Old Harbor and Kodiak City.  Amy cherishes family life and engaging in traditional activities such as berry picking, fishing, and preparing comfort foods.

Franklin D. Rooseveldt created the Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge in 1941 “for the purpose of protecting the natural feeding and breeding range of the brown bears and other wildlife on Uganik and Kodiak Islands.”  


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Arctic Refuge: Art and Advocacy, Sept. 6 in Homer

Join us, Friends of Alaska National Wildlife Refuges for a lovely evening of Arctic Refuge art, adventure tales, and ideas for advocacy on Saturday, September 6 from 5 to 7 pm at Bunnell Street Art Center.  Fairbanks artist Lynn Larsen’s Arctic Refuge landscape paintings will be on display at the gallery.  Lynn and her partner, Arctic Refuge guide Ron Yarnell, will share their experiences from more than 35 years exploring the Arctic Refuge and their thoughts about its future.  Friends Advocacy Chair, Nancy Lord, will update us on the status of threats to the refuge, what Friends, working with partners, is doing to counter the threat of drilling and how you can help.  Light refreshments will be served.

In 1988 Lynn made her first trip to the Brooks Range, a journey that changed the direction of her life and her art work. After that trip on the Wind River, she started drawing and painting landscapes. Flying over the Brooks for the first time, she felt she had found what she had been seeking and returned to the Brooks Range every summer to raft, backpack, and hike.

Lynn’s art will be on display at Bunnell for the entire month of September.  The show entitled Time –  Arctic Refuge will open with a First Friday event on September 5 from 5 to 7 p.m. which will include an artist’s talk.  Many of Lynn’s recent works can be seen at https://arcticrefuge.art/lynn-larsen/



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Tales from our 20th: Friends Flocked to Kenai Refuge

By Poppy Benson, Outreach Chair

As Friends newcomer Keith Jost of Anchorage said, “This is a really nice group of people.”  And so they were – all 70 of them that converged at Kelly Lake Campground on the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of Friends of Alaska National Wildlife Refuges on July 12.  Friends came from throughout south-central Alaska to canoe, fish, hike, learn about wildfire on the refuge, eat great food, and enjoy the company of other refuge supporters.  31 camped overnight enjoying loon calls in the night and scolding by yellow-legs in the day. 

The planning team was blown away with this enthusiastic response so we think we might need to do something similar every year.  The demand is there for this type of experience.  We more than met our objectives in getting people together to strengthen Friends bonds, getting people out on a refuge, making new friends, and learning about Friends, some of the issues facing refuges, the Kenai Refuge and the very significant Swan Lake fire.

We were fortunate in that two of the founding members – David Raskin our first president and Carla Stanley our first vice president were able to make the event. They were part of a handful of citizens that met at the Kenai Refuge Education building in November of 2005 and decided to form Friends.  It has been quite a ride since then.  We have grown to over 375 members, with 100 – 200 attending every meeting in person, at refuge watch parties or by zoom, dozens in the field volunteering and numerous refuge projects funded by Friends.

Could we make something similar happen in Fairbanks?  Perhaps at the Tetlin Refuge?  Want to be in on such fun times and show your support for Alaska’s National Wildlife efuges?  Join us.  We would love to have you. 

Thanks to our photographers:  Becky Hutchinson, Carla Stanley, Kieth Jost, Claire Holdaway, Kristine Sowl, Dan Musgrove, Marie McConnell, Paul Allen and Poppy Benson



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Friends 20th: Celebrate at Kelly Lake, Kenai Refuge, July 12

Friends have been caring for our Alaska refuges for 20 years and that is worth celebrating, so let’s do it! – outdoors, on a refuge, and with new and old Friends, salmon, canoes, and fun.  Join us Friends of Alaska National Wildlife Refuges for our 20th Birthday at Kelly Lake Campground on the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge, Saturday, July 12, mile 68.1 Sterling Hwy. Come for the day or campout with us Friday and or Saturday night.  It is also a great chance to inspect the Swan Lake Wildfire Scar and learn from refuge experts how the land is recovering.

 Saturday the 12th.

  • All day: Canoeing (refuge furnishes canoes), fishing(trout), andhiking (Seven Lakes Trail)
  •  1:00 pm: Guided bird walk with Kristine Sowl, retired FWS bird biologist, may also do early morning TBD
  • 3:00 pm: Guided plant walk through the regenerating 2019 burn area with John Morton, retired Kenai Refuge biologist
  •  6:00 pm: Salmon and hot dog BBQ
  •  7:00 pm: Fireside talk by Leah Eskelin, Kenai Refuge Ranger — The Swan Lake Fire Six Years Later

This is a members only event.  Not sure you are still a member?  Just ask us or rejoin here.

RSVP to us at info@alaskarefugefriends.org as we need to plan food and camping spaces.  Tell us

  • How many coming
  • What days
  • Are you camping and tent or RV because we need to save space (not enough space for really big rigs).

You need to bring

  • sides or dessert to contribute to Saturday night feast
  • camp chairs 
  • your own beverages
  • bug dope and your good company.

Wish List

  • More salmon
  • Another BBQ grill big enough for a salmon fillet














It was at the Kenai Refuge Education building in November of 2005 that a handful of citizens met and decided to form Friends.  It has been quite a ride since then.  We have grown to over 350 members, with 100 – 200 attending every meeting in person or by zoom, dozens in the field volunteering and numerous refuge projects funded.  








But now as summer bathes the refuge and salmon swarm the rivers, let’s celebrate what we have accomplished – 20 years of supporting Alaska’s National Wildlife Refuges.  July 12.  See you there.



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Place-Creation: An Invitation to Imagine the Arctic Refuge; recording online here

Presented by Tyra Olstad, 2024 Voices of the Wilderness Artist in Residence on the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge

Tuesday, April 15, 2025, 5 pm Alaska Time
Thank you to Tyra for a wonderful program! You can watch the recording below:


  • Fairbanks – Tyra Olstad in person at the Morris Thompson Cultural Center, 101 Dunkel St.  Reception follows.
  • Homer – Watch Party at the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center, 95 Sterling Hwy.  
  • Soldotna – Watch Party at the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge, Ski Hill Rd.
  • Anchorage – Watch party at BP Energy Center, Spruce/Willow Room, 1014 Energy Ct.
  • Zoom   

The “Voices of the Wilderness” program connects artists of all different media and styles to federally managed Wilderness areas in wildlife refuges, national parks and national forests in Alaska, with the hope that the artists help give voice to what might otherwise seem like remote, unknowable places. In return for the trip of a lifetime, artists provide to the refuge a work of art based on the residency and that is what you will experience at this presentation.  With her spoken word and visual images, Tyra Olstad will invite you to envision the Arctic Refuge, to actively immerse yourself in what she has experienced, and to imagine the Arctic from different perspectives and at different scales. (Think like a tussock!)  It’s intended for audiences who know little about Alaska or the Arctic, much less the Refuge, to experienced Arctic travelers who will be encouraged to consider the place with fresh eyes. An Arctic Refuge staffer described her presentation as “goose-bumpy good”.  Come let her help you imagine the Arctic.

Voices of the Wilderness artists are paired with staff and/or scientific parties to assist with stewardship and/or research projects and learn about the Alaskan wilderness. Tyra Olstad joined two research teams: a group of botanists, collecting data in the central Brooks Range as part of a long-term, global project tracking changes to alpine vegetation; and a team of hydrologists and permafrost experts, embarking on a multi-year study of relationships between permafrost, small drainages, and tundra ecosystems on the edge of the Coastal Plain. The piece that emerged from these experiences is an illustrated, creative, non-fiction audio-essay about the Arctic Refuge. 

Our “home” in a vast landscape.  Field camp on the edge of the Brooks Range.  Arctic National Wildlife Refuge

Biography

Tyra A. Olstad is a creative non-fiction writer, photographer, and illustrator, whose books and essays explore concepts such as sense of place, place-attachment, and wilderness (Zen of the Plains and Canyon, Mountain, Cloud). Her work is informed by her education as a geographer (BA in Anthropology, Earth Sciences, and Russian Language & Literature from Dartmouth College; MA in Geography and Environment & Natural Resources from the University of Wyoming; PhD in Geography from Kansas State University) and inspired by her time working as a park ranger, visitor services specialist, paleontology technician, and physical scientist at national parks, forests, and other public lands around Alaska, the Intermountain West, and Upstate New York. She currently lives in Fairbanks with her partner, Phil, and their Aussie, Taiga.

Flying over the Jago River on the Arctic Refuge coastal plain.


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Finding Refuge: Alaska Refuges’ Gifts Recording on line here

Presented by Matt Conner, Kenai National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Services Supervisor

This meeting was held on Tuesday, March 18, 5 pm Alaska Daylight Time


Soldotna – Matt Conner in person at Kenai National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center, Ski Hill Road. Reception follows talk. 
Homer – Watch Party  at the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center, 95 Sterliing Hwy. 
Anchorage – Watch Party at REI Community Room, 500 E. Northern Lights Blvd.
And Around the Country on Zoom 


Matt Conner crossing Skilak Lake on the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge in his drift boat.


It is a stressful time.  Many of us struggle with less than optimum health.  Join Ranger Matt Conner of the Kenai Refuge as he describes how refuges can improve our mind, body, and spirit.  Matt went through a personal transformation as the result of a health crisis and is now a certified personal trainer eager to incorporate health benefits in management activities.  He was instrumental in adding outdoor exercise equipment to the Kenai Refuge Multi Use Trail with the exercises tied to animal adaptations so that wildlife appreciation and exercise can go hand in hand.  Interpretive panels pair the unique abilities of Alaskan wildlife, like balance and core strength, with the same physiological traits in humans. Combining his passion for nature and wildlife and a new found love of fitness training, Matt brings these two themes together in his talk.
 
He will also discuss the importance of nature and refuges for both physical and mental health. He is knowledgeable in the research on the effects of nature on mental health.  Learn about how refuges are a source for whole foods as well as a source for mental and spiritual connection. 


Skilak Lookout Trail on the Kenai Refuge provides an aerobic workout as well as stunning views and wildlife watching opportunities.    

Biography

It was all because his mom would not let him have a BB gun.  That is why Matt said he got into the outdoor field.  He was only allowed to have a bow and arrow.  By age 13 he was competing on the national level in archery.  A family friend took notice of his proficiency and invited him bow hunting starting a lifelong interest in hunting and the outdoors.   Matt has a Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in the human dimensions of forestry from the School of Forestry at Southern Illinois University.  He worked at several national parks, the White River National Wildlife Refuge in Arkansas and the Fish and Wildlife Service Prairie Wetlands Learning Center before coming to the Kenai Refuge in 2014.

Three years ago a medical crisis changed his life.  Matt utilized his scientific background to investigate the ideal lifestyle of exercise and diet to turn his health around.  Along his journey he earned certifications as Personal Trainer, Nutritional Counselor and Correctional Exercise Therapy from the National Association of Sports Medicine.  In addition to managing the large recreational program at the Kenai Refuge, Matt also works in his spare time as a personal trainer and volunteers at Central Peninsula Hospital in the Behavioral Health Division teaching group classes in fitness and nutrition.  His life style changes have reversed his medical problems leaving him symptom free.  He is a strong proponent of a healthy life style of which exercise and immersion in nature are key components.

Matt is an avid fly fisherman and hiker and loves to spend his falls harvesting free range protein by stick and string!!!  (bow and arrow and fly rod).  He lives in Soldotna with his wife and has two grown children.

Winter recreation offers serenity plus a good workout.  Skiing across Dolly Varden Lake to the Dolly Varden public use cabin on the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge.  pc. Lisa Hupp/USFWS

PC for lead photo:  Joseph Robertia courtesy of the Redoubt Reporter



Open post

Art in the Arctic 2025

Art in the Arctic 2025

On February 7, 2025, Fairbanks’ annual Art in the Arctic show returned to Black Spruce Brewing Company, bringing together a lively crowd of artists, conservationists, and nature lovers. This year’s theme, Resilience in the Refuges: Fish and Rivers of the Far North, inspired six Alaska-based artists to showcase pieces that explored both the beauty and the struggles of northern fish and the rivers they call home.

The event was co-hosted by Friends of Alaska National Wildlife Refuges and the three Fairbanks-based refuges—Arctic, Kanuti, and Yukon Flats National Wildlife Refuges. Through art, the show aimed to spark interest in these special places and the challenges faced by fish species like char, cisco, grayling, salmon, sheefish, and dolly varden. These fish, built for extreme Arctic conditions, now face threats from climate change and human activities that could impact the streams and rivers they rely on to survive.

The opening night was a huge success, with more than 309 people filling Black Spruce Brewing Company. The crowd was diverse, including artists, biologists, federal and state employees, teachers, public defenders, and folks who simply stopped by for a drink and found themselves drawn into the exhibit. Visitors had the chance to chat with Arctic refuge staff and hear from fish biologist Randy Brown, who shared insights about Arctic fish species.

A big part of the night’s success was thanks to Arctic NWR employees Hanna McBrearty and Jennifer Reed, who worked hard behind the scenes to organize the event. Friends of Alaska National Wildlife Refuges volunteers Tom Chard, Pam Seiser, and Jeff Walters ran an outreach table throughout the evening, signing up over 50 new people for the Friends’ newsletter and spreading the word about the importance of Alaska’s wildlife refuges.

Even with such a great turnout, the future of Art in the Arctic is uncertain. Fairbanks’ refuges no longer have the staff to organize it, and last year’s show had to be postponed due to venue challenges. Unless volunteers step up to keep it going, this could be the last Art in the Arctic after ten years of bringing people together through art and conservation.

The Fairbanks Friends group is talking about whether they have the time and resources to take over the event, but they can’t do it alone. If you love art, nature, and community events, now is the time to get involved. If you’d like to help keep Art in the Arctic alive, please reach out to info@alaskarefugefriends.org.

For now, we celebrate this year’s incredible show and everyone who made it happen. Whether you came to enjoy the art, connect with others, or learn more about the refuges, you were part of something special.

Three of our amazing artists: Marianne Stolz, Natalie Schuldt, and David Personius

Three of our amazing artists: Marianne Stolz, Natalie Schuldt, and David Personius

Arctic Refuge manager Merben Cebrian looking at art with Ian Wright

Arctic Refuge manager Merben Cebrian looking at art with Ian Wright

David Personius's fish sculptures with table tent information

David Personius's fish sculptures with table tent information

Fish biologist Randy Brown talking with a visitor (next to David's fish sculptures)

Fish biologist Randy Brown talking with a visitor (next to David's fish sculptures)

The Friends information table with artwork by Iris Sutton

The Friends information table with artwork by Iris Sutton

The crowd at Art in the Arctic

The crowd at Art in the Arctic

Artist Amy Mackinaw's fiber art

Artist Amy Mackinaw's fiber art

Friends Board member Tom Chard giving out brochures and getting people to sign up for Friends.

Friends Board member Tom Chard giving out brochures and getting people to sign up for Friends.

Friends volunteers Jeff Walters and Pam Seiser

Friends volunteers Jeff Walters and Pam Seiser

Jennifer Reed with our clicker after the 300th person walked in the door!

Jennifer Reed with our clicker after the 300th person walked in the door!



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