Events – Friends of Alaska National Wildlife Refuges

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.

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

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

Arctic Refuge manager Merben Cebrian looking at art with Ian Wright

David Personius's fish sculptures with table tent information

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

The Friends information table with artwork by Iris Sutton

The crowd at Art in the Arctic

Artist Amy Mackinaw's fiber art

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

Friends volunteers Jeff Walters and Pam Seiser

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

It was Worse than We Thought: Recording now online here

Presented by Heather Renner, Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge Supervisory Biologist

This presentation was recorded in Homer, AK on Tuesday, February 18, 2025

Homer – Heather Renner in person at the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center, 95 Sterliing Hwy. Reception follows talk.
Soldotna – Watch Party at Kenai National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center, Ski Hill Road
Anchorage – Watch Party at BP Energy Center, Spruce/Willow Room 1014 Energy Ct.
And Around the Country on Zoom

Sea cliffs and remote islands of the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge provide ideal nesting sites, protected from terrestrial predators and close to the ocean food source. Aiktak Island in the Semidi Islands is one of the annual monitoring sites of the refuge. PC Ian Shive

As early as summer 2015, Refuge biologists could tell something was amiss at common murre breeding colonies in Alaska. Murres were not showing up to breed like they have year in and year out. And then, the bodies started washing up on the beaches. In winter 2015 – 2016, half of Alaska’s common murre population, 4 million birds, died in the largest single species die-off for any bird or mammal species in recorded history. And they haven’t recovered yet. Hear from Heather Renner, Supervisory Biologist of the Alaska Maritime Refuge, on the refuge’s work to document the scope of this unprecedented tragedy.

When birds die at sea, only a small percentage of the carcasses washes up on shore. What did it really mean in terms of total bird death that 62,000 carcasses were recovered up and down the coast from California to the Bering Sea? Breeding colony counts were needed to give a clearer picture. Unfortunately, for a few years after the die-off, murres didn’t breed successfully, so biologists couldn’t be sure how many had died and how many just weren’t returning to the colonies to breed. When breeding returned to “normal”, biologists learned the true scope of the die-off. Heather is one of six coauthors of a paper published in Science in December of 2024 that caused a considerable stir over the magnitude of the tragedy, the lack of recovery seven years later and the reason – a heat wave in the ocean.

The refuge where much of this drama played out, the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge, is an unusual and unusually remote refuge of 2500 islands, headlands and rocks stretched across more than 1000 miles of Alaska’s coastline. It is one of the world’s premiere seabird refuges, with 40 million nesting seabirds. Heather’s team includes biologists working in groups of two to three in field camps on uninhabited islands scattered along the coast. This group of dedicated scientists has been documenting since the 1970’s the status of seabirds, their numbers and breeding success; it was these data that allowed firm conclusions as to the extent of this tragedy. Data used in this analysis spanned two huge marine ecosystems, the Gulf of Alaska and the Bering Sea. They also included seabird monitoring data collected on Togiak and Alaska Peninsula/Becharof national wildlife refuges, as well as data collected by Alaska Department of Fish and Game (Round Island) and Middleton Island. Long-term ecological datasets like this are incredibly rare and are urgently needed to understand which species are most vulnerable in our changing ocean.
The before photo was taken in 2014 pre die-off and the post die-off photo was taken in 2021, six years after the event. South Island in the Semidi Islands.

Read More:
Monitoring the Common Murre: Mass Mortality in Coastal Alaska
Four Million Murres Missing: How long-term monitoring revealed an unprecedented wildlife die-off in Alaska

Biography

Seabirds, the Alaska Maritime Refuge and Alaska are part of who Heather Renner is. She is a life- long Alaskan who has worked for the Refuge for 25 years. She began her career at just 15 working in the Fish and Wildlife Service Regional office fisheries program. From there she worked her way up in other Alaskan Refuges – Alaska Peninsula/Becharof, YukonDelta, Togiak and Kenai – from a seasonal bio tech working in field camps to now supervisor of one of the most respected biological programs in the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Heather even met her husband while he was completing his doctoral research in a field camp on Buldir Island. It has been her love for wild and remote places that drew her to Alaska’s refuges and inspired her to stay for so long.

Common murres nest in huge colonies laying their eggs right on the bare rock.

Heather said seabirds interested her because “they thrive in places that might seem miserable to people.” She also said she was excited about the science that could be done with seabirds and the questions that could be answered with 50 years of data. Much of Heather’s focus has been coordinating long-term monitoring datasets of seabirds and using those data to address scientific questions about both seabird conservation and ecosystem change. She is also interested in methods development for monitoring techniques. Heather has a BA in Biology from Colorado College, and a MS in Wildlife Management from Cornell University. She lives in Homer with her family and in her spare time, she enjoys outdoor activities like hiking, trail running and cross-country skiing.

What Really Matters: Reflections on our Combined 80 Years with Refuges

Presented by
Steve Delehanty, Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge Manager
Andy Loranger, Kenai National Wildlife Refuge Manager

Tuesday, January 21, 5 – 6 pm Alaska Time
This program was recorded live and can be seen below:

Homer – Steve Delehanty in person at the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center, 95 Sterling Hwy. Reception follows talk
Soldotna – Andy Loranger in person at the Kenai Refuge Visitor Center, Ski Hill Road. Reception follows talk.
Anchorage – Watch party at BP Energy Center, Spruce/Willow Room,1014 Energy Ct.
Zoom

The Kenai River is the heart of the Kenai Refuge. With the salmon rich rivers, highway access to Anchorage, canoe country and mountain trails, campgrounds, refuge cabins and a fine visitor center, this is the most visited refuge in Alaska. That visitor use creates love for the refuge but also management challenges unique in Alaska. PC Lisa Hupp/USFWS

Andy Loranger and Steve Delehanty have spent decades as refuge managers of two of Alaska’s most iconic and significant national wildlife refuges – the Kenai and the Alaska Maritime refuges. They are retiring this month leaving a big hole in refuge management in Alaska. In one of their last acts, they will share with us what their years in the refuge system have taught them and what it might mean for us and the future of refuges. They have seen the best from our crown jewels in Alaska – the Kenai with its salmon highways, abundant moose and bear and lovely landscapes from lake country to alpine; the Alaska Maritime – largest seabird refuge in the world with tens of millions of birds, volcanoes, thousands of islands and otters – to other significant wildlife landscapes in Minnesota, Texas, Wisconsin and elsewhere. This is a trying time for refuges. We all will benefit from their enthusiasm for refuges, their wisdom and a sense of the long view. Please join us for this significant event.

Alaska Maritime’s Steve Delehanty Kenai’s Andy Loranger

Biographies

Steve Delehanty has said that being a refuge manager is the best job in the world, except when it isn’t. While the incredible wildlife and wild places bring inspiration and solace, the real professional challenges as refuge manager generally involve people. “I love wildlife”, says Steve, “But I love people even more. Good thing, because I spend a lot more time at work dealing with people than I do with wildlife.” Fifteen years as manager of the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge has topped Steve’s 39 year career with the Fish and Wildlife Service that began with an internship on Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge in Minnesota. Over his career, he has worked in Illinois, Montana, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Alaska. Except for a brief internship in Illinois, Steve’s entire career has been in states near Canada.

Steve and his wife, Wendy, live in Homer. They have two adult children, one living in Alaska and one in Alabama. He likes hockey more than basketball, tundra more than forest, oceans more than mountains, and national wildlife refuges more than anything else.

Marine mammals, 40 million seabirds, and over 3000 islands characterize the Alaska Maritime Refuge. Most islands are only accessible by ship so the refuge has the largest ship in the Fish & Wildlife Service, the 120 foot R/V Tiglax. Very remote field camps, supervision of the Tiglax in the rough waters of coastal Alaska, and the dependence of the refuge’s abundant wildlife on off refuge food sources in the ocean create unique management challenges on this refuge.

Andy Loranger has been refuge manager at Kenai National Wildlife Refuge for 15 years. This was his second tenure on “the Kenai”. His first was as a wildlife biologist under Dr. Ted Bailey from 1988 to 1992. Andy said, “When I left Alaska to try refuge management in 1992, my only definitive career plan was to return someday. Being given the opportunity to come home to Alaska, and amazingly to the Kenai Refuge, has been an immense privilege.”

Accompanied from the very beginning by his wife Linda, a registered nurse, Andy‘s career journey started as a seasonal biological technician on the Benson Wetlands Management District in Minnesota, and continued in Alaska in the early 1980s with more seasonal employment on field crews conducting Arctic nesting goose research on Yukon Delta and Izembek refuges. This experience led to a permanent appointment as Nowitna Refuge’s first wildlife biologist, and later a similar role at Kenai. Upon leaving Alaska, he managed refuges in Arizona and Texas and served as Chief of the Refuge System’s Division of Natural Resources in the Fish and Wildlife Service’s national headquarters in Washington, DC. Andy received national recognition for his work in 2018, when he was selected as Refuge Manager of the Year by the National Wildlife Refuge Association. Andy said, “The refuges I served on, and my time in DC, helped me realize what true treasures we have in each and every one of our national wildlife refuges, and to appreciate the depth of dedication of our staff, Friends and volunteers.”

Andy and Linda reside in Soldotna and have 2 adult children, John and Emily, who also chose careers in public service. “We were so fortunate to share the wonders of the natural world on national wildlife refuges as a family, and more recently with our childrens’ families, and best yet, with our grandson Ira. In many ways these experience define who we are, and they have truly been the gift of a lifetime for all of us. Our retirement plans are for more of the same!”

It was Alaska Out There! High Winds, Rain Wash out 2024 Walks for the Wild

By Poppy Benson, Vice President for Outreach

Forecast 50 mile an hour gusts canceled Yukon Delta’s Walk for the Wild in Bethel, wind-lashed rain across Homer Spit dampened enthusiasm for the Alaska Maritime Walk and buckets of rain resulted in no takers for 3 of the 4 guided Walks offered at Kenai Refuge. And if that wasn’t bad enough, high winds toppled a tree cutting power to the Kenai Refuge Visitor Center. The 15 that showed up for the Trails Discovery Room in the Visitor Center had to enjoy it by flashlight! Only the Anchorage Walk scheduled for a different day pulled off without a hitch in lovely fall weather. Between the four planned walks, only about 25 people actually walked and $790 was raised. Walk for the Wild is a national program to get people moving in nature and also raise money to support the work of Friends groups.

Ready to outreach but no one to outreach to! Becky Wick holds down the tent at the Kenai Refuge. Friends Marie McConnell, Tim Shipman, Dan Musgrove and Christina Paxman as well as Becky gamely turned out to run the event but no takers. PC Marie McConnell

But Anchorage was glorious. Meg Parsons (far right) led the Walk held at the Campbell Creek Science Center which preceded our Octobermembership meeting. PC Poppy Benson

Only the furry really enjoyed Alaska Maritime Refuge’s wet and wild Walk on the Homer Spit. Interpretive signs lined the 5K route. Carla Stanley and Kevin and Jeanne Walker helped on the soggy event which attracted only 7 walkers to our outreach table.

Flying Wild Alaska: Aerial bird surveys give a bird’s-eye view of refuges and waterbirds

Presented by Heather Wilson, Fish and Wildlife Service Pilot/Biologist

This event was recorded live on November 19, 2024 in Anchorage, with other participants at watch parties and on Zoom.

“I think of the Cessna 206 as a Swiss army knife. It can do so many things well…and that makes it a very useful plane for aerial survey work” Heather Wilson as quoted in Vogue magazine. Heather flying the Fish and Wildlife Service’s Cessna 206 over the Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge. PC Erinn Springer, Vogue.

Heather Wilson has said that if she could have one animal adaptation it would be flight! She’s been featured in Vogue, Outside, and Smithsonian magazines and now she will be here with us on the 19th to share her unique dual-function position of both pilot and wildlife biologist for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Division of Migratory Bird Management. Learn how aerial bird surveys are conducted, the logistics of flying and surveying in some of the most remote parts of Alaska, and the research and management implications of the survey data she collects. Heather’s work takes her to ALL of Alaska’s National Wildlife Refuges and her surveys determine hunting regulations and management actions for an array of common and threatened species.

Heather is currently the project lead/pilot-observer for:

Population surveys for winter and fall brant at Izembek & Maritime National Wildlife Refuges
Breeding pair surveys across the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta Coastal Zone, Arctic Coastal Plain, Copper River Delta, Kenai and Kanuti National Wildlife Refuges
Molting goose surveys and captures in the Teshekpuk Lake Special Use Area and Innoko Refuge.

She touched on these, as well as other waterbird surveys and field work past and present across the state.

Counting Cackling Canada Geese by eye on the Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge flying only 125 feet AGL (above ground level). PC Tim Bowman/USFWS

Biography

Heather Wilson’s interest in conservation (and aviation) developed from growing up and working in the mountains, rivers, and forests of northern California. She holds a Ph.D. in Biological Sciences from the University of Alaska, Fairbanks and a B.A. in Biology from the University of California, Santa Cruz. After several years of working as a field biologist in North, Central, and South America (focused on neo-tropical migratory birds and bats), Heather moved to Alaska in 2001. Within a year, she became a private airplane pilot, adding commercial, instrument, and float ratings in 2008.

Heather has said what she likes most about her work is the autonomy and challenge of aerial surveys in Alaska and getting to blend biology and piloting. She also enjoys visiting the vast lands that Fish and Wildlife Service manages across Alaska, seeing all the animals from above (100 ft), and working with a great group of people, “biologists and pilots are salt of the earth”. Although Heather is Anchorage based, she flies bird surveys throughout the state on National Wildlife Refuges, and beyond. Most of her aerial surveys serve as the primary population indices for setting hunting regulations through the Pacific Flyway and Alaska Migratory Bird Co-Management Council, as well as assisting in conservation of Threatened species. When not in the work plane, Heather is busy compiling data and preparing for more surveys.

In her off time Heather enjoys hiking, skiing, hunting/fishing, playing music with her family and flying in the family’s Piper Super Cub. Heather Wilson with her children in the Super Cub.

See some great footage of bird flocks and learn more about her work as a Wildlife Biologist/Airplane Pilot in these short videos.

Mission Unstoppable TV show – How Biologists Count Birds: Biologist/Pilot Heather Wilson

LifeOnTERRA film – Chasing Birds in Beringia

Chasing Answers in the Arctic: Researching the Effects of Climate Change on the Porcupine Caribou Herd

Presented by Heather Johnson USGS Research Wildlife Biologist and Paul Leonard Arctic National Wildlife Refuge Supervisory Biologist
Tuesday, Oct. 15, 5 – 6 AKDT

This event was held with in person speakers at Fairbanks and Anchorage, at watch parties in Soldotna and Homer and on Zoom.

The Porcupine caribou herd is currently the largest in Alaska and one of the largest herds in North America. Each summer, it undergoes one of the longest terrestrial migrations on Earth to birth calves on the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. But what is the future of the herd given changing climate conditions? Join us to hear about how an innovative research project aims to discover whether and how a changing climate will impact the herd. Arctic Refuge Supervisory Biologist Paul Leonard will share with us the significance of the Porcupine caribou herd as a cornerstone of the ecological, cultural, and economic landscape of the Arctic Refuge, and as a vital part of the livelihoods and traditions of Indigenous peoples of the region, including the Iñupiat and Gwich’in. Lead researcher Heather Johnson of US Geological Survey (USGS) will discuss the research she is conducting on the Porcupine caribou herd in collaboration with partners including the refuge. Their research aims to understand the influence of changing climate conditions on summer habitat for caribou in the Arctic, the impacts of these changes on caribou behavior and population dynamics, and the implications for the future of the Porcupine herd. As part of the project, caribou wear video camera collars so researchers can ‘see’ life from a caribou’s perspective, footage we look forward to sharing with you!

Cow caribou carried video cameras which turned on every 20 minutes to takea 10 second video. This allowed researchers to see what they were eating, what habitat they were using, if they had calves and other important information.

This is a partnered program with the Campbell Creek Science Center serving as not only our monthly meeting but also their Fireside Chats monthly talk series.

Biographies

Heather Johnson is a Research Wildlife Biologist at USGS Alaska Science Center in Anchorage. Heather has a PhD in Wildlife Biology from the University of Montana, a Masters in Wildlife Science from the University of Arizona, and a Bachelors in Ecology from the University of California, San Diego. Heather’s research focuses on understanding how changes in climate and land-use are influencing the behavior and population dynamics of large mammals, and how management strategies can minimize impacts. In her free time, Heather loves doing just about every type of outdoor adventure, especially when it means playing outside with her son.

Paul Leonard grew up in the rolling hills of central Kentucky and spent most of his youth playing out of doors and being constantly curious about the living things around him. He came to Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in 2019 after finishing a postdoctoral fellowship at Clemson University in South Carolina. His research and ecological interests are focused on recognizing and quantifying the spatial patterns in the distribution of natural resources and understanding the reasons for those patterns. He strives to synthesize large, complex spatial data on land use change, climate change and other human caused impacts to develop decision support tools and conservation strategies for diverse communities at a landscape level.In his free time, he likes self-powered adventures in the outdoors via boat, bike, and foot. He also spends a fair amount of time studying, photographing, and reading about birds.

Floating to the Hunt on National Wildlife Refuges in Alaska

This meeting was held on Tuesday, September 17, 2024, 5-6 pm AKDT
The recording of this event can be found below:

Presented by Barry Whitehill
Yukon Flats Deputy Refuge Manager (Retired)

Ivishak River in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge

From the mountains to the lowlands, rivers can take you to wilderness hunting. Floating has been Barry Whitehill’s primary vehicle for accessing national wildlife refuges in Alaska in order to hunt moose, sheep, and caribou. He also just loves rivers. Barry’s love of rivers was honed through a career with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service which enabled him to traverse remote Alaskan rivers for work. His retirement in 2009 as the Deputy Refuge Manager at the 8.6 million acre Yukon Flats National Wildlife Refuge in central Alaska gave him the time and opportunity to undertake extended personal float trips. He has floated over 1000 miles of Alaska’s rivers in one summer! Barry knows Alaska rivers.

Feast or famine is often the dynamics of Alaska’s ecosystems. As a hunter in that setting, the difference between success and failure can be the ability to tap into the natural rhythm of the land. Barry considers floating to the hunt a great way to match the pace and terms of the Alaska landscape. Barry will share with us lessons learned in over thirty years of floating to these Alaska hunts. He will talk about some of his favorite rivers primarily on the Arctic, Kanuti and Yukon Flats refuges all accessed out of Fairbanks. He will also share tips for planning a float, logistics and gear.

Barry Whitehill’s biography in his own words:

I grew up in eastern Washington and considered myself fortunate to have public lands close at hand. Starting with my first elk at age 14, it became obvious to me that dropping into deep, dark holes and undertaking challenging floats on public lands consistently brought success as a hunter. Also, rivers and wild places rejuvenate my soul. Later, I found this true when living in Idaho, northern Nevada, and, since 1992, in Fairbanks, Alaska. I am a Friends of Alaska National Wildlife Refuges member and on the Board of the Alaska Chapter of Backcountry Hunters & Anglers. Both organizations do much to support our national wildlife refuges and our opportunities to float and hunt and enjoy these public lands.

Kanuti River on the Kanuti National Wildlife Refuge.

Background on Hunting on Refuges

Some of you may be surprised to learn that hunting is one of the “Big Six” priority wildlife dependent recreational uses of national wildlife refuges along with wildlife viewing, wildlife photography, interpretation, education and fishing. These were established as priority recreational uses in the National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997. Some lower 48 refuges are closed to hunting to protect species where the populations are not large enough to support hunting or where hunting would conflict with other priority uses. All national wildlife refuges in Alaska are open to hunting except for very small areas adjacent to visitor facilities and the Skilak Loop Road on the Kenai Refuge where wildlife viewing, wildlife photography and small game specialty hunts (youth, bow, and falconry) are the priority uses. Protection of species is accomplished through game regulations usually set by the state. Many Alaskan households utilize wild meat as a big part of their diet.

Subsistence hunting for rural residents is also one of the purposes of all national wildlife refuges in Alaska as established by Congress in the Alaska National Interests Lands Act (ANILCA) of 1980.

Riverside camp on the Ivishak River, Arctic National Wildlife Refuge

Friends partnered for this program with the Alaska Chapter of Backcountry Hunters & Anglers, a group dedicated to “ensuring North America’s outdoor heritage of hunting and fishing in a natural setting, through education and work on behalf of wild public lands, waters, and wildlife.” They have been advocates for refuges, wilderness and wildlife including taking positions opposing the Ambler Road and defending the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge during the 2016 takeover and occupation by the Bundys.

2024 Kachemak Bay Shorebird Festival! May 8-12

The annual Kachemak Bay Shorebird Festival in Homer, Alaska is co-sponsored by Friends of Alaska National Wildlife Refuges and the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge and made possible by the staff and many volunteers! Thank you to all the sponsors, speakers, guides, instructors, and volunteers who helped make the 2024 Kachemak Bay Shorebird Festival a success, and thank you to all who attended. Looking forward to 2025! View/Download the 2024 Bird Species List The Red-necked Phalarope, chosen as the featured bird for the 32nd Annual Festival, breeds across the Arctic. They winter at sea in the open ocean, where they are most common in the Atlantic in the currents along the west coast of Africa from Morocco to Namibia. They are also found in the Pacific in similar currents off California and Peru.Kachemak Bay (near Homer, Alaska) provides miles of shoreline and inter-tidal habitat for migrating birds. Kachemak Bay’s unique ecology, easy accessibility to beaches, and the scenic landscapes of Homer make this a prime location to experience this annual migration. Kachemak Bay’s 320 miles of shoreline and 30-foot tidal range create the substantial inter-tidal areas that attract shorebirds. The shoreline of Kachemak Bay is a prime stopover to keep them fueled for the next phase in their journey. If you’re interested in volunteering, providing a tour or activity or have any questions, get in touch: kachemakshorebird@gmail.com See you in May 2025!

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Art in the Arctic 2025

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