(Tetlin National Wildlife Refuge/Philip Kuntz)
Alaska’s refuges continue to face a variety of unique challenges that distinguish them from the hundreds of other national wildlife refuges in the lower 48 states. Several refuges are not located along a road system, for instance. And even for those Alaska refuges that are accessible by car, their extensive scope make traveling within and between the refuges costly and time-consuming. Threats, such as development of roads, drilling for oil and gas, and the emerging impacts of climate change not only threaten wildlife, but also Native Alaskan communities and local economies. These communities depend upon wilderness that refuges provide to support subsistence living, cultural heritage, healthy surroundings, and economic benefits derived from tourism, fishing, hunting, nature photography, and other active outdoor activities. The Friends organization thus supports the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in managing Alaska’s 16 refuges to protect the astounding variety of living creatures–including polar bears, brown bears, lynx, salmon, and hundreds of bird species–dependent upon these public lands.(Arctic National Wildlife Refuge/ USFWS)
Friends support includes: outreach and education events promoting stewardship of public lands and facilitating an understanding about our shared responsibility to sustain a healthy natural environment; monitoring of species and ecosystems; invasive species management; Within several years, membership had grown to over 300 individuals, and numerous projects were funded through grants, donations, and volunteer hours. In 2010, the Friends organization was awarded “Friends Group of the Year” by the National Wildlife Refuge Association. Current and former leaders of the Friends organization (UPDATE) Past accomplishments and milestones include:- Assists with refuge and local community events, including:
- Crab Festival in Kodiak
- Kachemak Bay Shorebird Festival in Homer (Festival Partner)
- Kenai River Festival
- Ocean Festival in Anchorage
- Dragonfly Days in Fairbanks
- Removes invasive weeds through thousands of hours of volunteer
- Develops curriculum for science and culture camps and visiting Alaska native communities to engage youth with both conservation science and traditional tribal knowledge
- Works with local and national conservation partners to educate policymakers in Washington D.C. about threats to refuges, such as the notorious “road to nowhere,” which was successfully prevented
- Creates curriculum for science camps in native Alaskan communities
- Funded and maintained a bird habitat camera on St. Lazaria Island
- Completed numerous individual projects
- Attends training and workshops with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s National Conservation Training Center and the National Wildlife Refuge Association