Page 2 – Friends of Alaska National Wildlife Refuges

November Advocacy Update

By Caroline Brouwer, Advocacy Committee Chair

Alaska’s refuges are taking a hit this month, between the decision by the Biden Administration to propose a land swap with the King Cove Corporation in order to build a road through the Izembek National Wildlife Refuge and the announcement that 400,000 acres of land in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge will be auctioned off for oil and gas leases.

The only comforting news is that the announced acreage for oil and gas leasing in the Arctic Refuge is the smallest amount allowable by law. The Administration is required by law (the 2017 Tax Act) to hold a lease sale, so they have chosen to put the smallest acreage possible up for auction. This second Arctic Refuge lease sale will take place January 9, 2025. During the first lease sale in early 2021, there was very little interest from lease purchasers. We will see what happens in January.

The Izembek announcement (as part of the draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement) was just baffling in its absurdity. Refuge Friends and other public lands advocates have fought this potential road for decades, and now all of a sudden the Biden Administration decides to go forward with a road that will carve a path through one of the most remote and protected lands in the Refuge System, and for what? A supposed medical evacuation path in one of the most difficult terrains in the world to traverse in the winter. It’s nonsensical.

Friends sent out an action alert last week regarding the Izembek road, and a hearing was held in Anchorage on December 9th. Many, many thanks to those of you who attended! Please let us know if you went, and what your thoughts were on the hearing- you can email me here.

You can still comment online, at the remaining public meeting or at the virtual meetings this week. Each of the virtual meetings are tailored for an Alaska Peninsula community but they have been very clear that anyone can attend and testify at these virtual hearings.

A FWS web page.on the project has a great deal of background information.

Bethel, Thurs, Dec. 12, 6 – 8, Yupiit Piciryarait Cultural Center, 420 Chief Eddie Hoffman Hwy
Virtual – Register online at the links below
- Wednesday, Dec. 11 – 3:00 to 5:00 p.m
- Friday, Dec. 13 – 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.
- Monday, Dec. 16 – 4 – 6 pm

Please take action by December 30th! The link to comment is here.

Map of the road the FWS proposes to allow in Alternative 6, the preferred alternative. Note the wetlands and the narrow neck of land between the two highly productive lagoons – Izembek and Kinzarof Lagoons – that will be bifurcated by the road. Note also the intent to take gravel from numerous sites along the road. Source: Draft SEIS

“The Trip of a Lifetime!” Surveying Brant on the Izembek Refuge

By Cindy Mom, Seldovia Friends member

I had the privilege to volunteer on the brant survey at Izembek National Wildlife Refuge this fall. Afterwards, it took me two days to get home from Cold Bay to Seldovia, and even when my cargo was unpacked and put away, I felt like my mental and emotional experiences from Izembek were still very present – not unpacked yet at all. What a beautiful and wild place! I still see the thick luscious eelgrass in my mind’s eye, and all those brant slurping it up with pure delight. The raucous sounds of thousands of happy geese can’t help but make you happy, too.

The Refuge staff and visiting biologists welcomed me to the Brant crew, and made it easy to explore and enjoy the Refuge. Our six-person crew (usually split into two groups of three) visited the brant goose habitat, the incredibly extensive eelgrass bed of Izembek Lagoon. To get to our observation points we hiked across the tundra or boated in inflatable skiffs to shallow waters or shorelines. Once there, we set up spotting scopes and counted flocks of brant, using clickers to tally adults vs. juveniles. While one or two people scoped and counted, one person recorded data and watched for bears.

The Izembek Lagoon is one of the very few places on earth that I have visited that feels still intact, and complete, and of-itself. Pc Cindy Mom

As the entire population of Pacific black brant, about 150,000 birds, stages for about eight weeks in the Izembek Lagoon Complex, Izembek’s Brant Age Ratio Survey provides an estimate of the age composition of the entire arctic and subarctic breeding populations. This survey provides the only measure of annual productivity for the brant and an index of recruitment as most first-year mortality occurs between hatch and fall migration.

The absolute best part was getting to work with an amazing crew of wildlife biologists, who know how to efficiently get the job done and still have fun while doing it. Everyone had such obvious and infectious enjoyment in the work and the beautiful wild Refuge, it made it easy to deal with the discomforts of field work in wet, windy, and cold conditions. I truly feel this was the trip of a lifetime, and appreciate the opportunity to explore the Izembek Refuge, learn about eelgrass and brant, see walruses and several life birds, and contribute something to this important study. My travel expenses were covered by the Friends, which made this trip possible; otherwise, it would have remained an unreachable dream. Thank you, Friends!

Wet, windy and cold. It was October out there! We only lost two survey days to extreme weather. I organized the refuge library on those days. PC Randall Friendly.

Izembek SEIS Released

Today the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service released their draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement for the Izembek National Wildlife Refuge, outlining a path to build a road through one of the most important wetland habitats in Alaska. This proposed road threatens not only migratory birds and sustainable Indigenous lifeways in this region, but it also lays out a path for the transfer of lands specifically protected by the Alaska National Interests Land Act (ANILCA) across Alaska for development.

“The proposal to build a road through the Izembek Refuge as outlined in the SEIS today is an extremely dangerous precedent for fish and wildlife habitat protection in Alaska,” says Marilyn Sigman, President of the Friends of Alaska NWRs. “The Izembek Refuge is wilderness, and species such as the Emperor goose and Pacific black brant depend on this place as their breeding habitat. A road bisecting the refuge puts the conservation of these lands at extreme risk.”

The lands proposed for exchange are not equivalent in conservation value. The land exchange as proposed would swap lands within the Refuge with lands currently owned by the King Cove Corporation. Dozens of native tribes and tribal entities, including the Native Village of Hooper Bay and its village corporation, have opposed this land exchange.

We have joined with many conservation and tribal partners to oppose the road across the Refuge throughout the Biden Administration and thus are extremely disappointed to see this land exchange to enable road-building come at the tail end of this Administration.

Collecting Puke and Weathering Storms: My Challenging but Rewarding Time in the Barren Islands

By Karyn Murphy, Homer Friends member and Alaska Maritime Refuge Liaison

During this past summer, I was given the opportunity to join with a biologist from the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge and a grad student from Oregon to go to the Barren Islands for several weeks to work and live at the East Amatuli Island field camp. The seabird rich, uninhabited Barren Islands are about 60 miles south of Homer where Cook Inlet flows into the Gulf of Alaska. Our focus would be three-fold: check productivity plots of Fork-tailed Storm Petrel burrows and measure any chicks found; set up mist nets to capture petrels as they returned at night to feed their chicks and to collect the puke they regurgitated upon capture for later analysis; and setting up timelapse camera gear to monitor puffin colonies.

Fork-tailed Storm Petrel chicks are cute fluffballs! We recorded wing length, weight and amount of down all of which helps approximate age of the chick.

The data we gathered contributed to decades long records which indicate not just how well the refuge’s trust species are doing but also what the birds’ health has to say about the health of the ocean they feed from. Weather was very stormy and windy with a few lovely sunny days. The icing on the cake was getting picked up by the refuge research ship the R/V Tiglax for our return to Homer. What a challenging and rewarding opportunity! So grateful to have had this time at the East Amatuli Island field camp. I hope others are inspired to volunteer for opportunities within our Alaska national wildlife refuge system!

I’m not laying down on the job here. We were often up to our armpits reaching to the very back of the storm petrel burrows to find and gently extract the chick for measurements.

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.

Selawik Summer: 4 Above the Arctic Circle

This past summer four Friends volunteered in different capacities with the Selawik National Wildlife Refuge in Kotzebue in far northwestern Alaska. Selawik had not asked for volunteers in many years but Brittany Sweeney, new to her position as Deputy Refuge Manager, saw an opportunity to augment their small staff. Here are our volunteers’ stories.

I Had Never Introduced Myself to an Entire Village Before: But here I was with a VHF radio in my hand.
By Saralily Stein, Anchor Point Friend

“Good morning Selawik! My name is Sarahlily, and my friend Lynda and I are here from the Fish and Wildlife Service. We’ll be leading nature crafts in the NANA building this afternoon from 1:30 – 4:30pm. Ages eight and up are welcome to join us.” I looked over at Adam, and he gave me a thumbs up. Phew!

This July, I spent nine days volunteering with Selawik National Wildlife Refuge. With the help of refuge staff and tribal administrators, I led three nature art workshops in the villages of Selawik and Buckland.

Two workshops focused on botanical ink making. Participants used local plants such as kikmiññat (cranberries) to make watercolor paintings. We had a great time experimenting with different leaves, berries, and flowers. In addition to the art side of the project, we tried to include both cultural and scientific components by incorporating the Iñupiaq plant names and using acids and bases to modify the colors of the inks. In Selawik, the ink workshop had only three participants. In Buckland, we had forty!

The other workshop focused on cyanotype printing. Also called sun printing, this craft uses light sensitive paper to make botanical prints. We took a plant walk to gather materials and then used those plants to make cards and socks.

In Selawik, I was joined by Lynda Knutsen, who was working at Selawik refuge on a detail. Refuge Information Technician (FWS Village liaison) Adam Ramoth picked us up from the airport, showed us around, and made sure we had everything we needed. We stayed in a funky little bunkhouse with creative plumbing, friendly neighbors, and a couple of opinionated outdoor dogs. Selawik is a boardwalk community. So, instead of driving cars around on gravel roads we rode around the wooden boardwalks on “Hondas” (four-wheelers) with a little trailer to carry our totes of art supplies.

In Buckland, refuge deputy manager Brittany Sweeney joined me, and the two of us stayed in the school building. Tribal administrator Sheila Washington helped us get the word out and corral the many enthusiastic kids during the workshop. I was so impressed by these kids! They were kind to each other, sharing the art supplies with one another and helping each other find what they needed. Making ink with them was a blast.

In between workshops, I stayed in Kotzebue at the refuge bunkhouse. Just across the Chukchi Sea from Russia, Kotzebue was a great “homebase” to explore, relax, and prep for workshops. In addition to managing the many logistics that go into village travel, Brittany went out of her way to welcome me, even inviting me and Lynda over to her home to try local sheefish.

A huge thank you to Friends for making this trip possible. A special taikuu (thanks) to Jerry Hupp who coordinated logistics, ordered the art supplies, and organized the budget. I hope to volunteer again in the future!

Friends secured a small grant from the Fish and Wildlife Service Retirees’ Association to fund Sarahlily’s travel and supplies.

Buckland Village children with the ink they made from plants and postcards created with the ink. PC Brittany Sweeney.

Two in Town: Bev and Louis first visit to NW Alaska

As told to Poppy Benson

“I’m grateful I went,” said Bev Cronen of the three weeks she and her partner Louis Dupree spent volunteering at Selawik refuge headquarters in Kotzebue. “It was interesting to just get a taste of what it is like to live off the road system,” she added. “I took pictures of prices in the store because I am sure my friends wouldn’t believe it. $14.87 for a loaf of Dave’s Bread!” Bev and Louis also got in on a community meeting when Senator Sullivan came to town. More than 50 locals attended and those that spoke expressed their concerns mainly about the Ambler Road. The prevailing sentiment was anti-road. Locals felt they did not have enough say in a road which would be disruptive to them and their way of life. Bev and Louis also enjoyed just walking around town observing people and their neighborhoods.

Bev and Louis answered the call to help with office work and a variety of small maintenance tasks. With no administrative staff at the refuge, the four full time and two part time employees have gotten quite behind on simple things like dealing with files, small paint jobs and shredding documents. Bev reported that the government housing was lovely, the staff very hardworking and working with Brittany Sweeney, Deputy Refuge Manager was a highlight. And the feeling was mutual. Brittany dedicated a Selawik Refuge Facebook post to the two writing the refuge owed them a “HUGE thank you . . . .. They assisted with anything and everything we asked, from maintenance tasks to mail runs, filing and more. Our office has never looked better than after their visit; these two avid sailors left us in ship shape!” Bev reported it was gratifying to help the staff and she would go back again.

Bev Cronen and Louis Depree of Homer at Selawik Refuge Headquarters in Kotzebue. PC. USFWS/Brittany Sweeney

Off to a Good Start: New Refuge Liaison Visits the Refuge

Our Friends refuge liaison positions were created so that each of the 16 refuges have one member that looks out for that refuge and its needs. It isn’t often however, that the refuge liaison pays their way out to a remote refuge to really get to know the refuge and the staff. Nancy Deschu of Anchorage did juist that in July traveling to Kotzebue. Nancy has a particular interest in rivers and fisheries being a retired hydrologist and spent time with refuge biologist Bill Carter with the idea of writing an article. She also got filled in on refuge concerns – new broad band towers proposed for the refuge, the Ambler Road, not enough staff and not enough money. Refuge staff wondered if Friends could help with grant writing, chasing soft money, volunteers for at least three-week stints and increasing public awareness of this little-known refuge. Both Brittany Sweeney, Deputy Refuge Manager and Nancy felt the trip was invaluable for getting Nancy up to speed on Selawik concerns.

Fall, Fun Staff, and Interesting Visitors: My Time at Coldfoot

By Gail Mayo, Fairbanks Friends Member

My first view of the Arctic Interagency Visitor Center was through a windshield splattered with mud. I had just completed, in pouring rain, the drive from Fairbanks to Coldfoot over the Dalton Highway. In spite of that grimy beginning my two week volunteer time was a beautiful experience. The southern edge of the Brooks Range was in full fall colors and the weather remained warm and often sunny. The South Fork of the Koyukuk ran clear, no ice.

The visitor center is an imaginative building with enticing exhibits that give visitors a good introduction to the vast wilderness reaching in all directions around them: Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to the northeast, Kanuti National Wildlife Refuge to the southwest, Yukon Flats National Wildlife Refuge to the southeast, Gates of the Arctic National Park to the northwest, and the Dalton Highway Corridor (BLM). It was very fun to interact with visitors who were trying to understand wilderness and how to experience it.

The staff representing the three agencies (Fish & Wildlife Service, National Park Service and Bureau of Land Management) were friendly, helpful and appreciative. Judy Brant and I were there to help with the final two weeks of being open to the public. There were several days when the visitor count was well over 100, and there were never any days without interesting visitors. One of our jobs was keeping count and never counting anyone twice. Sometimes this required group effort! Many visitors were tourists who wanted to experience the Dalton Highway. Others were hunters, miners visiting their claims and aurora watchers.

There is a Fish and Wildlife Service field camp a short distance north of Coldfoot with a variety of lodging possibilities from dry cabins to comfortable houses. Judy and I stayed in a house that had recently been upgraded. It was very comfortable and had indoor plumbing; a luxury in the far north. We both appreciated the convenient housing that gave us time to do some exploring.

Fall colors on the Dalton Highway. PC Randy Lewis

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.

It’s National Wildlife Refuge Week, and We Need Your Help

This week, October 13-19, 2024, we celebrate National Wildlife Refuge Week, a time to honor the special places that make up the National Wildlife Refuge System. Here in Alaska, we are home to 16 national wildlife refuges, vast and diverse lands that protect an incredible variety of wildlife. From migratory birds to bears and salmon, these refuges safeguard species that are crucial to Alaska’s ecosystems. They also give us beautiful spaces to explore and enjoy the outdoors.

But Alaska’s refuges are just part of a much larger system that stretches across the entire United States. Together, these lands form the largest network of public lands dedicated to wildlife conservation. Sadly, this system is in danger. Severe budget cuts have left many refuges understaffed and underfunded. Nationwide, the system has lost over 800 staff members since 2010, making it difficult to maintain habitats and protect wildlife.

Why Refuges Matter in Alaska and Across the Country

In Alaska, our 16 refuges are vital to protecting our state’s unique landscapes and wildlife. Whether you’ve visited the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge, hiked the stunning Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, or explored the vast wetlands of the Yukon Delta, you know how special these places are. They protect important habitats and give us a chance to experience nature up close.

But this problem goes beyond Alaska. Across the country, national wildlife refuges are facing similar challenges. Without enough staff and funding, many refuges are struggling to meet basic needs like habitat restoration, infrastructure upkeep, and visitor programs. This puts wildlife and the lands they depend on at risk.

How You Can Help

There are several ways you can support our refuges during National Wildlife Refuge Week:

Explore a Refuge: Get outside and visit one of Alaska’s refuges, or find a refuge near you. Spending time in these wild places is a great way to appreciate their beauty and learn more about their importance.
Raise Awareness: Help spread the word about National Wildlife Refuge Week by sharing posts on social media with #RefugeWeek. Let others know why these places matter and what they can do to help protect them.
Advocate for Change: One of the most powerful ways to make a difference is by contacting Congress. Let your representatives know that you care about national wildlife refuges and want them to support increased funding. It’s quick and easy to take action—just click here to get started.

Our national wildlife refuges, both in Alaska and across the country, are essential to protecting wildlife and preserving the natural beauty we love. By raising awareness and taking action, we can help ensure these special places remain protected for generations to come.

Board Comings and Goings We Lose Two of the Best but Welcome Kim Zook

By Poppy Benson, Vice President for Outreach

In July when Board terms were up, we lost invaluable Board Members Jason Sodergren and Jerry Hupp. Jason was a Friends founder and driving force in his 18 years on the Board. He was treasurer, chief of tech, all things Shorebird Festival and more. Our “go to guy”. Jerry was Volunteer Coordinator and Liaison Coordinator and added science credentials to our Board. A sad day when those two resigned. We are so grateful for all they did for refuges and wildlife.

Want to be “where the interesting stuff happens”? Talk to us about a two- year term on the Board. We could use three more members. We need a Volunteer Coordinator (very fun job you get to talk to all the refuges about their needs) a liaison coordinator, more members for our Advocacy Committee and additional Fairbanks, Anchorage and outstate members for the Outreach Committee, someone interested in the newsletter and a refuge liaison for Alaska Peninsula-Becharof. Contact us and let’s talk. It is a good feeling to feel useful and needed.

1 2 3 4 5 … 23 24 25

Posts navigation