Alaska Maritime NWR Centennial Event
Homer (May 21) Sitka (June 27-July 1, 2009)
Unalaska/Dutch Harbor (August 29-September 1, 2009)
Anchorage (October 2, 2009)
Sitka
Participants: Sharon Baur, Ken and Donna Hinkle, Jason Sodergren (Friends of Alaska National Wildlife Refuges);
Lisa Matlock, Leslie Slater, Nikki Hinds (US F&WS)
The Friends participants provided a reception and Alaska Maritime Refuge photo exhibit at Centennial Hall in Sitka. The photo exhibit featured many Refuge photos by Tom Collopy and Mary Frische; the photos were made available for viewing both during the evening receiption and before/after scheduled performances by the New Archangel Dancers.
The Saturday evening reception included presentations by Debbie Corbett and Leslie Slater, and was well attended by approximately 75 Sitka residents.
A Friends presentation was given on Sunday evening; this presentation included a slideshow and a presentation by Leslie Slater about bird research being conducted on St. Lazaria Island. Possible Friends projects in Sitka and on St. Lazaria were discussed with this meeting's attendees. Potential projects included the resurrection of the St. Lazaria bird camera. A door-prize drawing was held; a Friends membership was given away as one of the prizes.
Lisa Matlock and Jason Sodergren assisted with one of two scheduled field trips to St. Lazaria Island (the first scheduled trip was cancelled due to weather). Primary researcher Leslie Slater and her crew provided Sitka residents with a rare close-up look at the seabird research being conducted on the island. This trip was sponsored by the Sitka Conservation Society. Allen Marine provided the trip to St. Lazaria.
Sharon Baur and Lisa Matlock traveled to Sitka on November 2-6 for a follow-up event, which was attended by 30+ Sitka residents; presentations about Friends of Alaska National Wildlife Refuges and about the bird research on St. Lazaria were followed by further St. Lazaria project discussion. Projects discussed included the resurrection of the Bird Cam, work on the ladders and walkways, and kiosks at the Centennial Center and at the Sitka Sound Science Center. Sharon and Lisa also provided four days of environmental education at Mt. Edgecombe High School and at Sitka High School.
Anchorage
Noted Author, Historian and Media Pundit Highlights Centennial Events
The man the Chicago Times has dubbed “the new past master”, Douglas Brinkley, spoke on his most recent work, Wilderness Warrior: Theodore Roosevelt and the Crusade for America, at centennial events co-sponsored by Friends, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and the University of Alaska Anchorage in Anchorage and Homer, October 2 and 3. The Anchorage event, the highlight of the centennial celebrations for Yukon Delta and Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuges, included Wings Over Wild Lands: A Photographic Celebration of 100 years of Conserving Alaska’s Wild Lands and Wildlife curated by Friends members Tom Collopy and Mary Frische of Wild North Photographer. Over 100 stunning images of landscapes and wildlife, many of them also taken by Collopy and Frische, brought the wild grandeur of Alaska’s two centennial refuges to the appreciative crowd of 275 people. Wings Over Wild Lands stayed on exhibit in the lobby of the Wendy Williamson Auditorium at the University for the month of October.
Brinkley was an engaging and dynamic speaker whose talk about Roosevelt’s conservation legacy and the beginnings of the refuge system inspired both audiences. Douglas Brinkley is a professor at Rice University and the author of dozens of books, six of which have been selected as New York Times Notable Books of the Year. Brinkley was also impressed by the Friends dedication and wrote to President David Raskin later, “My admiration for Friends of Alaska National Wildlife Refuges knows no bounds.” We expect to hear shortly that he has become a life member.
Both events included receptions, book signings and Friends outreach all facilitated by members. Friends also hosted a dinner for Brinkley and Deputy Chief of Refuges from D.C, Jim Kurth, in Homer. President Raskin and Vice President Sharon Baur and Kurth accompanied Brinkley on some aspects of Brinkey’s trip. These opportunities to interact one on one with Brinkley inspired all parties with Friends sharing information on Alaskan refuge issues. Brinkley is an enthusiastic fan of refuges and is particularly interested in helping the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
2440 E. Tudor Road, PMB 283
Anchorage, AK 99507-1185
akrefugefriends@gmail.com