One campaigner called her confirmation “a tremendous win for Indigenous communities, the waters, parks, and lands across our country, and the climate.” A diverse coalition of progressive and Indigenous figures and organizations on Monday celebrated the Senate’s confirmation of Deb Haaland to head the Department of the Interior—making the New Mexico Democrat and Green New […]
WASHINGTON, D.C. (October 23, 2020) — The Department of Interior’s headlong rush to conduct seismic testing in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge threatens iconic wildlife and Indigenous communities that depend on this pristine land. The rushed, 14-day comment period — in the midst of a global pandemic — all but ensures that the public’s […]
As boreal forest wildfires increase in severity and frequency, new patterns of post-fire recovery are emerging. Research led by Jill Johnstone and colleagues at the U.S. National Science Foundation-supported Bonanza Creek Long-term Ecological Research site found that recent wildfires led to changes in tree species dominance that are persisting through post-fire succession in Alaska’s boreal forests. Boreal black […]
While wandering middle Alaska this summer, I noticed orange spruce trees along the entire length of the Denali Highway, from Paxson to Cantwell. In what looked like a dendrological case of frostbite, tips of every branch were afflicted with something. The real show happened when the wind blew: An entire valley glowed apricot. After […]
(Fairbanks, Alaska) – BLM Alaska Fire Service Smokejumpers responded to two fires in rural Alaska in the last few days, emphasizing dry conditions still exist in some areas despite the wet, cold weather present in other regions. The Richmond Fire (#338) burning 39 miles north of Bettles is suspected of being human-caused. It’s a reminder that […]
A scientist recently wondered which animal travels farthest across the landscape in one year. In doing his research, he found a few Alaska creatures near the top of the list. Kyle Joly is a biologist with the National Park Service in Fairbanks. He works for both Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve […]