Refuge Notebook

Peninsula Clarion Article
Dated 29 December 2000

What Will the New Year Bring?

by Robin West

Have we just finished the first year of the new millennium or are we just entering it? I don’t know, but I do know that we are entering another new year along with its opportunities and uncertainties. Dusting off the crystal ball, I’ll look ahead to predict a few things that the new year may bring to the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge.

The year 2001 brings the 60th anniversary of the Kenai Refuge. It’s hard for me to imagine that President Roosevelt had time on December 16, 1941 to review and sign the Executive Order that established the Refuge (since this was merely days after the attack on Pearl Harbor). Even though there was not yet a road to the Kenai Peninsula, and only a sparse human population in the area, the values and wonders of the Kenai’s wildlife and fisheries were recognized and set aside for special recognition and protection. The same values today draw people to the area, who often choose to live here because of the quality of life, even at the expense of higher paying jobs that they might find elsewhere. This is a testament, I like to think, to the success of the Refuge’s mandated purposes for wildlife and habitat protection, clean water, and wildlife-dependent recreational opportunities. We expect to have some sort of 60th birthday party this year and we will have an open invitation to everyone to come and help us celebrate.

The winter of 2000/2001 has so far been abnormally mild, both in temperatures and amount of snowfall. While this is an unpleasant situation for winter recreation enthusiasts, it is good news for the wildlife. Lack of deep snow allows the moose to stay at higher elevations and take advantage of food they can’t normally reach this time of year, and equally important, lack of snow helps keep the moose off the roads. Mild temperatures and low snowfall help most – but not all - wild creatures survive a difficult time of year. Wolves, however, find it much easier to catch their prey in deep snow. Scavengers such as raven and ermine benefit from the ill fortune of others by feasting on winter-killed animal carrion.

The outlook for fishing seems to be good for next year, and local sockeye anglers will have a new place to try their luck. Two new public fishing areas will open in 2001 within the Moose Range Meadows Subdivision just upriver of Soldotna. This is an area of public easements overlaying private land that have been closed to public access for several years to protect bank habitat. These new sites will provide parking, restroom facilities, boardwalks, and fish cleaning tables, and will be wheel chair accessible.

While South-central Alaska escaped major wild fire events in 2000, the Lower 48 certainly was not as fortunate. I see 2001 as a marked turning point for fire management on Federal public lands throughout the United States. Increased funding and attention should start producing more partnerships and education efforts for fuels reduction projects, wildfire prevention outreach, prescribed fire implementation, and wildfire suppression activities. Additionally, while it is certainly too early to tell, if low precipitation continues throughout the winter, dry conditions in the spring could increase local fire dangers.

It has been approximately 15 years since the Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan was completed and it is approaching the time when it will need to be updated. Public scoping for potential plan revisions could begin as early as fall 2001. The entire process is lengthy, probably taking about three years, and will provide ample opportunity for public involvement.

Plans are also underway for a new visitor center on the Refuge to assist the increasing number of visitors traveling to the Refuge each year, and expand outdoor education opportunities for local schools. While we won’t be breaking ground in 2001, we do hope to make good progress in planning and design, and invite anyone interested to share their ideas with us.

Hunting opportunities should be as good or better than in 2000. While snowshoe hare numbers are down, other small game populations are doing well, and moose hunting success should be better in 2001. Additionally, there will be some new caribou hunting opportunity in the Tustumena Benchlands due to a steadily growing herd there.

Hikers will find some new places to stretch their muscles. The new Hideout Trail is now open and should provide some great views for hikers throughout the year. It can be accessed about a mile west of Jim’s Landing on the Skilak Loop Road. We also expect work to be completed in 2001 on a trail out of Upper Skilak Lake Campground. This should be a great hike for families and hopefully will be open by the end of the summer.

That’s a short list of what I see 2001 bringing to the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge, but whatever else it brings, I hope it brings health, happiness, and joy to all our friends and neighbors on the Kenai Peninsula. Happy New Year!

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Robin West is the Refuge Manager for the two million acre Kenai National Wildlife Refuge, which has over 500,000 visitors each year. Previous Refuge Notebook columns can be viewed on the web at http://kenai.fws.gov.