Harpers Ferry Center National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior

Lake Clark National Park and Preserve Long-Range Interpretive Plan October 2010 Lake Clark National Park and Preserve Long-Range Interpretive Plan October 2010

Prepared by:

Department of the Interior National Park Service

Lake Clark National Park and Preserve

Alaska Region

Harpers Ferry Center Interpretive Planning

Cover Photo: Twin Lakes Area Photo Credit: Wasserman / NPS Table of Contents

Plan Highlights 2 Message from the Superintendent of Lake Clark National Park and Reserve 5 The Planning Process 6

Part One: Foundation for Planning 7 Site Background 8 Enabling Legislation 8 Mission, Purpose, and Signifi cance 9 Interpretive Themes 11 Desired Visitor Experiences 12 Park Visitors 14 Issues and Challenges Affecting Interpretation 16

Part Two: Existing Conditions 19 Information and Orientation 20 Facilities and Popular Destinations 21 Interpretive Media 25 Interpretive Media Assets 30 Personal Services 31 Partnerships 36

Part Three: Recommendations 38 Goals for Interpretive Planning 39 Research and Evaluation Needs 50 Staffi ng and Training Needs 51 Implementation Plan 52

Appendices 59 Appendix A: The Planning Team 60 Appendix B: Accessibility Guidelines 62 Appendix C: Interpretive Themes and Stories 63 Plan Highlights

During the next seven to ten years Lake Clark National Park and Preserve interpretive services will provide visitors with opportunities to increase their understanding and appreciation for the park and its resources; to engage in local educational opportunities; and to protect the park resources.

To provide an active, engaging interpretive program, park staff and partners will work together focused on the following goals:

 Develop Marketing Strategies and Improve Orientation

 Connect to Virtual Visitors

 Upgrade and Improve Interpretive Services at the Port Alsworth Visitor Center Complex

 Upgrade and Improve Site-Specifi c Interpretation

 Improve Existing Interpretive Programs

 Increase Interpretive Opportunities in Homer

 Expand Existing and Develop New Educational Opportunities

 Use Interpretation and Education to Address Resource and Safety Concerns

 Expand Existing and Develop New Opportunities to Engage Youth

 Maintain and Grow Existing Partnerships and Explore New Partnership Opportunities

 Fully Integrate Commercial Services into the Interpretive Program

 Expand the Volunteer Program

2 I National Park Service The park and preserve is a cultural landscape long used by indigenous r e peoples. The Dena'ina Athabascans have lived in this area for over a iv R t thousand years. Many place names recall stories or events or identify a if E S k T Sw family lineage with the place. w e n North G t n a 0 5 20 Kilometers R C iver Snowcap hillig 0 5 20 Miles Mountain an N Ri Mount ver Torbert A 11413ft Private Lands 3479m C Many tracts of private lands Lake Clark Native Corporations A P in and near the park and National Park Lands R P preserve are not open to Please do not trespass. public use or travel without Lake Clark National Preserve N land owners’ permission. Be a g courteous and respect is Wilderness area Ranger station h Mount Spurr private property. boundary r la 11070ft r Rive m e a in 3374m v itn a i Ig A R R iv e r K M e rri y ll Rive LA K E ha n r A M N A C S o K A CH t t Merrill S CH A o S r n e Pass An iv ot y R he iver Riv r R Kenibuna e r Two Lakes A Lake (Tutnutl'ech'a Vena) The L Tusk

r e iv R s A n o c a e eacol N N R IE AC GL DE K A WILDERNESS AREA OC Old Village BL site Tel H LA K E ana Riv aq E FI S qu er uan H I T la a Lake Telaquana W Te (Dil Pass Blockade ah Vena) LAKE CLARK Lake NATIONAL PRESERVE ig River Lake Clark Pass k B M (Qizhjeh Vena Tustes) or Big u F (V lc th River a h Summit r /t a Telaquana S o Lakes s tn Lake N 'a a Mountain tn 8020ft S a R Turquoise Lake L q iv 2445m N L ' e (Vandaztun Vena) I ) r LAKE CLARK I H B i r g e A iv R A NATIONAL PARK R ig Z iver B R T DOUBLE k N tna or dro tnu) F A ka ghu Twin Lakes uth ili k'id (Ni/qidlin So N Ch ila N (Ts Vena) GLACIER O Richard Proenneke iver B Snipe Lake R U (K'ada/a Vena) Historic Site River

O River jik ift K i Dr ) M u T n B t U a h il n O Fishtrap Lake ak a D Portage ik il E (Nunch'qe/chixi Tl Q r Lake e R Vena) a iv iq' R (/ nk oto Redoubt Volcano Otter ok T Lachbuna Lake Lake Ch (Bentuggezh r (Nl'a/i Vena) ve I K'enulgheli) Caribou i ) 10197ft R nu Lake s /t 3108m k a ji d k i ' r k K l a M 'a C h e k e C g La ( a k e t t t l G r e Li e o

r P

C I Kijik Mountain K (K'unust'an) Crescent R ) Kijik Lake A A H Lake (K'q'uya Vena) L N C Kijik site C re E s c (Qizhjeh) V C e P Caution. C er n o Private property u iv t ll H rr eek R y Redoubt Point K ok interspersed with an Cr i R C se E E t n i re tn public lands. d v ek a K J e e x r R A H u iv L Z Tomm T e I y r C

Q r R T ( E U I X E Tanalian Mountain C D N I (Tanq'nust'in) A B L A Native Corporations Port Alsworth WILDERNESS AREA Y G Visitor Center I Long Lands National Park Tanalian River N E D Lake Field Headquarters (Tanilen Vetnu) E CHISIK r Tanalian Falls Trail, X ISLAND e Kontrashibuna Lake U

v T Ri Post Office, lodgings, (Qen/ghishi Vena) Ch a t and private airstrips ulitn in o G P (C ) s h'alitnu ye K e Joh Slope ns N on Mountain R 3510ft iv 1070m er Lower Tazimina Lake Upper Tazimina Lake A Iliamna Volcano T Sixmile Lake (Taz'in Vena) (Unqeghnich'en Tazin Vena) (Ch'naqa/'in) (Nundaltin) 10016ft Pickeral 3053m Silver E Nondalton Native Lakes R Salmon (Nuvendaltin) W Lakes

e

s

t Silver L

r G Corporations ive Salmon R l a a Creek n c i i m e i r r Hickerson N z e N k a v C Lake T i r e R e e Lands e r k I C e il k A i Alexy P r a l Lake a

T r Roadhouse I C Y e Mountain A B A r v ) l I T N e N e i u C H I p R n a p t r U w n e T a e V te l r l Creek i Pedro Bay K a A h h L g Pile Bay Village U w U u e S O

N N N ( Iliamna Y I A E N B E Newhalen E P I L Old Iliamna Y O P L A N Village site B I K S N I C A I N K E K I S L A Meadow I N N A A ) Lake I M E N I A A V I L I L ( N

Lake Clark National Park and Preserve

Lake Clark National Park and Preserve Long-Range Interpretive Plan I 3 NPS

Summit of Iliamna Volcano viewed from the Kenai Peninsula

4 I National Park Service Message from the Superintendent of Lake Clark National Park and Preserve

In 1980, Lake Clark National Park and Preserve was one of thirteen National Park System units created or expanded by the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act. Covering over four million acres, the park includes Lake Clark, the sixth largest lake in Alaska, three national wild rivers, and two active volcanoes. Arriving almost exclusively by small aircraft, visitors fi nd themselves in a wilderness where they can explore, see, and experience a largely undisturbed natural landscape. Due to the remote nature of the park, visitor services are also off ered in the gateway community of Homer, Alaska.

The Long-Range Interpretive Plan is a document that sharpens our focus and draws together all of the education and interpretation eff orts related to the national park and preserve. The Foundation for Planning section of this document defi nes the park themes, identifi es the desired visitor experience, lists issues and challenges, and describes the existing condition of the interpretive services within the park. The Recommendations section identifi es the specifi c actions that we and our partners intend to take to meet our vision for the future of interpretation over the next seven to ten years.

Lake Clark National Park and Preserve is supported through partnerships with many local, regional, and national organizations. The park staff engaged partners, local community members, commercial operators, and many others throughout the planning process. This collaborative eff ort produced a more comprehensive and inclusive look at how we will interpret the park to visitors in the future. By providing a broad spectrum of services, including a variety of media using the most current technologies, more visitors will be encouraged to experience the park in person as well as virtually.

On behalf of the park staff and our partners, I hope you will take time to review this important plan and join us as we continue to move forward in our eff orts to preserve and protect the values and resources of Lake Clark National Park and Preserve.

Sincerely,

Superintendent Lake Clark National Park and Preserve

Lake Clark National Park and Preserve Long-Range Interpretive Plan I 5 The Planning Process

This Long-Range Interpretive interpretive services and and stakeholders who could Plan (LRIP) outlines outreach activities that will best not attend the workshop. recommendations for future communicate the park purpose, Seven people attended the Port interpretive services, facilities, signifi cance and themes. Alsworth open house and nine and media. Park staff , historians, Developed in concert with the attended the Homer open house. partners, and stakeholders park Annual Implementation A Foundation workshop was worked together to develop Plan and Interpretive Database, held December 3-4, 2009 with a comprehensive tool that it completes the Comprehensive 23 participants representing will outline educational and Interpretive Plan for the park, as park staff , regional offi ce staff , recreational opportunities for established in Director’s Order partners, educators, commercial visitors to develop intellectual 6. In addition, this planning users, local community members, and emotional connections to process has been customized to and the cooperating association, the natural and cultural resources meet the needs for Lake Clark Alaska Geographic. A scoping found within Lake Clark National Park and Preserve, as trip was conducted around Port National Park and Preserve. The well as the conditions and special Alsworth on April 20, 2010. A goal is to promote Lake Clark circumstances that exist there. Recommendations workshop National Park and Preserve’s The ultimate product is a cost- was held April 21-22, 2010 with resource values through specially eff ective, tightly focused, high 16 participants representing park planned visitor experiences and quality park interpretive program staff , local community members, excellence in interpretation. that achieves management goals, and park partners. On April 23, provides appropriate visitor 2010 an implementation strategy This Long-Range Interpretive opportunities, and facilitates session was held with park staff Plan recommends actions desired visitor experiences. and partners. that should occur over the next seven to ten years. It The Project Agreement was Barring legislative changes identifi es park themes, describes signed in March 2010. Two open or major new revelations, visitor experience goals, and house meetings were held before the foundational elements recommends a wide variety the Foundation workshop to expressed in this LRIP – purpose, of personal and non-personal gather ideas from staff , partners, signifi cance, themes, and visitor experience goals – will remain constant over the life of the plan. Specifi c recommendations about media and programs may need to be updated as staffi ng, funding, NPS policies and programmatic mandates, technology, or resource conditions change. Further design documents must be produced to implement some of the goals and recommendations in this plan. NPS

LRIP open house at the Pratt Museum in Homer.

6 I National Park Service Hill / NPS

Part One: Foundation for Planning

Lake Clark National Park and Preserve Long-Range Interpretive Plan I 7 Part One: Foundation for Planning

Site Background Enabling Legislation

Lake Clark National Park and Each unit of the National Park resource values and related Preserve contains approximately System is established by an act of recreational opportunities 4 million acres of public land Congress and/or proclamation including, but not limited to, including three national wild by the President of the United hiking, canoeing, fi shing, and rivers and two active volcanoes. States. All park planning fl ows sport hunting, within large Lake Clark, the sixth largest lake from the mission articulated in arctic and subarctic wildlands in Alaska, is at the headwaters the park’s enabling legislation. and on free fl owing rivers; of the Kvichak River watershed, The enabling legislation is the and to maintain opportunities which supports the Bristol Bay specifi c piece of legislation that for scientifi c research and sockeye salmon fi shery, one of created the park and declared the undisturbed ecosystems.” the largest in the world. Lake intent for the park. Lake Clark Clark National Park and Preserve National Park and Preserve’s Section 201(7) (a) of ANILCA protects areas of scenic beauty, interpretive services and program establishes Lake Clark National populations of fi sh and wildlife, must support this mission and Park and Preserve to specifi cally, the Lake Clark watershed, and help the public understand the and in conjunction with Section the traditional lifestyles of local signifi cance of the park. 101 and the 1916 Organic Act residents. Visitors to Lake Clark of the National Park Service, to National Park fi nd themselves A Presidential Proclamation “protect the watershed necessary in a wilderness where they can signed by Jimmy Carter on for the perpetuation of the explore, see, and experience December 1, 1978 established red salmon fi shery in Bristol a largely undisturbed natural Lake Clark National Monument. Bay; maintain unimpaired the region. scenic beauty and quality of On December 2, 1980, Lake portions of the Alaska Range There are private lands and Clark National Park and Preserve and Aleutian Range, including Native allotment lands located was one of thirteen National active volcanoes, glaciers, wild within the park and preserve. Park System units created or rivers, lakes, waterfalls, and Access is almost exclusively expanded by the Alaska National alpine meadows in their natural by small aircraft. The park Interest Lands Conservation state; protect habitat for and is not accessible by road. A Act (ANILCA). Section 101 populations of fi sh and wildlife small visitor center is located of ANILCA establishes the including but not limited to in Port Alsworth. Historic broad purposes of the park caribou, Dall sheep, brown and sites are located in the Kijik and preserve, “to preserve grizzly bears, bald eagles, and Archeological District National unrivaled scenic and geological peregrine falcons.” Historic Landmark and at the values associated with natural Richard Proenneke cabin. Most landscapes; to provide for visitor activities require self- the maintenance of, sound suffi ciency or a guide. Fishing, populations of, and habitat for sport hunting, bear viewing, wildlife species of inestimable hiking, and backcountry camping value to the citizens of Alaska are popular activities. Due to and the nation, including those the remote nature of the park, species dependent on vast visitor services are also off ered relatively undeveloped areas; in the gateway community of to preserve in their natural Homer, Alaska in cooperation state extensive unaltered arctic with the Pratt Museum, the tundra, boreal forest, and Alaska Maritime National coastal rainforest ecosystems; Wildlife Refuge and Kachemak to protect the resources related Bay National Estuarine Research to subsistence needs; to protect Reserve, across Cook Inlet from and preserve historic and the park. archeological sites, rivers, and lands, and to preserve wilderness

8 I National Park Service Part One: Foundation for Planning

Mission, Purpose and Signifi cance

National Park Service Park Purpose Specifi cally, section 201 of the Mission Alaska National Interest Lands Park purpose statements describe Conservation Act (ANILCA) A mission statement is a vision why an area was set aside and states that the park shall be for the future and articulates, in what specifi c purposes exist for managed for the following broad terms, the ideas that the a park, and are derived from purposes, among others: to NPS strives to achieve. legislation, legislative history, protect the watershed necessary public participation, and public for perpetuation of the red The National Park Service rule making. salmon fi shery in Bristol Bay; mission is to preserve unimpaired to maintain unimpaired the natural and cultural resources The purpose of Lake Clark scenic beauty and quality of and values of the national park National Park and Preserve is portions of the Alaska Range and system for the enjoyment, to protect a region of dynamic the Aleutian Range, including education, and inspiration of geologic and ecological active volcanoes, glaciers, wild this and future generations. The processes that create scenic rivers, lakes, waterfalls, and National Park Service cooperates mountain landscapes, unaltered alpine meadows in their natural with partners to extend the watersheds supporting Bristol state; to protect habitat for and benefi ts of natural and cultural Bay red salmon, and habitats populations of fi sh and wildlife resource conservation and for wilderness-dependent including but not limited to outdoor recreation throughout populations of fi sh and wildlife, caribou, Dall sheep, brown/ this country and the world. vital to 10,000 years of human grizzly bears, bald eagles, and history. peregrine falcons. Kent Miller / NPS VIP

Glacier-carved Lake Clark is forty miles long and one to four miles wide.

Lake Clark National Park and Preserve Long-Range Interpretive Plan I 9 Part One: Foundation for Planning

Park Signifi cance 2. Lake Clark National Park and 5. Lake Clark National Park Preserve protects a complex and Preserve protects a Statements of signifi cance mosaic of landforms and tapestry of cultural places describe a National Park System ecosystems that continue woven from 10,000 years of unit’s distinctive natural, cultural, to evolve from dynamic human occupancy that is vital and recreational resources tectonic, volcanic, glacial, and to the cultural and spiritual and values that are the specifi c climatic processes. continuance of the Dena’ina rationale for national recognition Athabascan culture. of the site. 3. Lake Clark National Park and Preserve protects critical 6. Lake Clark National Park and According to the 2009 spawning and rearing habitat Preserve protects resources Foundation Statement, Lake at the headwaters of the and provides opportunities Clark National Park and Preserve world’s most productive red for local rural residents to is signifi cant for the following (sockeye) salmon fi shery. engage in the harvesting reasons: activities necessary to 4. Lake Clark National Park support a subsistence way of 1. Lake Clark National Park and Preserve protects vast, life. and Preserve protects undisturbed landscapes extraordinary mountain of coastal areas, mountain 7. Lake Clark National Park and landscapes dominated by two ranges, tundra, foothills, and Preserve manages one of the active volcanoes and cradles lake regions that support a largest wilderness areas in a system of turquoise-hued full complement of fi sh and the United States providing lakes and free-fl owing rivers wildlife species. visitors with superlative that epitomize Alaska’s scenic opportunities for solitude beauty. and self-reliance. Mills / NPS

Fox above Telaquana Lake.

10 I National Park Service Part One: Foundation for Planning

Interpretive Themes

Interpretive themes capture Mountain Landscapes and Subarctic Fish and Wildlife the essence of Lake Clark Wildness Populations and Habitats National Park and Preserve Lake Clark National Park Lake Clark provides signifi cance. They include the and Preserve’s astonishing opportunities for the public most important stories and unimpaired scenic beauty and the scientifi c communities represent core messages that provides excellent opportunities to experience, understand, and every visitor should have the for solitude and to experience appreciate the natural processes opportunity to experience. While both wilderness and wildness. that infl uence wild populations interpretation of any site could and their habitats. touch upon many stories, focused Mosaic of Landforms and themes increase eff ectiveness. Ecosystems Cultural Tapestry When well conceived, themes The landscapes and geological The landscape and resources of explore the meanings behind the formations of Lake Clark Lake Clark National Park and facts. They open minds to new National Park and Preserve Preserve support the cultural ideas and perhaps to multiple continue to evolve and provide and spiritual ties between people points of view. When linked to opportunities to witness and and place for the indigenous commonly held emotions or study the forces of changing Dena’ina, local residents, and universal human experiences, climate, water, glaciers, plate park visitors. themes encourage visitors to tectonics, and volcanism. see themselves in Lake Clark Subsistence National Park and Preserve’s Salmon Fishery The continuing story of people stories and discover personal Lake Clark National Park and interacting with the environment relevance. Preserve protects critical habitat of Lake Clark National at the headwaters of the world’s Park and Preserve off ers A team of park and region staff , most productive red salmon opportunities to study and stakeholders, and partners fi shery, which anchors the refl ect on how our individual worked together to confi rm these economy, ecology, culture, and and collective choices shape the themes and associated stories history of Southwest Alaska. landscape and populations of fi sh during the Foundation workshop and wildlife. held in December 2009. They are based on the seven themes identifi ed in the October 2009 Foundation Statement. Appendix C lists the stories associated with each theme identifi ed by workshop participants. Young / NPS Young

Tanalian Falls

Lake Clark National Park and Preserve Long-Range Interpretive Plan I 11 Part One: Foundation for Planning

Desired Visitor Experiences

Desired visitor experiences  Fish for all of the fi sh species Personal Experiences describe what physical, that inhabit the park. intellectual, and emotional  Sit by a river.  Find solitude. experiences should be available  Hear a thundering waterfall.  Hike across open spaces, for visitors to Lake Clark  Experience brown bears scramble up peaks, and camp National Park and Preserve. in their natural habitat to along lakes and rivers. These experiences will be get exceptional close up  Fly over the northern areas available to the degree possible photographs. of the park and observe to visitors of all abilities,  Traverse on foot the length of the changes in geology and including those with visual, Lake Clark National Park and vegetation. auditory, mobility, or cognitive Preserve from the Chilligan  Feel as though they are only impairments. River to Tazimina Lakes. one of a few that have ever  Raft a river to see the experienced this special Visitors to Lake Clark National changing scenery and stop to place. Park and Preserve will be able to: explore on foot.  Share in the responsibility for  Go on the fi shing trip of a protecting the world’s largest Recreational Experiences lifetime in search of trophy remaining red salmon fi shery. rainbow trout.  Experience the “remote”  Hike, explore, and camp in  Circumnavigate Lake Clark natural landscape a trail-less wilderness that in a kayak or boat in the fall encompassing the cultural has no wayfi nding signs, when the leaves are yellow. heritage and history of the development, or other signs  Discover the subsistence region. of human impact where one lifestyle.  See the watershed of Bristol can encounter wildlife and  Walk in the footsteps of Bay protected in perpetuity, unspoiled nature. the indigenous people and including clean water and  Experience solitude in a their descendants who live clean shorelines. pristine unchanged natural throughout the park, and  See salmon spawning landscape of extraordinary explore traditional trade and  Visit Dick Proenneke’s cabin scenic quality and character. travel routes. and other cultural sites.

Traditional/Cultural/Rural Experiences

 Hunt spruce hen.  Catch salmon.  Cut fi rewood.  Hunt for moose to eat.  Trap beaver, tan the hide, and make mittens and a hat.  Set up camp  Make a camp fi re  Pick berries  Collect drinking water  Gather traditional foods Jalone / NPS

The fi fty-one mile-long Tlikakila River is popular with rafters.

12 I National Park Service Part One: Foundation for Planning

Information and Orientation Interpretive Activities and in natural and cultural history Experiences research projects.  Receive information about  Allow urban youth to visit the recreational opportunities  Experience a state of the park. and how to visit the park art visitor contact facility to  Experience and understand including where pilots can learn about the park through the power and geology of the land. interactive media-rich active volcanic peaks.  View an interactive website exhibits.  Discover and appreciate the that is full of beautiful images  See the country with a impacts of changing climate and up-to-date information knowledgeable local person. on the park resources and its about the park.  Understand the lifestyle and stories.  Have access to maps and challenges of the people  Explore Lake Clark and other guide books that provide whose homelands pre-date water bodies in the park insight into the biology, the park. by kayak or canoe with an geology, and cultural history  Acquire materials that can understanding of the historic of the area. be taken home to help them and cultural signifi cance of  Use a backcountry trip remember the trip and share the region. planner to get information their experiences with others.  Explore the back country and trip options.  Become familiar with the in the footsteps of the  Read more information about native people who live in the region’s indigenous peoples, salmon on website. park and understand how explorers and adventurers.  Receive information about they interact with the park’s  Get close to Alaska’s transportation to and from resources in their daily life. incredible mountains, the park.  Attend culture camp. glaciers, and other scenic  Receive information about  Engage in group educational wonders. what to pack for a trip to the experiences such as boating  Participate in a hands-on park. or hiking trips and hands-on activity to learn about the opportunities to participate park.  Hear an outdoor fi reside talk by a park historian about the history of the region and the park.

Support Facilities

 Stay in a designated camping area or in a family-oriented accommodation.  Feel comfort, reassurance, and security knowing that they may be rescued if they get into trouble.  Fly over the park and see it from the air. Hill / NPS

Kijik Lake

Lake Clark National Park and Preserve Long-Range Interpretive Plan I 13 Part One: Foundation for Planning

Park Visitors

This is a broad description of Most visitors are contacted During the December 2009 park visitors and their needs – outside the physical park Foundation workshop the including current and potential boundaries through the website following groups were identifi ed visitors. “Visitor” describes or on the Kenai Peninsula. as currently visiting Lake Clark anyone who uses a park’s Visitors traveling along the National Park and Preserve interpretation and education Sterling Highway have an based on particular interests and services whether in person unobstructed view across Cook needs. or “virtually” through digital Inlet (weather permitting) of technologies. the coastal side of the park.  Resident Interpretive rangers, based  Consumptive Approximately 6,500 visitors at the park’s Homer Field  Non-consumptive actually come to Lake Clark Offi ce, contact visitors through  Education National Park and Preserve interpretive services off ered at  Recreation annually. This fi gure is based on the Alaska Islands and Ocean  Tourist a four-year average of monthly Visitor Center, the Pratt Museum  Research public use data taken during and various locations throughout  Employees calendar years 2005-2009. There the Homer community. Since  Spiritual was a 43% increase in visitation the Homer Field Offi ce was  Cultural/historical from 2008 (6,802) to 2009 established in 2005, the park’s  Media (9,711). annual Servicewide Interpretive  Guided/transport Reports indicated a signifi cant  Not-guided The annual Commercial Use increase in visitor contacts  Virtual Authorization (CUA) visitation through personal services. From  Visual/viewshed – visitors report refl ects signifi cantly lower 2006 to 2009, an average of seeing the park from Cook numbers. From 2005 to 2009, the 17,400 visitors was contacted Inlet side average number of visits reported annually.  Opportunistic by CUAs is approximately 4,400.  Absentee landowners This report also indicates a 16%  Aviation decrease in visitation from 2008  Government offi cials (local, (5,637) to 2009 (4,713). tribal, state, and federal)

July and August are the peak visitation months. June and September 2009 also indicated peak levels of visitation. Less than 200 visits are recorded each month during the rest of the year. Wasserman / NPS Wasserman

When traveling the Sterling Highway on clear days, visitors have an unobstructed view of Lake Clark National Park.

14 I National Park Service Part One: Foundation for Planning

During the lifetime of this Because most park facilities Long-Range Interpretive Plan, and landscapes do not meet potential future visitors to Lake accessibility standards, the Clark National Park and Preserve park is accessible primarily to may include: visitors with a narrow range of physical ability.  Students and teachers from  People who don’t yet know the Kenai Peninsula School about the park – Lake Clark District is still a fairly unknown  Staff exchanges between the park, even to other NPS staff park and partners servicewide, so this is a large  Contractors hired by the park untapped pool of potential to assist with park projects visitors. and contractors coming into  Industry - Regional economic the area related to regional and industrial development economic development. may bring more people into  Neighbors/adjacent the area that may eventually communities including become park visitors. visitors from the resident  Youth organizations zone communities (Pedro  Community Organizations Bay, Newhalen, Iliamna, and clubs (Alaska Nondalton, Port Alsworth, Mountaineering Club, Lime Village) Nordic Ski Club, Service  People who cannot physically Organizations) and/or fi nancially get there  University organizations - Travel to the park is costly. (University of Alaska The majority of people Anchorage, University of who hear about the park Alaska Fairbanks, and Alaska and want to visit may not Pacifi c University) be able to aff ord to visit.  Sport hunters NPS

Youth from the local resident zone communities will be future visitors to and protectors of Lake Clark’s resources.

Lake Clark National Park and Preserve Long-Range Interpretive Plan I 15 Part One: Foundation for Planning

Issues and Challenges Affecting Interpretation

Lake Clark National Park and  Facilities are spread out In order to begin building Preserve has many assets upon and resources may be an interpretive program, which to build an eff ective spread too thin - The park the Subsistence Program interpretive program, including has an administrative Manager took on the evocative and compelling stories, offi ce in Anchorage, a fi eld additional duties of Chief outstanding natural and cultural offi ce in Homer, and a of Interpretation. The park resources, ongoing research, and fi eld headquarters in Port is working to build capacity dedicated staff and supporters. It Alsworth. This confi guration and adequate staffi ng through also faces a number of challenges. of staff and resources makes requests for base funding Well-designed programs can communication challenging. increases, leveraging new build on interpretive strengths to When Lake Clark programs and existing partnerships help overcome these challenges. and administration were with other agencies and split from Katmai National organizations, and partnering  Cost of getting to the park - Park and Preserve there was with Katmai to share funding Travel to the park is costly. no funding or additional of the Education Specialist The majority of people who FTEs to develop a stand- position. hear about the park and want alone interpretive program. to visit may not be able to  Resource changes - The aff ord to visit. Mulchatna caribou herd is currently declining in number. Caribou is one of the wildlife species specifi cally mentioned in the park’s enabling legislation and in some of the park’s interpretation, perhaps raising visitor expectations for wildlife viewing that cannot be met.

 Lack of personnel in the fi eld - For at least fi ve years the park has relied upon volunteers to staff key visitor contact places including backcountry cabins and Chinitna Bay. Unfortunately, the volunteer staffi ng is intermittent and inconsistent although the situation is improving. Training of, expectations for, and communication of duties and regulations to volunteers is also inconsistent, sometimes leading to miscommunications with visitors and CUAs. Spencer / NPS

After erupting in 2009, Redoubt Volcano became world renowned; however, its location within Lake Clark National Park is often not mentioned in scientifi c reports or tourism publications.

16 I National Park Service Part One: Foundation for Planning

 Need to have consistency of  Risks and diffi culties involved  Access to Port Alsworth messages and interpretive in getting to and within restricted to private airstrips standards from NPS to park - Due to the reliance on - The park does not own the cooperators/guides/partners small aircraft to access the runways. - Other than some eff orts at park, weather is most often Silver Salmon Creek, park the determining factor as to  Embracing changing staff has not attempted, nor whether or not someone gets technology – Park staff lack have interpretive staff been in or out of the park. This the expertise and capacity asked to assist cooperators, has serious implications for to develop and make use of guides, and partners with emergency situations where available technologies now interpretive messages. help may not be able to come commonly used by other as quickly as needed. park sites (video/audiocasts,  Interpretive training for Twitter, Facebook). all commercial operators  Perception of risk - It is a – Interpretive staff has not challenge to communicate  Embracing new audiences – provided cooperators, guides, the numerous inherent risks Develop formalized listening and partners with interpretive involved in travelling through processes to encourage training, although the park an undeveloped wilderness broader public participation does have the capacity to without discouraging people. in park planning, initiatives, do so with a trained IDP events, and programs. Regional Coach on staff .  Lack of awareness by visitors as to the type of park and  Impact of visits on local  ANILCA remains the level of self-suffi ciency residents’ lives and lifestyles. controversial with some required. people in Alaska.  Limited number of park staff ,  Lack of park identity - specifi cally interpretive staff ,  National parks in Alaska have Specifi c locations and and a limited amount of time distinct diff erences from the geographic features are to complete assignments as national parks in lower 48. known to the public, but well as inadequate working Many policies and practices not associated with Lake space. that make sense for parks in Clark National Park and the lower 48 do not make Preserve. For example,  User confl ict – Competition sense in Alaska. For example, when Redoubt Volcano for resources. due to open access and the was erupting in 2009, the remote nature of certain Alaska Volcano Observatory  Impacts of alternative energy areas of the park, there is not provided regular updates needs on park. an eff ective way to participate on the eruption but failed to in the annual servicewide mention that the volcano was  Limited availability of quality Visitor Use Survey. in Lake Clark National Park baseline data – Expensive to when describing its location. get and may require partners  Mining interests around the Tourism publications, such to compile and analyze. park – In the future, there as The Milepost, mention may be eff orts to develop Redoubt and Iliamna  Need to consider the large-scale mining projects Volcanoes, but not the park, cost of support from the in the vicinity of the park. even though the park’s maintenance program Increased publicity may raise coastal area is visible from the when writing PMIS projects awareness of the existence of Sterling Highway. for interpretation. For the park and its resources. example, maintenance  State support for small staff constructed boat and businesses – Rural Alaska fi sh racks at no cost to tourism opportunities. interpretation.

Lake Clark National Park and Preserve Long-Range Interpretive Plan I 17 Part One: Foundation for Planning

 As expectations for understand the complexity interpreting climate change of documenting evidence increase, it will be useful of changes in the resource for interpreters to cite and the challenges involved park-specifi c examples as in identifying the drivers the information becomes and consequences of those available. Getting park changes. science to an interpretive level will require ongoing communication with the Southwest Alaska Inventory and Monitoring Network (SWAN) so that interpretive programs can accurately refl ect the most up-to- date understanding of how park resources are changing. Maintaining this valuable relationship is the key to helping the public Lindsay/ NPS/ SWAN Lindsay/ NPS/ SWAN

Providing timely and accurate responses to visitor questions about park resources, such as glacier retreat, will require a coordinated effort between park interpreters and the Southwest Alaska Network.

18 I National Park Service Olson / NPS Part Two: Existing Conditions The following is a brief and generalized description of visitor experiences and interpretive services that existed in FY2009. The purpose of this section is to provide a baseline assessment that can help to justify some of the plan’s proposed actions.

Lake Clark National Park and Preserve Long-Range Interpretive Plan I 19 Part Two: Existing Conditions

Information and Orientation

Marketing Website “armchair” visitors, long distance researchers, and as a pre-visit The park informs the public of The park website (www.nps. information opportunity. Two upcoming events and special gov/lacl) is a very popular way to staff members are the assigned programs through public service gain information about the park. web managers and have good announcements posted on the Virtual visitors access the website intentions of upgrading the park website as well as sent to learn about the park’s cultural media, but have not been able to to area newspapers and radio and natural history. The most devote an appropriate amount of stations. visited web pages, according to time to the website beyond triage a 2008 NPS web report, are the and mandatory updates like The park receives information photo gallery and Proenneke publicizing the new gun law. The requests on a daily basis via cabin information. The photo slow internet connection at Port letters, phone calls and e-mail gallery includes scenery, wildlife, Alsworth makes it challenging messages. Most requests are and historic images. There is for interpretive staff to effi ciently for basic information about the information about how to visit maintain and update the website. park and/or directions to the the backcountry, bear safety, park. Brochure requests are and lists of guide services. The decreasing, as the park website park recognizes the importance becomes more popular. of the website as a tool to reach Kent Miller / NPS VIP

Kayaking on Upper Twin Lake

20 I National Park Service Part Two: Existing Conditions

Facilities and Popular Destinations

Port Alsworth Visitor Center The 20’ x 20’ foot space limits Tanalian Falls Trail the interpretive services that The park visitor center in Port are off ered. There is a large- A two and one-half mile one-way Alsworth off ers interpretive screen monitor used for showing trail to Tanalian Falls departs displays, an Alaska Geographic videos and a meeting space that from Port Alsworth. This is the retail outlet, and the most up- is available for community use. only maintained trail system in to-date information on park There is a touch table featuring the park. A trail guide and map activities and conditions. The skins and skulls and a touchable is available at the Port Alsworth visitor center is open from 8:00 display revealing traditional uses Visitor Center and on the park a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily, June of natural resources. Exhibits on website. through August and Monday- the walls as well as animal and Friday, September through May, fi sh mounts provide a glimpse Telaquana Trail and is closed on federal holidays into the variety of the park’s except for Memorial Day, July 4, natural resources. The Telaquana Trail is an and Labor Day. unmarked historic Dena’ina Visitation is recorded through Athabascan route from Telaquana There is also a large-scale map the use of the visitor center guest Lake to Kijik Village on Lake of Lake Clark on a tabletop. book. According to the FY2009 Clark and has been designated as Interpretive staff at the center Servicewide Interpretive Report, the Telaquana Corridor Historic includes one permanent part- 575 visitors signed in that year. District Cultural Landscape. time interpretive park ranger and Backpacking is the primary one student intern. Visitors are method for visitors to travel greeted with a brief orientation along the Telaquana Trail and talk and off ered refreshments. the west side of the mountains. Anecdotally, more than half of Visitors often are dropped off at the visitors watch at least one of Turquoise Lake by air taxi, then the videos. hike to Twin Lakes or points further south. The trail is part of a larger network crossing Dena’ina territory on the upper Alaska Peninsula that connected all major villages in the area to each other and to seasonal camps.

A trail guide suggested by the park website is available through Alaska Geographic. Kent Miller / NPS VIP Port Alsworth Visitor Center is frequently a community gathering place.

Lake Clark National Park and Preserve Long-Range Interpretive Plan I 21 Part Two: Existing Conditions

Kijik Archeological District Richard Proenneke Historic There are a few hardened National Historic Landmark Site campsites available across Hope and Cultural Landscape Creek from the Proenneke The cabin Dick Proenneke built site with a block and tackle Visitors must use a boat or a and lived in for nearly 30 years to suspend food containers, fl oat plane to get to Kijik, which is located on Twin Lakes and is an “outcan” and a fi re ring. includes an old village site and open to the public year round. Campsites are available on a fi rst Russian Orthodox cemetery. It Long-time volunteers staff the come fi rst served basis. is a National Historic Landmark cabin in the summer and provide and an Archeological District, as informal interpretive talks about There are three other cabins in well as a documented cultural Proenneke and his experiences the area – Spike’s cabin, where landscape. Kijik contains more in the Lake Clark wilderness. the volunteers stay, Hope’s than a dozen archeological sites. There are many original artifacts cabin, where park staff stays, and The sites are affi liated with the from Proenneke’s time there another cabin used as a shop by inland Dena’ina Athabascan that people can examine and a volunteer who maintains the people who continue to live in touch. There are also a number cabins and replicates Proenneke the Lake Clark area. There are of replicas of things he made and artifacts. Some of the volunteers no interpretive services currently used at the cabin. Overnight stays are comfortable having visitors off ered at Kijik due to signifi cant in the cabin are not allowed. come and view the other cabins private land in the area and and some are not. There is no sensitivity of the site. current policy on access to the other cabins, but there is a “tradition” by some guides of bringing visitors to the other cabins. Kent Miller / NPS VIP

Richard Proenneke Historic Site tells one man’s story of life in the Lake Clark wilderness.

22 I National Park Service Part Two: Existing Conditions

Silver Salmon Creek and At Silver Salmon Creek, a Park Sterling Highway Chinitna Bay Ranger contacts every group – guided and unguided – from the Visitors driving along the Sterling Silver Salmon Creek and second week of June through Highway from Soldotna to Chinitna Bay are remote areas mid-September. Volunteers Homer have an opportunity to located on the Cook Inlet intermittently staff the day use view the eastern side of Lake coast of Lake Clark National area at Chinitna Bay and contact Clark National Park including Park that are accessible only by visitors who are mostly bear Iliamna and Redoubt Volcanoes. boat or planes landing on the viewing. The volunteers receive There are four wayside exhibit beach. Visitors fl y from Homer, little or no interpretive training. panels located along the Soldotna, and Anchorage for Safety information and informal Sterling Highway produced fi shing and bear viewing. Lake interpretation highlighting the by the Alaska Department of Clark National Park maintains park and its resources are the Natural Resources Division of remote, backcountry visitor primary interpretive services Parks and Outdoor Recreation contact stations at each site. off ered. Private lodging is Interpretation and Education available for visitors at both sites. Program. One wayside exhibit panel is located in the Anchor River State Recreation Area and the other three are at highway pullouts. Jalone / NPS

Bear viewing at Silver Salmon Creek.

Lake Clark National Park and Preserve Long-Range Interpretive Plan I 23 Part Two: Existing Conditions

Baycrest Pullout – Sterling Dick Proenneke’s cabin. activities including sport fi shing, Highway above Homer Visitors are asked to follow sport hunting, kayaking, boating, Leave No Trace guidelines. No hiking, backpacking, birding, During the summer season, backcountry permits are needed and bear viewing. This list of weather permitting, uniformed although visitors venturing activities is not all inclusive, Lake Clark interpreters based in into the backcountry are but represents the range of Homer, staff the Baycrest Pullout asked to complete a voluntary recreational activities visitors and on the bluff above Homer off backcountry registration form. local residents can enjoy in the the Sterling Highway. Visitors The park website advises visitors park and preserve. have an opportunity to view the to leave their itinerary at the Port southeastern coast of the park Alsworth Visitor Center. Park staff attempt to reach and Iliamna Volcano. Hundreds recreational users through of visitors can be contacted on Recreational Uses resource education. The sunny days within a couple of backcountry safety brochure, safe hours. Lake Clark National Park boating program, and safe bear and Preserve was created, in viewing guide help focus visitor Bishop’s Beach part, to provide recreational attention on safely accessing opportunities. Visitors come to and enjoying the park and its Bishop’s Beach is located in enjoy a variety of recreational resources. Homer, off of Main Street, just below the Alaska Islands and Ocean Visitor Center. Park interpretation staff off er weekly beach walks and monthly tide pool hikes June through August in collaboration with the Kachemak Bay Research Reserve and the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge.

Wilderness

One of the primary reasons visitors come to Lake Clark National Park is to experience wilderness. There is only one designated and maintained trail system in the park. It is within walking distance of the Port Alsworth fi eld headquarters. Most hiking is done using a compass, map, GPS, dead- reckoning, and/or line of sight. Camping is primitive, because there are no facilities or designated campgrounds. There is one hardened camping area across Hope Creek from Jalone / NPS

Hiking in the wilderness near Upper Twin Lake.

24 I National Park Service Part Two: Existing Conditions

Interpretive Media

Audiovisual Presentations Publications communications between the park, guide services, and The Port Alsworth Visitor Center Offi cial Map and Guide (2006) commercial operators off ers a variety of videos that the – Text and photos refl ect the  Subsistence Users Guide public may view upon request. scenic beauty of the park. (April 2009) – updates, None of the videos are captioned Text emphasizes need for self- regulations, and news to for the hearing impaired, and suffi ciency when attempting a improve communication there are no assistive listening park visit. between the park and devices available. The park does subsistence users. not have an overview fi lm. Tanalian Falls Trail Map was revised in 2010. Trail Guide In 2007, the park produced  Tanalian Falls Trail Guide Dena’ina Qesh’qa, a 15-minute Points of Interest in Port (revised 2010) – used in DVD, in partnership with the Alsworth (no date) – Aerial conjunction with the Tanalian Pratt Museum, to share the story photograph is used to indicate Falls trail map. The guide of Gabriel Trefon, a traditional diff erent locations around the references some items of tribal chief, or qesh’qa, of the community. interest along the 2.4-mile inland Dena’ina Athabascan long trail and provides people. Trefon’s tenure as qesh’qa Site Bulletins bear safety information, spanned a time of transition  Visiting the Backcountry and descriptions of some for the inland Dena’ina as they (2008) – Regulations, bear common fl ora, fauna, and integrated their traditional safety information, food geologic features. The trail lifestyle into the modern world. storage requirements, and map also indicates how to get The project made use of both sport fi shing tips to Tanalian Mountain and the front-end and post-production Beaver Pond Loop Trail. evaluation. Focus groups Other  Telaquana Trail Guide (1994) consisting of Dena’ina elders  Subsistence Fishing in Lake – Alaska Geographic sales and resident zone community Clark National Park and item that references points of members were used to address Preserve (2001) – regulations interest hikers may encounter cultural sensitivity and ensure and general provisions when walking the Telaquana accuracy.  Promises to Keep: Trail. The guide is primarily Subsistence in Alaska’s informative rather than Other videos shown include National Parks (no date) interpretive. “One Man’s Alaska,” “Alone  Bear Safety in Alaska’s in the Wilderness,” “Iliamna National Parklands (no Booklets and Redoubt Volcanoes,” and date) – General bear safety  “Alaska’s National Parks” is “There’s No Place Like Twin information and food storage published by the American Lakes.” requirements Park Network annually  National Parklands in Alaska and features two pages of There is a PowerPoint program (2004) – main photograph is Lake Clark trip planning “Threads of Dena’ina Heritage” of Chulitna Bay information. that may be presented to visitors.  Dick Proenneke: Alaskan  “Clean Boating for Alaskans” Pioneer and Craftsman (no (2009) is an illustrated date) – information about information booklet for Dick Proenneke and the Dick Alaskan vessel owners and Proenneke Historic Cabin marine operators designed Site – being revised to promote ocean literacy  Silver Salmon Creek and stewardship and Newsletter (Winter 2009) – encourage individual action updates and news to improve to reduce impacts to ocean

Lake Clark National Park and Preserve Long-Range Interpretive Plan I 25 Part Two: Existing Conditions

resources. The booklet is Signs Parks and Outdoor Recreation targeted to operators of Interpretation and Education small commercial vessels— In 2004, the park installed Program. One wayside exhibit including fi shing boats, an entrance sign east of the panel is located in the Anchor tenders, charter boats, tour maintenance building, a sign River State Recreation Area and boats, and water taxis— directing visitors from the the other three are at highway to off er feasible ways for runway to the Port Alsworth pullouts. Alaska’s marine operators Visitor Center, and a kiosk at to reduce their impacts on the Tanalian Falls trailhead. The In summer 2010, the park will the marine environment trailhead kiosk is maintained by install one newly designed and coastal ecosystems, and the Port Alsworth-based ranger wayside exhibit panel, one mitigate climate change. The and /or interpretive staff . The bulletin board, and two project is part of the park’s project also purchased carsonite orientation panels at Silver outreach eff orts as an ocean trail markers for the Tanalian Salmon Creek and another newly park and was produced in Falls, Tanalian Mountain, and designed wayside exhibit panel at partnership with the Alaska Beaver Loop Trails. Chinitna Bay. The Silver Salmon Marine Conservation Creek panel emphasizes safety Council and the Alaska The trailhead kiosk map and while watching the bears and SeaGrant Marine Advisory sign will be replaced in summer fi shing in the creek. The Chinitna Program. 2010. Appropriate trail safety Bay panel emphasizes bear  Dena’ina Chalyahi Qenama information has also been added. nutrition in the marsh along with language booklet (January bear viewing safety. Interpretive 2010) is a talking picture Wayside Exhibits media and messages are being book designed for children. used to highlight three diff erent They can look at the pictures There are four wayside exhibit resource management concerns: and hear the word spoken panels located along the bear-human interaction, artifact on a companion CD. There Sterling Highway produced collecting, and lack of awareness are about 70 fl uent Dena’ina by the Alaska Department of that visitors are within a national speakers. The Lake Clark Natural Resources Division of park. Cultural Resources program added a section about Nondalton School children’s culture camp experiences.

Poster  “They Got a Salmon in…” (2010) – poster series shows how salmon is harvested in four diff erent communities: Newhalen, Nondalton, Iliamna, and Port Alsworth. The posters show how the message travels up stream just like the salmon. Community values, resource protection messages are revealed through the use of maps, quotes, and photographs. Jalone / NPS

A new wayside exhibit panel emphasizes safety while bear viewing at Silver Salmon Creek.

26 I National Park Service Part Two: Existing Conditions

Exhibits interpretive elements of the graphics describing the history Bristol Bay boat appear to be and signifi cance of double-ender The table map is a great tool for working very well. Red and blue sailing boats in the Bristol Bay understanding the size of the colors are used throughout the salmon fi shery. park and to see where landmarks exhibit to indicate freshwater are in relation to each other. and saltwater fi shing. The boat A Dena’ina fi sh camp exhibit exhibit could be improved by featuring a storage cache, bone The Bristol Bay double-ender adding a large legend defi ning rack, and drying rack are located exhibit was developed and each object in the boat and across the road from the visitor installed in 2006 at the Port associated gear to better inform center. A smokehouse and wall Alsworth Visitor Center. Bristol visitors about the items they are tent may be added in the future. Bay “double-ender” boats were seeing. A binder with individual A wayside exhibit shows the wooden sailboats used by Bristol photos of each object with more installation of the storage cache Bay commercial fi shermen, information may also be helpful. and describes the methods including local commercial used to construct it. Park staff fi shermen from Nondalton, In summer 2010, the Pratt provide short talks to explain Iliamna, Newhalen, and Pedro Museum hosted the exhibit the subsistence lifestyle that is an Bay, from the late nineteenth “Sailing for Salmon: 125 Years essential part of the local culture. century to 1952. A permanent 28 of Commercial Fishing on x 40 foot structure built adjacent Bristol Bay.” Lake Clark staff Beginning in FY2010, the to the visitor center houses the partnered with the Nushagak- Denison vertical steam engine boat as a historic interpretive Mulchatna/Wood-Tikchik and boiler will be on exhibit. exhibit. During special occasions Land Trust to develop the The machinery represents the the boat is brought outside. A historic photographic exhibit. adaptive re-use of equipment historic photographic mural is Guest speakers included the from a Bristol Bay commercial located near the exhibited boat Lake Clark National Park and salmon cannery. Originally used and shows historic double- Preserve historian. The exhibit to power parts of the Lockanok enders in operation on Bristol highlighted a boat restoration Cannery, the engine and boiler Bay and Lake Clark. The project and featured artifacts and were transported by boat and dog team to Lake Clark to power a sawmill. Myers / NPS

During special occasions, the Bristol Bay double-ender is brought outside the boathouse.

Lake Clark National Park and Preserve Long-Range Interpretive Plan I 27 Part Two: Existing Conditions

Three educational exhibits for space. They were contracted out March 2009 at the Pratt Museum. placement in the Homer, Iliamna, to Harpers Ferry Center and Some items from the exhibit and Nondalton airports and were nearly three years overdue pertinent to the Lake Clark communities were designed because of subcontractor issues. region were installed at the Port and fabricated in 2008. The The exhibit panels are very heavy Alsworth Visitor Center in 2010 original intent of these exhibits and are not portable. There are and are currently on display. was to highlight why Lake no changeable elements. Three This multimedia exhibit includes Clark is nationally signifi cant, exhibit sets were fabricated. historic and contemporary recreational opportunities in the One is on display at the Homer photographs, video, songs, park, safety issues, and resource airport, and the other two are in artifacts, and well-worn objects preservation. The exhibits were their original crates. typically found at fi sh camp. to be portable and changeable, Visitors are given the opportunity so that local residents would Chaqenq’a Dena’ina, a fi sh camp to become immersed in a sensory continue to look at them and exhibit produced by the park and experience of fi sh camp. learn from them. While the Pratt Museum in collaboration concept was conceived with with the Ninilchik Village Tribe, good intentions, the proponent Kenaitze Indian Tribe, and the never contacted any of the Village of Nondalton, was on airports listed to secure display display during February and Spencer / NPS

The Park Historian explains the history of the Dena’ina cache donated to the park for this exhibit in Port Alsworth.

28 I National Park Service Part Two: Existing Conditions

Junior Ranger Where There Are Bears! (2008) is targeted to children ages 8 to According the FY2009 12 years. It was created for the Servicewide Interpretive Report, park as a companion piece to the 70 participants completed Pratt Museum bear cam. At the Junior Ranger activity booklets. time the booklet was produced, According to the 2008 Annual the bear cam was located at Report, 78 people participated in the McNeil River State Game the 2008 National Junior Ranger Sanctuary, so the text was kept Day event held in Homer. intentionally generic. It has also been taken out to the Tanalian Junior Ranger Journey booklets School in Port Alsworth and were printed in 2008. Upon the Nondalton School where completion of the booklet, the booklet was used in the it can be mailed in to receive classrooms. a certifi cate and badge. The age range for this booklet is 4th grade and up. It is available for distribution at the park sponsored bi-weekly illustrated programs held at the Alaska Islands and Oceans Visitor Center, by request, and at appropriate special events. It has also been taken out to the Tanalian School in Port Alsworth and the Nondalton School where the booklet was used in the classrooms. Wasserman / NPS Wasserman

Lake Clark Chief Ranger swears in new Junior Rangers at a Homer event.

Lake Clark National Park and Preserve Long-Range Interpretive Plan I 29 Part Two: Existing Conditions

Interpretive Media Assets

Media assets include other Park Library “Do Things Right the First Time”: park resources available to Administrative History The interpretation that support “Where We Found a Whale”: A National Park Service and the the design of personal services History of Lake Clark National Alaska National Interest Lands programs or interpretive media. Park and Preserve (October 2008) Conservation Act of 1980

Artifact Collection West Cook Inlet: Ethnographic Alaska Subsistence: A National Overview and Assessment for Park Service Management History The Lake Clark National Park Lake Clark National Park and and Preserve museum collection Preserve (December 2006) Books currently in development consists of more than 200,000 include a John Clark biography, a objects including an herbarium The Canneries, Cabins, and history of Kijik, and the geology collection to the many journals, Caches of Bristol Bay Alaska of Lake Clark National Park and letters, and objects from Dick (second printing June 2009) Preserve. Proenneke. Collections staff also care for archeological artifacts Snug Harbor Cannery: A Beacon from extensive surveys, over on the Forgotten Shore 1919- 2,000 historic photographs, a 1980(June 2005) rich collection of oral history interviews, fossils, the park’s Nanutset ch’u Q’udi Gu archives, preserved small (Before our Time and Now): mammals, and other items An Ethnohistory of Lake Clark refl ecting the cultural and natural National Park and Preserve history of this unique place. (December 2007)

The park’s Scope of Collections was revised in 2009-10. NPS

Port Alsworth-based interpretive staff provide programs on many different topics.

30 I National Park Service Part Two: Existing Conditions

Personal Services teach two workshops (one In FY2006, park staff pre-kindergarten and another representing interpretation, Lake Clark National Park and kindergarten through 12th subsistence, cultural, and natural Preserve currently has two grade) in Kodiak for another resource programs provided separate and distinct education 45 participants. The program support and presented programs and interpretation programs. is funded through the State of for the Osher Lifelong Learning One is based in Port Alsworth Alaska, and the park participates Institute group who visited Port and the other in Homer. There is as a partner. Both curricula Alsworth to learn about the park, little or no overlap between the have been around for about 20 its natural and cultural histories programs including content and years and are used extensively and Dena’ina culture. This was staffi ng. for environmental education a pilot program that was not programs nationwide. Project continued in subsequent years Education Learning Tree emphasizes topics because of funding and the related to trees, forests and forest availability of similar programs Port Alsworth ecology, and Project WILD off ered by other local non-profi t emphasizes birds, fi sh, wildlife, organizations in Homer. Park staff members go to the Port and their habitats. Alsworth and Nondalton K-12 In FY2009 the park piloted an schools to present programs on In 2008, park staff partnered archaeological fi eld camp for topics such as Project Learning with Becharof National Wildlife eight Anchorage-based Youth Tree, Project WILD, cultural Refuge to off er a Science Camp. Conservation Corps (YCC) history, boating safety, water The Port Alsworth park guide students. The camp provided safety, survival skills, junior used materials from Project participants’ opportunities to ranger booklets, bear safety, WILD and Project Learning visit and explore a remote Alaska storytelling, and animal tracks. Tree to develop programs for park, learn about its signifi cance Dena’ina Language classes are approximately eight high-school and cultural history, and actively being taught twice a year. The aged students. The camp was participate in an important classes infrequently come to the held on Becharof Lake in the archaeological project. The visitor center. Approximately 40 Becherof Refuge. students helped to excavate an students are contacted at each ancient campsite in Hardenberg school. In FY2006 the park partnered Bay and assisted with an ongoing with the Alaska Offi ce of Boating site survey of Old Kijik Village. Park staff used the Offi ce of Safety to off er a boating safety Each YCC student spent a week Boating Safety curriculum to course at Paul Banks Elementary in Port Alsworth to learn about present a “Kids Don’t Float” School during Water Safety the sites, the people who used boating safety activity day in Port Week in April. Ninety students them, and basic archaeological Alsworth and Nondalton. in kindergarten through second theory and fi eld methods. The grade attended. Alaska Regional Offi ce did not The park collaborated with the hire YCC students in FY2010, Alaska Department of Fish and In FY2006, the park partnered so the funding allocated for the Game and the Alaska Division of with the University of Alaska program was returned. Forestry to help train teachers, at Fairbanks Cooperative youth group leaders, home Extension Service, Alaska 4-H school parents, and others Program and NOAA to off er a throughout southwest Alaska to ten-day summer science camp use the Project Learning Tree and for high school students from the Project WILD curricula which Kenai Peninsula. Ten students are designed for pre-kindergarten participated in the program through 12th grade. In 2008, which focused on marine and the park sponsored a workshop freshwater ecology and stream for 11 people in Port Alsworth habitat assessment. using the kindergarten through 12th grade curricula, and helped

Lake Clark National Park and Preserve Long-Range Interpretive Plan I 31 Part Two: Existing Conditions

Homer Wildlife Refuge, and the Center estuarine ecology, coastal For Alaskan Coastal Studies. ecology, and intertidal ecology; Education outreach is provided Annual events include: 7th Grade Pratt Museum: intertidal ecology, through classroom visits off ering Day of Science (100 students), mammalogy (terrestrial and illustrated programs on a topic Paul Banks Elementary Math and marine), and bird adaptations; of the teacher’s choice (geology, Science Night (approximately and Alaska Maritime National volcanoes, endangered species, 200 contacts with students and Wildlife Refuge: shorebird ecosystems, Lake Clark National their parents), Planktonfest ecology. Park, aquatic insects, or bear/ Discovery Lab (approximately moose safety) that is related to a 150 adults and children), If a classroom in Homer is curriculum topic being addressed National Estuaries Day, and local scheduled to visit Exit Glacier by the teacher. Most programs home school group events at the at Kenai Fjords National Park, are aligned with the curriculum Alaska Islands and Ocean Visitor the Lake Clark Education standards of the Kenai Peninsula Center. Specialist presents the pre-visit Borough School District and presentation. appropriate for fourth and fi fth Programs for visiting grade students. In 2008, the park school groups are off ered in Special Events and collaborated with one teacher collaboration with Kachemak Community Programs on a Lake Clark Art contest. Bay Research Reserve, Pratt The winning piece was used to Museum, and the Alaska Over 150 people attended the represent Lake Clark in an NPS Maritime National Wildlife opening of the 2009 summer calendar. Refuge and the park provides season at Port Alsworth. The staff support and assistance. event included a dedication Large group education events are Because Lake Clark National for the new fi sh camp outdoor presented in collaboration with Park and Preserve is a microcosm exhibit, volunteer recognition, the Kachemak Bay Education of subarctic Alaskan ecosystems, and a performance by the Alliance Partners: Kachemak Bay it is easy to align park and partner Nu’vendaltin Shadow Dancers. Research Reserve, Pratt Museum, themes. Topics may include Alaska Maritime National Kachemak Bay Research Reserve: Port Alsworth staff have periodically organized community clean up events which have been very successful both in turnout and trash collected. Some community programs are more popular than others. Coff ee cup chats have been held in the winter with 45- 50 people in attendance. NPS

Education outreach in Homer is provided through classroom visits.

32 I National Park Service Part Two: Existing Conditions

Personal Services Programs In 2009, three Youth sponsored online courses. Each Conservation Corps interns intern presented at least one Port Alsworth Visitor Center were hired for eleven weeks interpretive program per week to develop, deliver, and to develop their interpretive Orientation talks are given evaluate interpretive programs skills, and produced a podcast to all visitors. The talks are highlighting the cultural heritages on a natural history topic of their very informal and are usually and natural resources of Lake choice. presented near the table map. Clark National Park and Preserve 45-50% of visitors return to ask and the Lower Cook Inlet region. Alaska Islands and Ocean more questions. The interns were based at the Visitor Center Pratt Museum and mentored by One-hour children’s programs Lake Clark and Pratt Museum Since FY2005, the park has are off ered on Wednesdays staff to independently develop provided interpretive services including edible plants, insects, short interpretive programs for for both partners at the Alaska bears, and Leave No Trace. families and children visiting Islands and Ocean Visitor the museum. They received Center – the Alaska Maritime In FY2007, programs were introductory training in National Wildlife Refuge and off ered to over one hundred interpretation and interpretive the Kachemak Bay Research community members on techniques through the NPS Reserve. The majority of services topics that included: Insect are delivered during the summer Discovery, Edible Plants, Leave season. No Trace, Dena’ina Beading, and Tremendous Trees. A kiosk presentation was developed on bear safety.

Pratt Museum

The park began providing informal interpretation of the Pratt Museum’s bear cam in FY2005. From 2005-2007 the camera was located in the McNeil River State Game Sanctuary and the project included a video stream on the National Geographic Wild Cam site. A park interpreter answered viewer questions on the website’s forum. Beginning in FY2008, park staff provided informal interpretive programs on the behavior and ecology of Alaskan brown bears through a remote video project based out of the Brooks Camp in Katmai National Park and Preserve. Currently, the camera is located at Brooks River Falls in Katmai National Park. In FY2009, the bear cam was

only briefl y carried on the Pratt / NPS Wasserman Museum’s website so a link was Park interpreters provide hands-on activities at the Alaska Islands and Oceans not added to the park’s website. Visitor Center.

Lake Clark National Park and Preserve Long-Range Interpretive Plan I 33 Part Two: Existing Conditions

Programs off ered in fi sh, echinoderms, watersheds, but the site still has potential collaboration with the Alaska tides and currents). In 2009, a as an excellent and otherwise Maritime National Wildlife Discovery Lab was developed unused area for engaging Refuge: and delivered by park staff on children in the outdoors. Since 2005 talks on glaciers and the glaciers and volcanoes of volcanoes have consistently been the local region including Lake Baycrest Pullout – Sterling presented. An illustrated talk Clark. This lab included fourteen Highway above Homer on bears was presented in 2005, hands-on activities, three but not off ered in subsequent interpretive posters, and three Park interpreters provide local years in order to give staff more interactive activities. The lab was area orientation and informal time interpreting the bear cam presented four times and was interpretation of the geology of at the Pratt Museum. In 2010, an requested for the summer 2010. lower Cook Inlet. Visitors can illustrated talk introducing Lake see Iliamna Volcano from the Clark National Park and Preserve Anchor River State Recreation overlook. Weather permitting, was added to the schedule Area – Anchor Point park staff are stationed there and drew 111 visitors over the daily from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 summer. The room capacity In FY2009 and FY2010 four two- p.m. June through the beginning limits the number of visitors to hour Junior Ranger activities of August. Originally, a formal 40 per program. The programs and guided walks were off ered ranger talk was off ered, but it were revised and updated in on select Saturdays in June and was determined that the site was 2010 to include climate change July by park staff at Halibut better suited to informal contacts. information, new information Campground. Each day junior on Redoubt’s recent activity, rangers had the opportunity to and to have more of a focus on explore one of four ecosystems Lake Clark. They were originally available at the site; beach, created to include themes from estuary, river and forest. three national parks – Lake Clark, Participation numbers are low, Katmai, and Kenai Fjords. Twelve to sixteen two-hour guided tide pool walks are off ered at Bishop’s Beach during low tides in June, July, and August. Beach walks are off ered once a week.

Programs off ered in collaboration with Kachemak Bay Research Reserve: Interpretive staff assist the Kachemak Bay Research Reserve with Discovery Labs which are off ered three times a week during the summer and monthly during the winter. The programs consist of eight tables in a laboratory classroom with multiple activities on each table focused on the given topic of the day (crabs, NPS

Junior Ranger activities at Anchor Point engage children in the outdoors.

34 I National Park Service Part Two: Existing Conditions

Staffi ng The GS-1701-9 Education In 2009, having the two park Specialist, originally stationed guides and education specialist The Interpretation Division in Homer, was moved to in Homer, allowed for increased staff includes the GS-343-12 Anchorage for a short time, and coverage at up to three diff erent Program Manager, one GS- now has been relocated back contact sites simultaneously, 1071-9 Education Specialist to Homer. During the summer, seven days a week throughout (Environmental Education), two GS-090-4 Park Guides June, July and August. one GS-303-7 Subsistence are based in Homer. One GS- Coordinator, one GS-025-5 Park 025-5 Park Ranger is based in The Port Alsworth Visitor Ranger, and up to three GS-090-4 Port Alsworth. The GS-303-7 Center is primarily staff ed by seasonal Park Guides. Subsistence Coordinator in Port the GS-025-5 Park Ranger Alsworth provides interpretive with assistance from a Student The GS-343-12 Program programming specifi cally Conservation Association (SCA) Manager’s time is divided related to Dena’ina culture and intern. The SCA intern provides between Interpretation and language. Ten percent of the visitor services and supports Subsistence responsibilities. In Park Historian’s time is spent on the GS-5 park ranger with addition to Lake Clark, she is interpretation. meeting and greeting the public, also the Subsistence Program providing information about the Manager for Katmai National park, and developing programs Park and Preserve and Aniakchak and presentations. The internship National Monument and lasts twelve weeks from mid-June Preserve. to early September. Pratt Museum

Homer-based interpretive staff provide informal interpretation on bear behavior while operating a remote video camera at the Pratt Museum.

Lake Clark National Park and Preserve Long-Range Interpretive Plan I 35 Part Two: Existing Conditions

Partnerships

Partners Commercial Use In 2009, the park began Authorizations (CUA) distributing a newsletter and Pratt Museum: Lake Clark established a Silver Salmon National Park and Preserve and Almost every visitor to Lake Creek Guide Program. The the Pratt Museum have a formal Clark National Park and Preserve guide program was developed partnership to develop and utilizes one or more commercial to ensure appropriate and deliver interpretive programs and operators, unless they are a local consistent behavior among products that explore the natural resident or own their own plane. guides and to minimize adverse environment, cultures and Visitors use air taxi services, impacts on the bears and their human experience of the Lower lodges, guide services (fi shing, habitat. Interpretive skills were Cook Inlet region of Alaska. hunting, or river trip), bear not included in the initial training viewing tours, or fl ightseeing sessions. Alaska Islands and Oceans tours. There are over 60 Visitor Center: The visitor center commercial operators authorized The CUA Handbook includes is operated and maintained in Lake Clark. The operators General Management Plan by a partnership between off er a variety of levels of service Foundation Statement and the Kachemak Bay Research and a variety of information regulations. There is no Reserve and Alaska Maritime about the park and its resources. interpretive section in the National Wildlife Refuge. Lake A list of commercial operators is handbook. Clark interpretive staff provides available on the park website. interpretive programs on glaciers, volcanoes, bears, and Alaska’s intertidal ecosystems at the visitor center. Jalone / NPS

The Twin Lakes area is a popular destination for guided fi shing trips.

36 I National Park Service Part Two: Existing Conditions

Alaska Geographic Volunteer Program

A retail outlet is located at Port According to the FY09 Volunteer Alsworth Visitor Center. The Report eighteen volunteers Scope of Sales was reviewed provided 208 hours of service for in May 2008. Annual sales interpretation. The Nu’vendaltin are approximately $2,500. Shadow Dancers, performed for Consequently, the percentage a park community celebration of sales returned to the park as and one volunteer contributed 72 direct support funds is nominal. hours of informal interpretation in Homer contacting visitors at Park-specifi c sales items include the Baycrest Pullout. “Alone in the Wilderness” DVD, One Man’s Wilderness, The Education Specialist is also More Readings from One Man’s the park’s volunteer coordinator. Wilderness, Lake Clark National Multiple collateral duties, as well Park and Preserve, maps, as the demand of interpretive and magnets, pins, bookmarks, education responsibilities, limits postcards, stickers, tee shirts, and the amount of time available hats. to devote to developing the volunteer program.

One of the volunteer program challenges is that more people volunteer for backcountry assignments than there are positions available. Capacity to provide volunteer housing, program support, and reimbursements is also a concern. NPS

Backcountry volunteers provide invaluable support to Lake Clark National Park and Preserve.

Lake Clark National Park and Preserve Long-Range Interpretive Plan I 37 Wasserman / NPS Wasserman Part Three: Recommendations

Interpretive planning assesses current conditions and formulates recommendations that will provide direction and focus to achieve the desired future interpretive program. A long-range interpretive plan analyzes all needs and recommends a wide array of interpretive services, facilities, programs, and opportunities for partnerships to communicate in the most effi cient and eff ective way the park’s purpose and signifi cance.

38 I National Park Service Part Three: Recommendations

Goals for Interpretive Programming

The Goals for Interpretive  Interpretation will include Develop Marketing Programming are designed to examples and perspectives Strategies and Improve realize the vision, objectives, from diverse points of view. Orientation themes, and visitor experiences It will respond to diverse described in the Foundation for audiences, varying levels of An important goal for providing Planning section. The following interest, and diff erent lengths interpretive services over the principles will apply to all of time for a visit. next 7 to 10 years is to improve interpretation at Lake Clark orientation and access to park National Park and Preserve:  Where possible, “virtual information. No unifi ed sign visitors” will have system exists to clearly identify  All interpretation will address opportunities to view key park historic sites, or provide physical and programmatic park vistas and access to information and clear directions accessibility. new research, studies, to park sites. Before visitors management plans, and can have a meaningful park  Where possible, historical information. experience, they need to fi nd interpretation will use their way to the park, determine reproduction objects and Workshop participants identifi ed where the experience begins, documented personal stories goals to enhance the eff ectiveness and take care of their basic to bring the story to life for of the interpretive services needs. Visitor experience issues visitors. within Lake Clark National such as agency identity and Park and Preserve. These goals orientation must be addressed  Where possible, the park will and associated actions are before interpretation can partner with neighboring representative of many ideas begin. Eff ective signs as well as institutions to develop generated during the workshop. orientation and information are programs, media, and share Action items are listed below the fi rst steps toward satisfying research. each goal, and were used to these basic visitor needs. create the Implementation Plan  The park will follow the located in the next section of this Due to multiple departure standards of the National document. Over the next seven and arrival points, Lake Clark Park Service Graphic to ten years Lake Clark National National Park and Preserve Identity Program as signs Park and Preserve will focus on has very diff erent challenges and interpretive media are the following goals: than many other parks. It can upgraded. be a challenge to ensure that the information on how to safely enjoy the park and park resources is easily accessible to all visitors. Because of the multiple entry points and the numbers of people travelling by commercial and private plane, visitors using park resources may not ever make contact with park staff . In the future as connections to other sites and destinations are added, the challenge will increase.

Lake Clark National Park and Preserve Long-Range Interpretive Plan I 39 Part Three: Recommendations

Park staff should work with Connect to Virtual Visitors Specifi c recommendations partners and commercial use include: operators to identify potential Since Lake Clark was established  Designate a single webmaster solutions including: in 1978, signifi cant changes in to manage, update, and revise  Develop virtual trip planners digital technology, in DOI/NPS the park website. featuring comprehensive web standards, and in social  Improve and expand information that identifi es media have occurred. During backcountry trip planning transportation service the life of this plan, park staff information. providers such as air taxis will need to continually increase  Coordinate with the park and private planes, trip and improve their skills with the curator to develop and post options, suggested routes of technology, monitor and update online exhibits using park travel, types of opportunities all web-based content to meet collections including an available (hiking, rafting, the current standard, and remain “object of the month” display. fi shing, and bear viewing), vigilant about what is posted via  Partner with the Pratt outdoor ethics, and safety. social media sites. Museum to provide a  Conduct a market analysis live interpretive feed that to develop a marketing plan. An ever-increasing percentage accompanies the Bearcam. Currently park marketing of park visitors are web users Ultimately add a question and strategies are not focused or who visit Lake Clark National answer session as well as a coordinated. Commercial Park and Preserve (www.nps. two-way virtual conversation use operators market their gov/lacl) seeking information. to the program. services independently of Many of these “virtual visitors”  Develop and post a videocast each other and the park. The never actually come to the of the volunteers giving a tour plan will determine the level park, but have their needs met of the Proenneke cabin. of park identity needed at solely though the website. The  Develop social media diff erent locations. website should highlight the opportunities such as  Off er a short orientation fi lm opportunities and experiences Facebook. to be shown at airport hubs that are available to both on-  Develop interactive maps and gateway entry points. site visitors and virtual visitors. that provide a variety of Visitors should be able to access information including trip Other marketing options material related to all park planning and location and include: interpretive themes. Cross- timing of salmon runs.  Designing, fabricating, and linking to partner websites  Develop and off er electronic installing wayfi nding and and reference sites is strongly trips including Lake Clark NPS arrowhead signs in Port recommended. Pass, along a river, up Alsworth. to Tanalian Falls, on the  Developing a new exhibit in Telaquana Trail, and to the cooperation with partners at Proenneke cabin. the Homer airport.  Develop and post Lake Clark  Designing, fabricating, and Minutes – short videocasts on installing NPS arrowhead a variety of topics signs in Homer.  Explore the feasibility of installing a Tanalian Mountain cam, salmon cam and a Dall sheep cam.

40 I National Park Service Part Three: Recommendations

Upgrade and Improve captioning and assistive listening  Off er fl exible program Interpretive Services at the for all audiovisual components times and scheduled Port Alsworth Visitor Center with sound and audio description evening programs to better Complex for all video elements. Appendix accommodate visitors. B refers to the NPS Accessibility  Schedule an evening program Within the next few years, Lake Guidelines. one day a week focusing on Clark National Park and Preserve what to do and where to go. will upgrade and improve the The design plan will also refl ect  Explore the possibility of an interpretive services at the the function of the visitor center audio station at the cache Port Alsworth Visitor Center to orient visitors to the park exhibit- possibly housed in complex. This is the gateway for and its resources, services, and a Blazo box - that features most visitors who fl y into the attractions as well as interpret elders talking about the cache park. There are many separate the park’s stories and provide and bone racks. interpretive services currently opportunities for personal  Add a smoke house and wall being off ered. During the connections to resource tent to the fi sh camp area. recommendations workshop, the meanings and signifi cance as  Add a platform or possibly tilt team discussed how to integrate described by interpretive themes. the double-ender to make it these services into a seamless The story elements will be easier for people to see inside visitor experience that would identifi ed that are best told by the boat. include the visitor center, the interpretive media, and provide  Develop a fl ip book about the boathouse, and the fi sh camp a human point of contact as well Bristol Bay double-enders. exhibit. The ultimate goal would as a special and visual identity for  Develop a new outdoor be to create a visitor fl ow pattern, the park. exhibit using the steam a cohesive message, and a unifi ed boiler and sawmill based on visitor experience. The resource Specifi c recommendations historic photographs, oral will be allowed to tell the stories include: histories, and other sources along with the media.  Develop an exhibit design of information. plan that includes Dena’ina  Develop a soundscape An exhibit design plan is needed culture exhibits, activity of boat use and cannery to address current themes, area, fi sh camp, salmon, a operations in the boat house. remove ineff ective messages, dedicated theater space, an  Develop illustrated programs and upgrade all features to meet orientation space, porch on fi sh and Lake Clark’s NPS standards. All components spaces, and considers levels relationship with salmon. must be accessible and include of access.  Use the whole boat house to tell the stories and show connections to water and the lake. Use children’s paintings/ drawings/mural of salmon on side of boat house that faces the cache.  Create wall mounted exhibits and displays for the interior of the boat house.  Fabricate and install new exhibits.  Produce a 10-15 minute fi lm about Lake Clark National Park and Preserve that provides an overview/ introduction to the park. NPS

Park staff will explore the possibility of installing an audio station that will allow visitors to hear elders talking about the cache and bone racks.

Lake Clark National Park and Preserve Long-Range Interpretive Plan I 41 Part Three: Recommendations

Upgrade and Improve Site- Clark Pass will allow visitors to completed in 2010. Backcountry specifi c Interpretation share their experiences. Even use planning is scheduled to armchair travelers could discover begin in October 2010, and may Richard Proenneke Historic what it was like to be one of the articulate how these resources Site fi rst travelers through the pass will be used. Workshop As one of the most popular to contemporary air travelers. participants recommended that sites within the park, This project could be modeled the historic cabins be utilized workshop participants strongly after the Alaska Communities as outdoor education centers recommended that the cabin be of Memory (Project Jukebox) for youth groups, Elderhostel staff ed during the peak visitor project conducted by University groups, and others. Another season either with volunteers of Alaska Fairbanks. option that might be explored by or NPS employees. For those the backcountry planning team visitors who arrive during the Trails is a hut-to-hut experience and/or other seasons, develop a self- There are few formal trails rent-a-cabin experience. guided tour brochure and place located within the park. Most them near the guest book. All visitors choose their own path. Kijik Archeological District visitors will then have increased For those visitors who do want National Historic Landmark opportunities to learn about Dick more structure or are looking Workshop participants Proenneke and his special place. for a guided experience, park recommended, in deference to staff may off er informal walks on the inland Dena’ina Athabascan Lake Clark Pass plants and animals at a set time people who continue to live Most visitors coming to the park once a week as well as develop a in the Lake Clark area and the will go through Lake Clark Pass. series of digital tours that visitors existence of private land in Seeing and later remembering the can download to their portable the Kijik area, that interpretive scenic grandeur of the mountain electronic devices. services at Kijik be limited to peaks is a signifi cant part of their escorted programs only. Park experience. A social networking Historic Cabins staff may off er a program at Kijik site, digital recordings, and/or a Rehabilitation projects at the once a week or once a month printed volume that present the Priest Rock, Hardenburg Bay, during peak season. stories of travel through Lake and Snipe Lake cabins should be Wasserman / NPS Wasserman

Interpretive services at Kijik will be limited to escorted programs only.

42 I National Park Service Part Three: Recommendations

Improve Existing The diversity of the park’s Increase Interpretive Interpretive Programs resources and themes presents Opportunities in Homer almost limitless opportunities Interpreters are the best for both standard and innovative Building on the successful interactive tool in enabling interpretive activities. As staffi ng interpretive programs and visitors to experience, levels permit, and in keeping services currently being off ered, understand, appreciate, and within the parameters of the specifi c recommendations were make personal connections with interpretive themes and visitor identifi ed that would increase the resource. Roving interpreters experience goals, interpreters interpretive opportunities in along the bluff at the Baycrest should be given a high degree of Homer. Many visitors who come Pullout, at the storage cache in creative freedom to explore and to Homer will look across Cook Port Alsworth, and in other park experiment with new programs. Inlet and see the park, and yet areas will increase opportunities will never be able to visit it. to help visitors make personal There is great potential Creating a strong interpretive connections with Lake Clark to experiment with the base in Homer will allow the park National Park and Preserve development of programs to engage visitors and reveal the resources. Interpretive training related to natural and cultural natural and cultural connections on informal visitor contacts and connections between the eastern between the eastern and western park information and themes for and western coasts of Cook coasts of Cook Inlet. backcountry volunteers will also Inlet. Since personal services help to inform and orient visitors interpretive programs are Pratt Museum who are accessing the park’s relatively easy to change, the  Emphasize shared stories remote areas. activities should be evaluated between Dena’ina on on a regular basis to discontinue the Kenai Peninsula and those that are not eff ective, Dena’ina of Lake Clark. modify or improve those that Explain connections require it, and validate those that between the west and east are successful. coast of Cook Inlet, and the connections between people and the land.  Develop Phase 2 of the Fish Camp exhibit to show Dena’ina cultural similarities and diff erences.  Increase NPS outdoor programming.  Identify opportunities to use the Pratt Museum’s future multi-purpose room.  Explore opportunities to use the existing museum building for future park programming.  Develop a program about fi sh camp using digital media.  Explore possibilities to show Dena’ina Qeshqa fi lm and produce an exhibit connected to the fi lm. Wasserman / NPS Wasserman

Ranger-guided tide walks at Anchor Point offer opportunities to connect visitors to the natural and cultural resources on both sides of Cook Inlet, including Lake Clark National Park.

Lake Clark National Park and Preserve Long-Range Interpretive Plan I 43 Part Three: Recommendations

 Explore the possibilities of  Develop, fabricate, and install Alaska Islands and Oceans developing an exhibit and/or new wayside exhibit panels Visitor Center programs that show how the at locations that describe  Continue to develop subsistence story (caribou, the viewshed and provide relationships with the Alaska black bear, beaver, and moose context for park stories such Maritime National Wildlife hunting) has changed over as the Mosaic of Landforms Refuge and the Kachemak time. and the Native peoples of the Bay Research Reserve. Kenai Peninsula and their  Schedule NPS staff time at Sterling Highway/Scenic connections to the Dena’ina the visitor center desk. Overlook people of Lake Clark.  Develop programs on  Explore potential media  Off er boat tours to Chisik weather and climate change. opportunities to interpret Island and Snug Harbor.  Emphasize natural history park stories. This service could be park/ and ecological connections.  Consider acquiring property partnered sponsored or a  Collaborate on a program along the Sterling Highway to commercial service. about Chisik Island (common establish pullouts.  Develop the idea of the park’s boundary), maritime  Develop and post a virtual coastal area as the Eastern geography, and the rookery. geocaching site. gateway to the park. These are areas that connect  Explore opportunities for to the Alaska Maritime CUAs to expand Homer- National Wildlife Refuge. based commercial operations.  Create a mobile visitor center/contact vehicle. Wasserman / NPS Wasserman

Creating a mobile visitor center would allow park interpreters to contact more visitors at Baycrest Overlook and at other sites along the Sterling Highway.

44 I National Park Service Part Three: Recommendations

Expand Existing and Future growth of the park  Use video conferencing to Develop New Educational education program is primarily integrate both park cultural Opportunities contingent upon hiring and natural resource experts additional interpretive staff into presentations. An eff ective park education that would allow the Education  Develop volcano lesson program requires adequate staff Specialist (see Staffi ng section) to: plans in cooperation with the for planning, development,  Strengthen message of Alaska Maritime National implementation, and assessment. cultural connections between Wildlife Refuge. The resources and themes of Kenai Peninsula and Lake  Write and present natural Lake Clark National Park and Clark. resource-themed lesson Preserve off er great potential for  Develop stronger plans. the development of dynamic and relationships with teachers in  Explore the possibility of popular education program in the Kenai school district. utilizing the Teacher-Ranger- partnership with area schools,  Develop in collaboration with Teacher program. agencies, museums, and local Pratt Museum and distribute  Develop standards-based resident zones. a K-12 Dena’ina archeology lessons and web-based traveling kit and participate teaching tools for use in While the park does have in a culture camp/week. schools. Make them available a full-time GS-1701-9  Write PMIS requests statewide. Education Specialist position, (Challenge Cost Share, Parks  Use Homer as a base for responsibilities have primarily as Classroom, and Recreation Kenai education programs focused on providing interpretive Fee) to develop education because it already is a fi eld services, supervising seasonal products and programs. trip destination. employees, and collateral duties  Integrate programs with  Develop Teaching with including volunteer coordinator those off ered by the Pratt Historic Places lesson plans. and web manager. A well Museum. Cultural history is  Create a virtual classroom. designed and run park education the most requested program.  Off er webinars. program generally depends on a  Establish connections full-time education position. The with the Kenaitze and With a strong program and primary role of the specialist is Ninilchik Tribes, and create ties directly to local, state, and to secure resources to facilitate opportunities for elders to national curriculum standards, the development and growth of a be involved in education more schools will see the value of curriculum-based program based programs. using the park to help meet their on national and state education  Increase opportunities to needs. This can be accomplished standards. utilize Pratt interns. by involving educators from area schools directly in the development of both general and specifi c activities and curriculum guides.

Lake Clark National Park and Preserve Long-Range Interpretive Plan I 45 Part Three: Recommendations

Use Interpretation and  Off er the boating safety Peninsula school districts), Education to Address program to all local resident Alaska Marine Conservation Resource and Safety zone communities. Council, Nushagak- Concerns  Place more emphasis on Mulchatna/ Wood-Tikchik reaching Port Alsworth youth Land Trust, and Alaska State Most parks advocate the use of with conservation messages Parks. interpretation and education about the park and preserve.  Explore new partnerships as a foundation for promoting (University of Alaska stewardship, protecting  Off er boating safety and Fairbanks Bristol Bay resources and providing for a safe resource related training Campus, Alaska Native visitor experience. Workshop programs such as Leave Heritage Center, Alaska participants recommended a No Trace to increase the Channel, international sister blend of interpretive programs instructor cadre so more parks, Medallion Foundation, and media to address resource programs can be presented in Aircraft Owners and Pilots and safety concerns at Lake Clark the local communities. Association, and Alaska National Park and Preserve.  Partner with the Pratt Airmen’s Association. Bear-human interactions, Museum to add a question  Explore options for especially at Silver Salmon Creek and answer session as partnering on grants and and Chinitna Bay, boating safety, well as a two-way virtual other forms of funding. wilderness safety, subsistence conversation to the Bearcam  Form a stronger partnership use, and artifact collecting are program. with Alaska Volcano signifi cant concerns that park  Produce subsistence Observatory and increase staff must address on an almost programs using digital media interpretive opportunities. daily basis during the peak visitor on topics most requested by  Develop opportunities for season. New wayside exhibit communities. interpretive training and panels have been installed resource exchanges. to address the bear-human Maintain and Grow Existing  Build capacity for managing interactions and boating safety Partnerships and Explore formal partnerships through and Leave No Trace interpretive New Partnerships training in contracting and and education programs are agreements. being presented, however, much Interpretive partnerships play  Explore possibilities for detail more needs to be done. a key role in the delivery of assignments. essential programs and can  Develop a partnership to Specifi c recommendations also provide opportunities for off er natural and cultural include: enhanced interpretive products history fi eld workshops  Make stronger connections and services. Partnerships are that develop park themes between past and present most eff ective when partners including Nondalton, fi shing techniques including share a common goal and Newhalen, and Pedro Bay. catch and release. can leverage their eff orts to  Conduct survey work and  Off er subsistence programs accomplish the goal. protect the Old Nondalton on topics most requested by site with Kijik Corporation communities. Specifi c recommendations and Nondalton Tribal  Make stronger connections include: Council. between Leave No Trace  Maintain and grow existing  Explore the possibility of and Tread Lightly wilderness partnerships (Homer, designating a “sister” park programs and traditional Nondalton Tribal Council, in Japan or another similar Dena’ina principles. Kijik Corporation, Lake international park to develop  Create a boating safety Clark National Park common themes and broader reward program for those Subsistence Resource understanding. “caught” wearing a personal Commission, and Kenai  Develop partnerships for fl otation device. Peninsula and Lake and safety programs, curriculum delivery and summer fi eld youth institutes.

46 I National Park Service Part Three: Recommendations

Expand Existing and  Partner with local resident Develop New Opportunities zone communities to provide to Engage Youth interpretive hiking and camping experiences. Most interpretive services are  Develop Girl and Boy Scout developed for a general audience. programs. During the lifetime of this plan,  Develop an outreach camp workshop participants strongly at Kijik geared toward youth recommended that Lake Clark that incorporates responsible National Park and Preserve camping, safety, outdoor address Secretary Salazar’s survival, and traditional “Engaging Youth” initiative to subsistence including a best meet the needs of young winter camp for beaver people and provide them with trapping. opportunities to discover the  Off er summer fi eld institutes signifi cance of park resources. for local youth.  Coordinate with other local Specifi c recommendations partners to develop an in- include: park children’s program that  Distribute the junior ranger teaches subsistence skills, booklet (Lake Clark Pass) outdoor ethics, and promotes at gateway locations and stronger cultural connections. encourage youth to visit the Port Alsworth Visitor Center to receive their badge. Wasserman / NPS Wasserman

Park staff will coordinate with local partners to develop in-park programs that engage youth.

Lake Clark National Park and Preserve Long-Range Interpretive Plan I 47 Part Three: Recommendations

Fully Integrate Commercial the park and commercial  Conduct a needs assessment Services into the use authorization holders to determine best practices Interpretive Program (CUAs). Communication for the park and CUAs methods include the use to work together more Staff members are beginning to of print media, web pages, eff ectively. Work with develop stronger relationships digital media, and personal CUAs to determine how with the commercial use contact. to best reach visitors with operators authorized within  Use current relationships park messages and printed Lake Clark National Park and with hunt guide contract materials. Preserve. During the lifetime of holders to develop and  Select materials to produce in this plan, workshop participants distribute interpretive cooperation with commercial recommended that commercial materials. Initially this would services partners including services be fully integrated into include making sure the hunt fl ight guide, new maps, and a the interpretive program. guides have copies of the partner brochure. park’s most current materials.  Distribute a rack card to all Specifi c recommendations to  Continue to off er to make CUAs that interprets Lake integrate commercial services presentations at the lodges, Clark Pass. into interpretation: by park staff or guest  Distribute rack cards to all  Establish a commercial speakers. CUAs on other suggested services recognition program.  Revitalize and expand the topics of interest such as:  Strengthen all Silver Salmon Creek Guide salmon life history, the communications between Program. signifi cance of Lake Clark to the Bristol Bay red salmon fi shery, important water bodies of Lake Clark National Park and Preserve, and life cycles of major wildlife species that may be commonly viewed in the park.  Develop a thematic (Mountain Landscape/ Wilderness, Mosaic Landforms, Cultural Tapestry) audio tour that CUAs could off er visitors coming through Lake Clark Pass  Collaborate with CUAs to create a self-guided aviation tour where people can pick up a brochure/map at Merrill Field and be able to follow their fl ight along Cook Inlet, through Lake Clark Pass to Port Alsworth.  Collaborate with CUAs to develop a video about best practices for bear viewing on the coast and other resource issues. Kent Miller / NPS VIP

A self-guided aviation tour brochure could enhance the visitors’ experience as they travel into and around the park.

48 I National Park Service Part Three: Recommendations

Expand the Volunteer  Develop a needs assessment Program by program area for volunteers. Identifying The Volunteers-In-Parks (VIP) what tasks park staff need program could be enhanced with volunteer help with will more dedicated NPS supervision, provide the coordinator with providing VIP accommodations, the necessary information and an increase in VIP funding. to successfully recruit. The An eff ort to enhance and assessment also would help expand the participation of local identify potential individuals volunteers would be benefi cial. or group skills that might be needed. For example, youth A well-designed and well-run groups may be identifi ed park volunteer program generally who have an interest and depends on establishing a skill in developing web- Volunteer Coordinator position. based services. High school This role has been a collateral students may get academic duty assignment for the GS- credit for volunteering. 1709-9 Education Specialist  Develop a standard operating (Environmental Education), but procedure for signing up a to be truly eff ective it should be volunteer. a full-time position. The primary  Develop a training checklist role of the coordinator will be and materials for existing to facilitate the retention of volunteers. current volunteers as well as the  Develop meaningful short- development and growth of the term volunteer opportunities. volunteer program.  Develop a volunteer page on the park website with Specifi c recommendations personal stories, photos, include: and a link to a volunteer  Develop and implement application form. a retention strategy that  Investigate additional partner will include creating and sources for volunteers maintaining a database and training (e.g. Tribes, of volunteers; updating Alaska Native Heritage position descriptions and Center, Native non-profi t determining how many corporations, YMCA, volunteers are needed for YWCA, National Outdoor each task; communicating Leadership School, seniors, the length of assignment and retirees). when recruiting volunteers  Improve ways to provide to minimize turnover; enrichment experiences working with partners to including working at or reduce competition for traveling to other locations. volunteers; and working  Develop a mentoring with park staff to ensure that program that pairs there is adequate oversight experienced volunteers with and support for volunteers. new applicants. Recognize volunteer achievements.

Lake Clark National Park and Preserve Long-Range Interpretive Plan I 49 Part Three: Recommendations

Research and Evaluation Needs

All interpretive programs could assist these programs displayed can inform and and services must be solidly with understanding the role of enhance the media product and grounded in research. In order the park’s interpretive program the overall visitor experience. to fully accomplish the actions and how interpreters can help Summative evaluations are included in this plan and support communicate the results of their valuable in helping to determine the interpretive themes, the work to the visiting public. the eff ectiveness of fi nal media, park needs current scientifi c facilities, and programs – i.e. information on a variety of topics Evaluation is also important whether the intended themes are such as: in the development of specifi c being communicated, if people media and programs and are actually making use of the  Predator-prey relationships should be planned as part of all information, or if visitor behavior for wolves and bears. substantial media projects and is aff ected. Summative evaluation  Shorezone Mapping Project special programming. Front-end may even be a necessary follow- that is photomapping the evaluation will inform the project up for certain sources of funding entire coastline of Cook Inlet team about what visitors already such as foundation grants. (http://alaskafi sheries.noaa. know about the site before they gov/habitat/shorezone/ come, what understandings they In order to fully accomplish the szintro.htm). may have about the signifi cance actions included in this plan,  Park-specifi c eff ects of of the site, or how to fulfi ll the the park needs to evaluate the climate change and how they visitor’s interest in visiting the following: are being monitored. site. This type of evaluative  Future development of the study is targeted so that practical Port Alsworth Visitor Center The interpretive program and use can be made of the results. complex. staff would both benefi t from a Formative evaluations allow the  Interpretive services working relationship with the team to get feedback on project currently being off ered in park’s resource programs and content before it is fabricated. Homer and Port Alsworth to the Inventory and Monitoring Knowing how potential visitors determine how they might Program to gain insight into react to stories and information become more eff ective and current park research. The staff or even how the message is effi cient. Wasserman / NPS Wasserman

Evaluating interpretive programming at Homer and Port Alsworth will help park staff become more effective and effi cient.

50 I National Park Service Part Three: Recommendations

Staffi ng and Training Needs

Staffi ng The Chief of Interpretation will be responsible for producing position will manage the entire interpretive media projects, In order to fulfi ll the vision of program which will be formally maintaining the park website, this plan, additional funding will divided into two units: Port and overseeing the volunteer be required. Increased funding Alsworth and Homer. The program. will enable the park to hire Homer unit, overseen by the additional interpretive staff . To Education and Interpretation The park has submitted an be eff ective interpretation must Park Ranger, will focus on Operations Formulation System become an established program year-round curriculum-based (OFS) request to fund the area rather than a collateral education programs and Chief of Interpretation position duty assignment. An optimal summer season interpretation. and to fully fund a GS-025-9 staff structure may include a Homer staff will be responsible Interpretation and Education full-time GS-025-12 Chief of for coordinating interpretive position. Additional requests will Interpretation, one GS-025-9 programming with the Pratt need to be submitted to acquire Park Ranger (Interpretation Museum, Alaska Islands and all of these positions. Some of and Education), one GS-025-9 Oceans Visitor Center, and these positions may be created Park Ranger (Interpretation and other off -site partners. The immediately by reclassifying Media), one GS-025-5/7 Park Port Alsworth unit, overseen by existing positions and others Ranger (Volunteer Coordinator), the Interpretation and Media may be phased in as funding one GS-025-5 Park Ranger, three Park Ranger, will provide is approved and positions are seasonal GS-025-5 front-country year-round in-park services, vacated. Park Rangers, two seasonal GS- summer backcountry roving 025-5 backcountry Park Rangers, and programs, and local Training and one Student Conservation resident community education Association intern (SCA). programs. Port Alsworth staff A trained and motivated workforce is necessary for any successful park operation. Emphasis should be placed on accountability for interpretive standards to be applied or adhered to when any park employees or volunteers present interpretive programs, design publications, media, and exhibits, or present curriculum-based educational programs. Ensure that all staff members who provide interpretive services are held to the appropriate NPS standards as defi ned in the Interpretive Development Program and be trained accordingly.

Because volunteers are an important part of the workforce, interpretive staff members require an appropriate level of volunteer supervisory training. Wasserman / NPS Wasserman

Inside the Port Alsworth Visitor Center, the Chaqenq’a Dena’ina exhibit provides visitors opportunities to learn about Dena’ina fi sh camp traditions.

Lake Clark National Park and Preserve Long-Range Interpretive Plan I 51 Part Three: Recommendations

Implementation Plan

The measure of success of any plan is the extent to which it is implemented. Initial implementation of strategies needs to be both realistic and fl exible. Because funding opportunities and priorities often change, park management may need to adjust the implementation strategies to adapt to changing conditions. The park interpretive staff and key park partners should meet each year to draft an Annual Implementation Plan for each new fi scal year based on funding opportunities and coordination with other projects. Flexibility is extremely important to allow park staff and partners the opportunity to try new and diff erent interpretive ideas and make adjustments as necessary.

During the 2010 Recommendations workshop, the participants agreed to divide the actions necessary to implement the recommendations into on-going, short-term (1-3 years), mid-term (4-6 years), and long- term (7-10 years) goals. Some of the recommended actions for are dependent on funding, the hiring of new staff , or creation of new partnerships. Other action items can be implemented immediately, within existing funding and staffi ng levels. Kent Miller / NPS VIP

Kayaking Upper Twin Lake

52 I National Park Service Part Three: Recommendations

LakeClarkNationalParkandPreserve: ShortͲterm MidͲterm LongͲterm OnͲgoing PrioritiesbyInterpretiveService (1Ͳ3years) (4Ͳ6years) (7Ͳ10years) DevelopMarketingStrategiesandImproveOrientation Developandpostvirtualtripplannersonparkwebsite x Postcomprehensiveaccessinformationincludingtransportationservice x providerssuchasairtaxisandboatrentals Developandpostanextensiveandcomprehensivebackcountrytripplanning informationincludingtripoptions,routes,typesofopportunitiesavailable x (hiking,rafting,fishing,andbearwatching),outdoorethics,andsafety FabricateandinstallwayfindingsignsinPortAlsworth x FabricateandinstallNPSarrowheadsigninPortAlsworth x DevelopnewexhibitwithpartnersforHomerairport x Conductamarketanalysis x Offerashortorientationfilmtobeshownattheairporthubsandgateway x entrypoints FabricateandinstallNPSarrowheadsigninHomer x ConnecttoVirtualVisitors Updateandrevisewebsite x Designateonestaffmembertobethewebmaster x Improveandexpandbackcountrytripplanninginformation x Coordinatewiththeparkcuratortodevelopandpostonlineexhibitsusingpark x collections PartnerwiththePrattMuseumtoprovidealiveinterpretivefeedthat x accompaniestheBearcam DevelopandpostavideocastofthevolunteersgivingatouroftheProenneke x cabin CrossͲlinktopartnerwebsitesandothersources x Developsocialmediaopportunities x Developinteractivemapsthatprovideavarietyofinformationincludingtrip x planningandlocationandtimingofsalmonruns AddaquestionandanswersessionaswellastwoͲwayvirtualconversationto x theBearcamprogram Connectallwebresourceswhereappropriatetoparkthemes x

DevelopandofferelectronictripsincludingLakeClarkPass,alongariver,upto x TanalianFalls,ontheTelaquanaTrail,andtotheProennekecabin

DevelopandpostLakeClarkMinutes–shortvideocastsonavarietyoftopics x Coordinatewiththecuratortodevelopanonline“objectofthemonth”using x thecollections ExplorethefeasibilityofinstallingaTanalianMountaincam,salmoncamanda x Dallsheepcam

Lake Clark National Park and Preserve Long-Range Interpretive Plan I 53 Part Three: Recommendations

LakeClarkNationalParkandPreserve: ShortͲterm MidͲterm LongͲterm OnͲgoing PrioritiesbyInterpretiveService (1Ͳ3years) (4Ͳ6years) (7Ͳ10years) UpgradeandImproveInterpretiveServicesatthePortAlsworthVisitorCenterComplex Provideinformaltalksatthefishcampoutdoordisplay x DevelopanexhibitdesignplanthatincludesDena’inacultureexhibits,activity area,fishcamp,salmon,adedicatedtheaterspace,anorientationspace,porch x spaces,andconsiderslevelsofaccess Offerflexibleprogramtimesandscheduledeveningprogramstobetter x accommodatevisitors Scheduleaneveningprogramonedayaweekfocusingonwhattodoand x wheretogo Explorepossibilityofanaudiostationthatfeatureselderstalkingaboutthe x cacheandracks Addasmokehouseandwalltenttothefishcamparea x Addaplatformorpossiblytiltthedoubleendertomakeiteasierforpeopleto x seeinsidetheboat DevelopaflipbookaboutBristolBaydoubleͲenders x Developanewoutdoorexhibitusingthesteamboilerandsawmillbasedon x historicphotographs,oralhistories,andothersourcesofinformation Developasoundscapeofboatuseandcanneryoperationsintheboathouse x

DevelopillustratedprogramsonfishandLakeClark’srelationshipwithsalmon x Usethewholeboathousetotellthestoriesandshowtowaterandthelake. Usechildren’spaintings/drawings/muralofsalmononsideofboathousethat x facesthecache Createwallmountedexhibitsanddisplaysfortheinterioroftheboathouse x

Fabricateandinstallnewexhibits x Producea10Ͳ15minutefilmthatprovidesanoverview/introductiontothe x park RichardProennekeHistoricSite Staffthesiteduringthepeakvisitorseason x DevelopaselfͲguidedtourbrochurethatwouldbeofferednexttothe x guestbook LakeClarkPass Identify,develop,andpublishstoriesoftravelthroughthepass x Trails Offerinformalwalksonplantsandanimalsatasettimeonceaweek x Createaseriesofdigitaltoursthatpeoplecandownloadtotheirportable x electronicdevices HistoricCabins BackcountryplanningprocessbeginsinOctober2010 x Utilizehistoriccabinsasoutdooreducationcentersforyouthgroups, x Elderhostelgroups,andothers ConsiderdevelopingahutͲtoͲhutexperienceand/orrentͲaͲcabin x KijikArcheologicalDistrictNationalHistoricLandmark OfferaprogramatKijikonceaweekoronceamonthduringpeakseason x

54 I National Park Service Part Three: Recommendations

LakeClarkNationalParkandPreserve: ShortͲterm MidͲterm LongͲterm OnͲgoing PrioritiesbyInterpretiveService (1Ͳ3years) (4Ͳ6years) (7Ͳ10years) IncreaseInterpretiveOpportunitiesinHomer PrattMuseum EmphasizesharedstoriesbetweenDena’inaontheKenaiPeninsulaand Dena’inaofLakeClark.Explainconnectionsbetweenthewestandeastcoastof x CookInlet,andtheconnectionsbetweenpeopleandtheland Provideschoolgroups,YCC,andBearcamprograms x DistributeJuniorRangerbearbooks x HosteventsfeaturingtheBristolBaydoubleenderandguestspeakers x DevelopPhase2oftheFishCampexhibittoshowDena’inaculturalsimilarities x anddifferences IncreaseNPSoutdoorprogramming x

IdentifyopportunitiestousethePrattMuseum’sfuturemultiͲpurposeroom x

Exploreopportunitiestousetheexistingmuseumbuildingforfuturepark x programming Developaprogramaboutfishcampusingdigitalmedia x ExplorepossibilitiestoshowDena’inaQeshqafilmandproduceanexhibit x connectedtothefilm Explorethepossibilitiesofdevelopinganexhibitand/orprogramsthatshow howthesubsistencestory(caribou,blackbear,beaver,andmoosehunting)has x changedovertime SterlingHighway/ScenicOverlook

ProvideinformalinterpretationattheBaycrestPulloutoverlookonsunnydays x

Explorepotentialmediaopportunitiestointerpretparkstories x

ConsideracquiringpropertyalongtheSterlingHighwaytoestablishpullouts x

Developandpostavirtualgeocachingsite x

ExploreopportunitiesforCUAstoexpandHomerͲbasedcommericaloperations x

Createamobilevisitorcenter/contactvehicle x Develop,fabricate,andinstallnewwaysideexhibitpanelsatlocationsthat describetheviewshedandprovidecontextforparkstoriesincludingMosaicof x LandformsandtheNativepeoplesoftheKenaiPeninsulaandtheirconnections totheDena’inapeopleofLakeClark OfferboattourstoChisikIslandandSnugHarbor.Thisservicecouldbe x park/partneredsponsoredoracommercialservice.

Developtheideaofthepark’scoastalareaastheEasterngatewaytothepark x

AlaskaIslandsandOceansVisitorCenter Provideinterpretationonglaciersandvolcanoes x

AssistwithstaffingforDiscoveryLabsandenvironmentaleducationprograms x ContinuetodeveloprelationshipswiththeAlaskaMaritimeNationalWildlife x RefugeandtheKachemakBayResearchReserve ScheduleNPSstafftimeatthevisitorcenterdesk x Developprogramsonweatherandclimatechange x Emphasizenaturalhistoryandecologicalconnections x FocusprogramsonChisikIsland(commonboundary),maritimegeography,and therookery.TeseareareasthatconnecttotheAlaskaMaritimeNational x WildlifeRefuge

Lake Clark National Park and Preserve Long-Range Interpretive Plan I 55 Part Three: Recommendations

LakeClarkNationalParkandPreserve: ShortͲterm MidͲterm LongͲterm OnͲgoing PrioritiesbyInterpretiveService (1Ͳ3years) (4Ͳ6years) (7Ͳ10years) ExpandexistingandDevelopNewEducationalOpportunities StrengthenmessageofculturalconnectionsbetweenKenaiPeninsulaandLake x Clark DevelopstrongerrelationshipswithteachersintheKenaischooldistrict x DevelopincollaborationwiththePrattMuseumanddistributeaKͲ12Dena’ina x archeologytravelingkit Participateinculturecamp/week x WritePMISrequeststodevelopeducationproductsandprograms x IntegrateprogramswiththoseofferedbythePrattMuseum x EstablishconnectionswithKenaitzeandNinilchiktribesandcreate x opportunitiesforelderstobeinvolvedineducationprograms IncreaseopportunitiestoutilizePrattscholarshipinterns x Usevideoconferencingtointegratebothparkculturalandnaturalresource x expertsintopresentation DevelopvolcanolessonplansincooperationwiththeAlaskaMaritimeNational x WildlifeRefuge WritenaturalresourceͲthemedlessonplans x ExplorethepossibilityofutilizingtheTeacherͲRangerͲTeacherprogram x DevelopstandardsͲbasedlessonsandwebͲbasedteachingtoolsforusein x schools.Makethemavailablestatewide UseHomerasabaseforKenaieducationprograms x PresentnaturalresourceͲthemedlessonplans x DevelopTeachingwithHistoricPlaceslessonplans x Createavirtualclassroom x Offerwebinars x UseInterpretationandEducationtoAddressResourceandSafetyConcerns Makestrongerconnectionsbetweenpastandpresentfishingtechniques x includingcatchandrelease. Offersubsistenceprogramsontopicsmostrequestedbycommunities. x MakestrongerconnectionsbetweenLeaveNoTraceandTreadLightly x wildernessprogramsandtraditionalDena’inaprinciples. Createaboatingsafetyrewardprogramforthose“caught”wearingapersonal x flotationdevice. Offertheboatingsafetyprogramtoalllocalresidentzonecommunities. x PlacemoreemphasisonreachingPortAlsworthyouthwithconservation x messagesabouttheparkandpreserve. OfferboatingsafetyandresourcerelatedtrainingprogramssuchasLeaveNo Tracetoincreasetheinstructorcadresomoreprogramscanbepresentedin x thelocalcommunities. PartnerwiththePrattMuseumtoaddaquestionandanswersessionaswellas x atwoͲwayvirtualconversationtotheBearcamprogram. Producesubsistenceprogramsusingdigitalmediaontopicsmostrequestedby x communities.

56 I National Park Service Part Three: Recommendations

LakeClarkNationalParkandPreserve: ShortͲterm MidͲterm LongͲterm OnͲgoing PrioritiesbyInterpretiveService (1Ͳ3years) (4Ͳ6years) (7Ͳ10years) ExpandExistingandDevelopNewOpportunitiestoEngageYouth

Distributethejuniorrangerbooklet(LakeClarkPass)atgatewaylocations, x encourageyouthtovisitthePortAlsworthVisitorCenterfortheirbadge

Partnerwithlocalresidentzonecommunitiestoprovideinterpretivehikeand x campingexperiences. DevelopaGirlScoutProgram x DevelopanoutreachcampatKijikgearedtowardyouthincorporating responsiblecamping,safety,outdoorsurvival,andtraditionalsubsistence x includingawintercampforbeavertrapping Offersummerfieldinstitutesforlocalyouth x DevelopaBoyScoutProgram x Coordinatewithotherlocalpartnerstodevelopachildren’sprogramthat teachessubsistenceskills,outdoorethics,andpromotesstrongercultural x connections Expandservicestomoreresidentzonecommunities x MaintainandGrowExistingPartnershipsandExploreNewPartnerships Maintainandgrowexistingpartnerships(Homer,NondaltonTribalCouncil,Kijik Corporation,SubsistenceResourceCommission,andKenaiPeninsulaandLake x andPeninsulaschooldistricts),AlaskaMarineConservationCouncil,NushagakͲ Mulchatna/WoodͲTikchikLandTrust,andAlaskaStateParks Explorenewpartnerships(UniversityofAlaskaBristolBaycampus,Alaska NativeHeritageCenter,AlaskaChannel,internationalsisterparks,Medallion x Foundation,AircraftOwnersandPilotsAssociation,andAlaskaAirmen’s Association Exploreoptionsforpartneringongrantsandotherformsoffunding x FormastrongerpartnershipwithAlaskaVolcanoObservatoryandincrease x interpretiveopportunities Developopportunitiesforinterpretivetrainingandresourceexchanges x Buildcapacityformanagingformalpartnershipsthroughtrainingincontracting x andagreements Explorepossibilitiesfordetailassignments x

Developapartnershiptooffernaturalandculturalhistoryfieldworkshopsthat x developparkthemesincludingNondalton,Newhalen,andPedroBay

ConductsurveyworkandprotecttheOldNondaltonsitewithKijikCorporation x andNondaltonTribalCouncil Explorethepossibilityofdesignatinga“sister”parkonanothercontinentto x developcommonthemesandbroaderunderstanding Developpartnershipsforsafetyprograms,curriculumdelivery,andsummer x fieldyouthinstitutes

Lake Clark National Park and Preserve Long-Range Interpretive Plan I 57 Part Three: Recommendations

LakeClarkNationalParkandPreserve: ShortͲterm MidͲterm LongͲterm OnͲgoing PrioritiesbyInterpretiveService (1Ͳ3years) (4Ͳ6years) (7Ͳ10years) FullyIntegrateCommercialServicesintotheInterpretiveProgram Establishacommercialservicesrecognitionprogram. x Strengthenallcommunicationsbetweentheparkandcommercialuse authorizationholders(CUAs).Communicationmethodsincludetheuseofprint x media,webpages,digitalmedia,andpersonalcontact. Usecurrentrelationshipswithhuntguidecontractholderstodevelopand distributeinterpretivematerials.Initiallythiswouldincludemakingsurethe x huntguideshavecopiesofourcurrentmaterials. Continuetooffertomakepresentationsatthelodges,byparkstafforguest x speakers. RevitalizeandexpandtheSilverSalmonCreekGuideProgram. x Conductaneedsassessmenttodetermine bestpracticesfortheparkandCUAs toworktogethermoreeffectively.WorkwithCUAstodeterminehowtobest x reachvisitorswithparkmessagesandprintedmaterials. Selectmaterialstoproduceincooperationwithcommercialservicespartners x includingflightguide,newmaps,andapartnerbrochure. DistributearackcardtoallCUAsthatinterpretsLakeClarkPass. x

DistributerackcardstoallCUAsonothersuggestedtopicsofinterestsuchas salmonlifehistory,thesignificanceofLakeClarktotheBristolBayredsalmon x fishery,importantwaterbodiesofLakeClarkNationalParkandPreserve,and lifecyclesofmajorwildlifespeciesthatmaybecommonlyviewedinthepark. Developathematic(MountainLandscape/Wilderness,MosaicLandforms, CulturalTapestry)audiotourthatCUAscouldoffervisitorscomingthrough x LakeClarkPass CollaboratewithCUAstocreateaselfͲguidedaviationtourwherepeoplecan pickupabrochure/mapatMerrillFieldandbeabletofollowtheirflightalong x CookInlet,throughLakeClarkPasstoPortAlsworth. CollaboratewithCUAstodevelopavideoaboutbestpracticesforbearviewing x onthecoastandotherresourceissues. ExpandtheVolunteerProgram Conductaneedsassessmentbyprogramareaidentifyingpotentialvolunteer x opportunitiesandavailableresources UtilizevolunteerswithmediabackgroundtotransferSuperͲ8and16mmfilmto x adigitalvideoformat Developastandardoperatingproceduresforsigningupvolunteers x Developanimprovedwaytorecognizevolunteers x Expandfocusofvolunteerprogramandaddadditionalvolunteerlocations x

InvestigatecollegecreditforhighschoolinternspossiblyatUniversityofAlaska x FairbanksBristolBayCampus Developatrainingchecklist/materialsforexistingvolunteers x Developmeaningful,shortͲtermvolunteeropportunities x Developavolunteerpageontheparkwebsitewithpersonalstories,photos, x andalinktoavolunteerapplicationform Investigateadditionalpartnersourcesforvolunteersandtraining(e.g.Tribes, AlaskaNativeHeritageCenter,YMCA,YWCA,NationalOutdoorLeadership x School,seniors,andretirees) Improvewaystoprovideenrichmentexperiencesincludingworkingator x travelingtootherlocations Developamentoringprogramthatpairsexperiencedvolunteerswithnew x applicants

58 I National Park Service Young / NPS Young

Appendices

Lake Clark National Park and Preserve Long-Range Interpretive Plan I 59 Appendices

Appendix A: The Planning Team

National Park Service

Lake Clark National Park and Preserve John Branson, Historian Karen Evanoff , Cultural Anthropologist Yvette Evanoff , Visitor Use Assistant Lee Fink, Chief Ranger Lisa Fox, Chief of Commercial Services Joel Hard, Superintendent Mary McBurney, Program Manager for Interpretation and Subsistence Mark Mullins, Facilities Maintenance Katie Myers, Museum Curator Angela Olson, Administrative Assistant Michelle Ravenmoon, Subsistence Coordinator Megan Richotte, Exhibit Specialist Elizabeth Wasserman, Education Specialist

Alaska Regional Offi ce Tonyua Abrom, EEO Diversity Joel Cusick, GIS Specialist and GPS Coordinator for Alaska Parks Judy Kesler, Regional Web Manager – Alaska Morgan Warthin, Wildland Fire Communication and Education Specialist

Harpers Ferry Center Toni Duffi cy, Interpretive Planner (Team Captain) Winnie Frost, Program Manager

60 I National Park Service Appendices

Park Partners

Glen R. Alsworth, Jr., Owner, Lake Clark Air and The Farm Lodge Marianne Aplin, Manager, Alaska Islands and Ocean Visitor Center Dave Bachrach, Owner, AK Adventures Melissa Bair, Alaska Field Representative, National Parks and Conservation Association Tish Bowman Preston Cavner, Owner, Cavner and Julian, Inc. Ryjil Christianson, Director of Education, Pratt Museum Diane Converse, Director, Pratt Museum Holly Cusack-McVeigh, Curator, Exhibits and Anthropological Collections, Pratt Museum Carol Harding, Acting Executive Director, Homer Council on the Arts and Kachemak Bay Conservation Society Kris Holderied, Director, NOAA Kasitsna Bay Lab James Isaak, Owner, Alaska Homestead Lodge Sheila Isaak, Owner, Alaska Homestead Lodge Micah Jarlburg, Employee, Farm Lodge Eleanor Johnson, Representative, Kijik Corporation Cecilia “Pudge” Kleinkauf, Owner, Women’s Flyfi shing Aaron Leggett, Dena’ina Cultural Historian, Alaska Native Heritage Center Pete Lundskow, Collections Manager and Curator, Pratt Museum David McGiven, Associate Professor, Alaska Pacifi c University Kayla McVeigh, Pratt Museum Youth Volunteer and Elementary Student Lisa Oakley, Projects Director, Alaska Geographic Dan Oberlatz, Owner, Alaska Alpine Adventures Jim Pfeiff enberger, Education Coordinator, Ocean Alaska Science and Learning Center Beth Trowbridge, Wynn Nature Center Program Director/Educator, Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies Liz Williams, Offi ce of Subsistence Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Lois Wirtz, Planner, Alaska Travel Industry Association Spencer / NPS

Iliamna Volcano

Lake Clark National Park and Preserve Long-Range Interpretive Plan I 61 Appendices

Appendix B: Accessibility Guidelines

Every attempt will be made to provide full access to interpretive media and programs to ensure people with physical and mental disabilities have access to the same information necessary for safe and meaningful visits to national parks. This is in compliance with the National Park Service policy:

“ …To provide the highest level of accessibility possible and feasible for persons with visual, hearing, mobility, and mental impairments, consistent with the obligation to conserve park resources and preserve the qualities of the park experience for everyone.” NPS Special Directive 83-3, Accessibility for Disabled Persons

All interpretation will follow general standards for accessibility as described in the Harpers Ferry Center Programmatic Accessibility Guidelines for Interpretive Media http://www.nps.gov/hfc/pdf/accessibility/ access-guide-aug2009.pdf.

62 I National Park Service Appendices

Appendix C: Interpretive Themes and Stories

A team of park and region staff , stakeholders, and partners worked together to confi rm these themes and associated stories during the Foundation workshop held in December 2009. They are based on the seven themes identifi ed in the October 2009 Foundation Statement. Many of these stories were identifi ed during a brainstorming exercise and were not fully developed by the participants.

Mountain Landscapes and Wildness

Lake Clark National Park and Preserve’s astonishing unimpaired scenic beauty provides excellent opportunities for solitude and to experience both wilderness and wildness.

 Homeland of the Dena’ina Athabascan People  Stories of fi rst travelers and the many trails  Dick Proenneke’s wilderness ethic  Self- reliance  How Port Alsworth was established  Stories of backpackers  Historic routes – Shank’s Mare (i.e. walking and hiking)  Walking experiences  Sensory experiences  Quiet, unspoiled place  Park – preserve wilderness  The wildness of the place  “Alone in the Wilderness”  Aviation – mountain passes – can see Lake Clark from the air, but not know one is seeing a national park  Forces of nature are beautiful  Perspectives and spiritual beliefs of wilderness  Sense of place and Dena’ina, Russian, and English place names  Pilgrimage  Resource protection – green energy  Wildlife  Wild rivers  Wilderness character is "solitude or primitive and unconfi ned recreation"  Experiencing the quality of "wildness" and the place where it exists - wilderness

Mosaic of Landforms and Ecosystems

The landscapes and geological formations of Lake Clark National Park and Preserve continue to evolve and provide opportunities to witness and study the forces of changing climate, water, glaciers, plate tectonics, and volcanism.

 Dynamic forces  Living laboratory  Diversity of ecosystems, landforms  Time – slow processes can show dramatic change quickly  Microcosm of Alaska ecosystems, many resources in Lake Clark National Park and Preserve are refl ecting signifi cant eff ects of Earth’s changing climate  Power = weather/storm  Pacifi c Ring of Fire – plate tectonics  Water – maritime and lakes  Tidal forces – Captain Cook – mapping Cook Inlet  Coastal erosion

Lake Clark National Park and Preserve Long-Range Interpretive Plan I 63 Appendices

 Park doesn’t end at the boundary  Passes – maritime and overland  ANILCA – how did the boundary get set? Township and range (very few people involved in the process – not local)  Maritime refuge  Conservation movement (Chisik Island established as a bird “reservation” in 1909 by Theodore Roosevelt)  Tide pools  Coastal Cook Inlet watershed  Fossil Point – fossils

Salmon Fishery

Lake Clark National Park and Preserve protects critical habitat at the headwaters of the world’s most productive red salmon fi shery, which anchors the economy, ecology, culture, and history of Southwest Alaska.

 Life cycle of the salmon  Without salmon we are dead  Without park rearing and salmon ground – no salmon  “The chase”  History of people who fi sh – fi sh camps (old and new), establishment of lodges, sport fi shing, wheelhouse  “Rods and wings”  Changes in fi shing – 1,000 years to present  Changes in technology – fi sh traps, sailboats  How to fi sh – learn to fi sh  Connection to Bristol Bay – watershed/migrating people (immigrants)  Without salmon – wouldn’t see people or brown bears  Survival equals subsistence use and cultural identity  Livelihood and life  Culture based on subsistence  Spiritual connection – fi rst salmon ceremony  Nutrient studies  Studying geologic story through salmon  Natural and cultural history connection  Impact of people on fi sh – what is being done to protect the habitat  Invasive species  Natural fi shery – precious subsets – “seed corn”  Important to protect  Pulse of life changes – salmon season  Changes in resource refl ected in salmon

Subarctic Fish and Wildlife Populations and Habitats

Lake Clark provides opportunities for the public and the scientifi c communities to experience, understand, and appreciate the natural processes that infl uence wild populations and their habitats.

 Natural processes (seasonal, life-cycle)  Animals and fi sh on landforms and along coast: diversity – what are they? How do they survive?  Plants and birds and invertebrates  What research is going on now and what has been done  Predator-prey relationship

64 I National Park Service Appendices

 Where is the wildlife? Why can’t I fi nd them in certain places?  When is wildlife visible? Wildlife migration  Modern science involved in tracking – salmon, sheep, bears, wolf - How to count? Track?  Tracking methods – current/historic  Traditional ecological knowledge (TEK)  Animal behavior – human infl uence  Food chain  Weather patterns/stations – real time observation  Eff ects of volcanic eruptions  Volunteers – research  Relationship with traditional (local, established) people telling stories  Meanings of wildlife subsistence greatest importance  Use of plants  Climate change eff ect  Trails  Wildfl owers and medicinal plants

Cultural Tapestry

The landscape and resources of Lake Clark National Park and Preserve support the cultural and spiritual ties between people and place for the indigenous Dena’ina, local residents, and park visitors.

 Dena’ina people have been in the area between 1,000 and 1,200 years.  Paleo-Indians were in the area as early as 10,000 years ago.  Year-round residents  Comparison with seasonal migration  Last chief of Kijik  Importance of being chief  Place name stories and place names  Story of the fi shery  Diff erent groups of people – Proenneke, Euro-American, Russian, John Clark, early explorers, USGS, late 19th and 20th century immigrants, NPS  Subsistence fi sheries – current stories  A living landscape  Rock paintings  Where did people camp and settle?  What did they do there?  Abundance and scarcity drives activity  Trails including Telaquana  Flyovers  Passing information from 1 generation to another  Archaeology - prehistoric and historic  Original Dena’ina name for the area and lake  Story of the park  Kijik stories  Trade routes – passes  Guided hunting and fi shing  Art forms  Perspectives of local people  Subsistence – similarities and diff erences between inland and coastal people  Connection to the Kenai (today and in the past)  Seasonal use  Respect for wildlife

Lake Clark National Park and Preserve Long-Range Interpretive Plan I 65 Appendices

 Naming of Lake Clark  Local war stories  Aviation and transportation impact on access  “Rusticators”  World War II bomber valley  Outmigration from villages – culture camp helps preserve lifestyle  Jay Hammond  James Isaak family  Babe and Mary Alsworth  Joe Munger –trap line/fi sh/hunt along Silver Salmon Creek  Miners and trappers were living at Portage Creek and Tanalian Point by 1902. Both places had prospectors before 1900. Hugh Rodman was at Kontrashibuna in 1897 and there were many other unnamed prospectors at Portage Creek between 1895 and 1900.

Subsistence

The continuing story of people interacting with the environment of Lake Clark National Park and Preserve off ers opportunities to study and refl ect on how our individual and collective choices shape the landscape and populations of fi sh and wildlife.

 Past and present  Movement within the park  Fish camp - prehistoric and contemporary  Similarities and diff erence between inland/coastal people  Culture camp  Trade is part of subsistence (sharing of resources)  Hunting, gathering, trapping  What is subsistence in Lake Clark?  Artwork created  What are the resources? Purpose?  How subsistence has changed over time – laws, tools used  Park’s role in protecting subsistence rights  Traditional Ecological Knowledge – consult with people regarding management projects  How subsistence came to be – controversy  No Dena’ina word for “resource” or “subsistence”  Sustainability  Resource protection – local and NPS perspectives  Respect for resources  Remain natural system while still allowing subsistence use  Subsistence use as part of the park’s “natural system”  Human presence has been around for 10,000 years

66 I National Park Service

Harpers Ferry Center National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior

Lake Clark National Park and Preserve 240 West 5th Avenue Suite 236 Anchorage, AK 99501

907-644-3626 www.nps.gov/lacl

EXPERIENCE YOUR AMERICA™