ARCTIC NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE Fair Banks, Alaska ANNUAL NARRATIVE REPORT Calendar Year 1997 United States Department of Interi
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ARCTIC NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE Fairbanks , Alaska ANNUAL NARRATIVE REPORT Calendar Year 1997 United States Department of Interior Fish and Wildlife Service National Wildlife Refuge System ARCTIC NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE Fairbanks, Alaska ANNUAL NARRATIVE REPORT Calendar Year 1997 United States Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service National Wildlife Refuge System Alaska Rcso~rc,cs L~brn~) ,\ lnl'ormation Services LJbr,!!y 13UEilllil!!. Suite 1 11 3211 Prm·iucncc Drive Anchorage, A K 9950R-Ui14 ~~~~~~~~~illl~lll~~~~~~~~~~nilllll~~~~~~~~m 3 4982 00021487 3 ARCTIC NATIONAL WaDLIFE REFUGE Fairbanks, Alaska REVIEW AND APPROVALS ANNUAL NARRATIVE REPORT Calendar Year 1997 Refuge Manager Date Date INTRODUCTION Size Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (Refuge, Arctic Refuge, or Arctic NWR) includes nearly 19.7 million acres, including eight million acres of wilderness. The Refuge spans more than 200 miles west to east from the Trans-Alaska pipeline corridor to Canada, and 200 miles north to south from the Beaufort Sea to the Venetie Indian Tribal Lands and the Yukon Flats National Wildlife Refuge (NWR). Geography Major land forms include the coastal plain, the Brooks Range mountains, and the boreal forest south of the mountains. The Refuge extends south from the Beaufort Sea coast, including most offshore islands, reefs, and sandbars. It extends across the mostly treeless, rolling tundra of the coastal plain to the Brooks Range, located 8-50 miles inland from the coast. The Brooks Range runs roughly east to west through the Refuge, creating a natural north-south division. The Refuge contains the four tallest peaks (led by Mt. Isto, 9049 feet) and the only extensive glaciation in the Brooks Range. The mostly mountainous and hilly south side of the Refuge is cut by numerous stream and river valleys dominated by sub-arctic boreal forest of spruce, birch, and willow. Facilities No permanent facilities are located on the Refuge. The headquarters office is located in Fairbanks, 180 miles from the southern border of the Refuge. Other facilities include a modern bunkhouse and field station at Kaktovik on Barter Island, a few miles north of the Refuge coastal plain. Enabling Legislation On December 6, 1960, Secretary of the Interior Fred Seaton signed Public Land Order 2214 establishing the 8.9 million acre Arctic National Wildlife Range (original wildlife range), closing it to entry under existing mining laws. The original wildlife range was redesignated the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge with the signing of the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA) on December 2, 1980. Under ANILCA, the Refuge more than doubled in size to 18 million acres. The Act also designated three Refuge rivers as Wild rivers and eight million acres (most of the original wildlife range) as Wilderness. Section 1002 of ANILCA directed a resource assessment, including limited seismic testing, of approximately 1.5 million acres of the Refuge coastal plain (the 1002 area), pending a future Congressional decision on oil and gas leasing or Wilderness designation for the area. The State of Alaska relinquished selection of approximately 971,800 acres within the Refuge in 1983, all of which were added to the Refuge. In 1988, the lOOth Congress enacted Public Law 110-395, which added another 325,000 acres, bringing the Refuge to its current size. Refuge Purposes Public Land Order 2214 stated that the purpose of the original wildlife range was to preserve unique wildlife, wilderness, and recreational values. This purpose was added to by Section 303(2)(B) of ANILCA, which specifies that the Refuge was established and shall be managed: (i) to conserve fish and wildlife populations and habitats in their natural diversity including, but not limited to, the Porcupine caribou herd (including participation in coordinated ecological studies and management of this herd and the Western Arctic caribou herd), polar bears, grizzly bears, muskox, Dall sheep, wolves, wolverines, snow geese, peregrine falcons and other migratory birds, and Arctic char and grayling; (ii) to fulfill the international treaty obligations of the United States with respect to fish and wildlife and their habitats; (iii) to provide, in a manner consistent with purposes set forth in subparagraphs (i) and (ii), the opportunity for continued subsistence uses by local residents; and (iv) to ensure, to the maximum extent practicable and in a manner consistent with the purposes set forth in subparagraph (i), water quality and necessary water quantity within the refuge." In Section 101 of ANILCA, Congress made clear its intent to preserve within conservation system units in Alaska, including the Refuge, "nationally significant" scenic, wilderness, recreational, wildlife, and other values for the benefit of present and future generations." Section 101 further states that "it is the intent of Congress in this Act to preserve ... wilderness resource values and related recreational opportunities including but not limited to hiking, canoeing, fishing, and sport hunting, within large arctic and subarctic wild lands and on free flowing rivers II Refuge Resources The Arctic Refuge includes a unique diversity of habitats offering exceptional wildlife, wilderness, recreation, scientific, and aesthetic values. The area includes an assemblage of plant and animal life found nowhere else in the circumpolar region. Major habitat types include alpine tundra and rocky areas, wet and moist arctic tundra, boreal forest, muskeg, brackish coastal lagoons, shrub thickets, and numerous types of wetlands. The Refuge contains an unusual diversity of arctic and subarctic wildlife, including the Porcupine and Central Arctic caribou herds. The Porcupine herd, numbering some 152,000 animals, winters in the southern portion of the Refuge and in Canada. Calving and post-calving activities occur on the coastal plain from late May to late June. Up to one-fourth of the Central Arctic herd, which numbers about 18,000 animals, utilizes the northwestern part of the Refuge. All three species of North American bears (black, grizzly, and polar) are found on the Refuge. Grizzlies, which den in mountainous areas, exist throughout the Refuge. They are thought to number between 130 and 150 on the north slope. Black bears inhabit the south side boreal forest. A few polar bears annually den on the coastal plain. The Refuge contains about 400 muskoxen, which often are observed along rivers on the coastal plain. Large populations of Dall sheep occur in the mountainous areas of the Refuge, although a reliable population estimate does not exist. Other mammals found on the Refuge include moose, wolverine, wolf, arctic fox, lynx, marten, and snowshoe hare. Grayling and Arctic char are the primary sport fish that inhabit Refuge rivers. Approximately 180 species of migratory birds have been seen on the Refuge. The coastal plain is especially important for shorebirds and waterfowl that nest on or otherwise use the area during summer. Oldsquaw is the most common waterfowl species in coastal lagoons, but king and common eiders, pintails, brant, and other species also are found. Some 7 5 pairs of tundra swans nest on the coastal plain, concentrating on wetland dotted river deltas. From mid-August to mid September, the eastern part of the coastal plain serves as the fall staging area for an average 117,000 snow geese. The Refuge also supports the northernmost breeding population of golden eagles and includes critical habitat for the endangered peregrine falcon, much of it along the Porcupine River. Local Residents Residents of several Native villages harvest subsistence resources on the Refuge. Kaktovik, located on the northern edge of the coastal plain, is an Inupiat Eskimo village with about 210 people. Villagers utilize bowhead whale, caribou, polar bear, waterfowl, walrus, seal, Dall sheep, muskox, wolves, ptarmigan, and several species of fish. Arctic Village, an Athabascan Indian village with about 130 residents, is located on the East Fork of the Chandalar River just outside the Refuge's southern boundary. Although villagers rely mainly on the Porcupine caribou herd, they also take moose, Dall sheep, wolves, marten, beaver, lynx, fox, and several other species. Limited fishing occurs, primarily for whitefish and lake trout. Residents of Fort Yukon, Venetie, and Chalkyitsik also use Refuge resources, but to a lesser degree. Public Access and Use Public access is unrestricted except for all-terrain vehicle use. Almost all visitors get to the Refuge by bush plane. Subsistence users rely on boats, snowmobiles, and occasionally dog sleds. The Refuge is open to public use year-round. Due to the isolated, pristine nature of the area, wilderness related activities predominate. Hunting, river floating, and backpacking are the most popular. Weather limits almost all visitation to June through early October. Trips generally range from one to three weeks, partly due to the remoteness of the Refuge and the high cost of getting there. Peak use occurs in July (floating, backpacking) and August-September (hunting). Visitors can capture breathtaking views like this throughout the Refuge. Barry Whitehill "Natural history" evidence like this helps make the Refuge a special place. Barry Whitehill TABLE OF CONTENTS A. HIGHLIGHTS 1 B. CLIMATIC CONDITIONS ....................................... 2 c. LAND ACQUISITION .......................................... 3 1. Fee Title ................................... (Nothing to Report) 2. Easements .................................