Sourdough News Winter Edition 2021
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Forest Service U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Alaska Region | April 2021 SourDough Winter 2021 January–March News ROOTED IN COMMUNITY Winter 2021 Tongass staff support COVID-19 vaccination SourDough News efforts .................................................................... 1 By the Numbers: How the USDA Forest Service Stories capturing the spirit of your Alaska public lands Alaska rose above pandemic challenges ............... 2 as told by Forest Service staff and partners who work Region 10 Engineer of the Year Winners .............. 4 and live in the Alaska Region. Forester Brock Martin is Federal Executive Employee of the Year ............................................ 5 Ice formations on Portage Lake in Alaska Region Silviculturist of the Year ............... 5 spring.USDA Forest Service photo Region 10 Participation: Wildland Fire ................ 6 by Annette Heckart. Meet the Ranger .................................................... 7 Meet the New Regional Leadership Team Members ............................................................... 8 Partners name a new fungus in Alaska’s boreal forest ..................................................................... 11 Sean Cahoon: 2020 Research & Development Deputy Chief’s Award recipient ............................ 12 Barry Arm landslide and tsunami hazard-an Alaskan effort in coordination and monitoring ..... 13 Making something great by taking something away ...................................................................... 14 New construction on Petersburg’s Raven’s Roost cabin begins spring 2021 ............................ 15 Innovation, dedication and climate change drive fuel installations in Alaska ........................... 16 VetsWork for the future: A one-on-one with Amanda Williams .................................................. 17 Next level virtual event at Chugach National Forest sets the pace ............................................... 18 Your mission, should you choost to accept it: Reducing fish barriers on Chugach National Forest..................................................................... 19 Hot off the press! .................................................. 20 Our Forests Are Alaska ......................................... 21 Different ways of knowing: Science and Art collaborations in the boreal forest ......................... 22 Alaska takes interpretive programs online during pandemic .................................................... 24 Zooming with the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor’s Center rangers ....................................................... 25 Operation Chugach National Forest in Town Square a success! .................................................. 26 Managing editor Forest Health March Madness .............................. 27 Jacqueline Chandler, (907) 586-8803 [email protected] SourDough News is written by employees of the Alaska Region. Contributing writers Please contact: Jacqueline Chandler, Paul Robbins, Michelle Putz, Melissa Kulack, Mona Carol Teitzel Spargo, Carol Teitzel, Bobette Rowe, Steve Namitz, Lori Winton, Pacific Regional Public Affairs Office Northwest Research Station, Allan Alcancia, Annette Heckart, Michelle Putz, (406) 498-8372, or Jacob Hofman, Teresa Hollingsworth, Kelsey Aho, Patrick Shannon, Amanda [email protected] Williams, Julia Schostak, Barbara Miranda, Leslie Swada. or visit the Article Submission site at https://bit.ly/2MkPS2U Design/Illustration Carol Teitzel, Adobe Stock The editorial staff reserves the right to edit all articles for journalistic standards The USDA Forest Service is committed to doing its part to help halt the spread of COVID-19. Masks and physical distancing are required in all USDA Forest Service buildings and facilities and on all and space consideration. national forest and grasslands, especially when physical distancing cannot be maintained. Safety is a core agency value. Images in this product that do not demonstrate appropriate measures, such as Cover page: Mendenhall Glacier. USDA Forest Service wearing a mask or physical distancing, were taken before mandates were in place. photo by Melissa O’Donnell. Tongass staff support COVID-19 vaccination efforts Two Tongass National Forest my local fire department, to have the employees responded to a Federal support of my forest to pick up critical Emergency Management Agency work I left behind, and the support of (FEMA) emergency request in February my family said Sherman, “Overall, it to support the national COVID was a very rewarding experience.” vaccination efforts in Oakland, Calif. Parker Anders administered vaccinations to the “Each day was filled with conversations public in a tent-based, walk-in clinic. Tongass National Forest Deputy Forest with folks who had lost loved ones to Supervisor Frank Sherman administered COVID,” he continued. “And many vaccinations at a drive-through vaccination were so appreciative to be receiving site in Oakland, CA; along with squads a dose, they cried with joy.” of emergency medical technicians (EMT) from the Forest Service, National Park Parker Anders, who is the Admiralty Service, Department of Health and Island National Monument cabins and Human Services, other federal agencies, trails program crew leader, administered and California agencies. The clinic was vaccinations to the public in a tent- under a large drive-through canopy based, walk-in clinic located at the where people were vaccinated in their Oakland Federal mass vaccination site. vehicles as they drove up. The EMTs The walk-in clinic treated members of Tom Heutte checked in patients at Ketchikan screened patients to make sure they were the public who did not have the means Emergency Operations Center and the Ketchikan Public Health Center public vaccine clinic. USDA safe to receive the vaccine, answered to drive themselves, relying instead on Forest Service photo. questions, administered the vaccine, and public and bicycle transportation. monitored for 15 minutes afterward. Parker received Wilderness Emergency Tongass employees also worked at Medical Technician (WEMT) clinics in their communities. Tom “Upon arrival, I was pleased to find training through the National Outdoor Heutte, a Tongass GIS program manager, that FEMA had organized and was Leadership School as a firefighter on helped with a Ketchikan Emergency operating much like any other Incident the Juneau Ranger District in 2016. Operations Center and the Ketchikan Management Team, which allowed me Public Health Center public vaccine to quickly assimilate and begin training “I feel grateful for the opportunity to clinic. Heutte’s job was to check in to vaccinate the general public,” said have participated in such a large multi- patients, ensure that they understood the Sherman, who is a locally trained agency, relief operation that gave so much paperwork, their privacy rights, and the Emergency Medical Tech for the North hope back to many individuals who’ve right to know information, as well as the Tongass Volunteer Fire Department. been directly affected by this pandemic,” process they were about to engage in. Sherman shared that he felt compelled said Anders. “My time during patient to respond to the emergency request contacts was exceptionally rewarding, Heutte also helped people who were after hearing the Chief of the Forest compared to other national incidents, due having difficulty getting signed up. Service describe the immense challenge to the level of personal patient rapport to quickly vaccinate the population. we experienced. Watching people laugh “I was gratified to see so many friends and shout or express the sincere relief and co-workers after a year in isolation,” “I consider myself extremely fortunate they felt being vaccinated, realizing that said Heutte. “Despite the distancing to have been trained and vaccinated by this deteriorating pandemic may be a measures, there was a strong feeling of reality, gave me the perception of doing being back to normal to be involved in something significant in their lives.” an in-person community event.” By Forest Public Affairs staff. Frank Sherman administers vaccine to an Oakland resident at the Oakland Coliseum Mass Vaccination Site, Feb. 23, 2021. USDA Forest Service photo by Paul Wade. The site Sherman was assigned to provided 6,000 to 7,500 vaccinations a day. He worked from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., while the National Guard directed traffic. See a video of the drive-through vaccination site at: http://fsweb.r5.fs.fed.us/videos/VaccineHelpers. SourDough News Winter Edition 2021 1 By the Numbers: How the USDA Forest Service Alaska Region rose above pandemic challenges More than 25,000 hours of service from volunteers, 297 helicopter hours flown to collectAlaska Forestry inventory and analysis data, and a fire season without any large wildfires of 100 acres or more; these are just some of the interesting accomplishments achieved by the employees and partners of the Forest Service Alaska Region during a year when the pandemic was impacting everyone’s lives. What better way to tell that story than by the numbers, showcasing the remarkable work accomplished in 2020: 0 large wildfires, 100 acres or more, occur in Alaska’s National Forests in 2020. 2 of the largest national forests in the country – the Tongass and Chugach National Forests continue to thrive during COVID-19 and offer a multitude of resource, recreation, and research activities to a variety of users. 24 aquatic organism passage crossings restored on both of Alaska’s National Forests. 49 years