National Historical Park Skagway, As you drive the Klondike Highway, ride the train The alpine habitat occurs at low elevations through­ into the , or hike the , you will out Southeast Alaska - as low as 2500' (800 m). These travel through a variety of habitats including the coastal treeless areas are characteristic of much higher altitudes rainforest, alpine tundra, and boreal forest. Each of these in southern latitudes, but are present here as a result of habitats is diversely unique while related to its neighbor­ deep snowpack and long winters of the north. Alpine ing community. meadows burst with colorful wildflowers during the summer. The coastal rainforests of Southeast Alaska are characterized by plentiful moisture and lush vegetation. The boreal forest of the interior shares many plants m LU Plants flourish on large quantities of sunlight during the and animals with the coastal communities, but is both o summer months. Nutrients come from organic material drier than the coastal rainforest and subject to the and rainfall, as elsewhere, but the coastal rainforests also greater climatic extremes of the continental interior. The O obtain nutrients from the ocean when fish swim into fresh forests and wetlands are ideal habitat for moose, water streams to spawn and die. caribou, bears, and mosquitoes. > -< The coastal rainforests around Skagway are C/> unusual. Summers are warm and relatively dry - o conditions which favor wildlife movement between the H coast and interior. Also, south-facing hillsides forested m o with pine and birch are exposed to more intense sun, LU making them drier and subject to forest fires, unlike the 2 wetter coastal rainforests to the south.

Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park is an After a disturbance such as fire, different plants and area of high biological diversity. Plants and animals animals repopulate an area, changing the environment move easily between the interior and coast, and find as they replace each other. The series of changing plant favorable conditions in the Skagway area due to our and animal life on a disturbed site is succession. relatively dry climate and frequent environmental Typical plant succession in this region may occur as disturbances. Disturbances are events that change the colonizers such as fireweed and devil's club take structure of a habitat. In southeast Alaska, disturbances advantage of forest openings and exposure to the sun. include insect and disease outbreaks, avalanches, Quick-growing trees and shrubs such as alder, birch, landslides, windstorms, and floods - events which allow pine, and cottonwood soon move in. Slower growing Sitka spruce and hemlock eventually shade out the sunlight to reach the forest floor, encouraging the growth others, until only the most shade-tolerant hemlock of new plants. Unlike most rainforests, fire is an remains. At any point during succession, the pattern of important disturbance in the Skagway and Taiya river changing plant communities can be interrupted by new valleys. disturbances.

2 3 Shore Pine (Pinus Black Cottonwood (Populus contorts) Generally a tall, trichocarpa) Large tree to straight tree to 25m (80'), but 50m (165') tall; old bark can be short and crooked deeply furrowed and dark when growing on windy gray. Leaves oval, 10cm (4") outcrops. Needles in pairs, long. Grows well on often curved, 5cm (2") long, frequently flooded stream evergreen. Traditional native banks. Buds curled in sticky, uses include lumber for sappy brown husks; sweet homes and splints, pitch for waterproofing, roots twisted fragrance permeates the air CO as rope. Look for this tree at in spring and early summer. Yakutania Point, on AB The gum from the spring buds H Mountain, or along the Dyea can be used to waterproof LU road. baskets and boxes. LU Sitka spruce (Picea Sitka Mountain Ash (Sorbus m sitchensis) Large tree to 70m sitchensis) Small tree 1-4m (230') tall, 2m (6') diameter. (3-12') tall with alternate cc Bark thin, breaking into small leaves in 7-11 bluish leaflets. m scales. Easy to identify by Leaves round at tips, serrate grasping the branch in hand: at the middle. Red and berry­ stiff, sharp needles point out like fruits consumed by birds. from all sides. Grows on Grows in coniferous forests moist but well-drained sites and streambanks and such as floodplains, glacial outwash and hillsides from clearings. This tree is planted low to middle elevations. as an ornamental in yards all Budding branch tips are a around Skagway. valuable source of Vitamin C.

Hemlock (Tsuga species) Paper Birch (Betula Both Western and Mountain papyrifera) Medium decidu­ Hemlock common; up to 60m ous tree to 30m (90') tall. (200') tall; feathery foliage White to brown bark peels in with rough reddish-brown papery strips. Oval/round bark. Seed cones light to leaves with toothed margins. deep purple, brown at Occurs in open to dense maturity. Occurs from dry to woods, from low to mid wet sites; adapted to grow elevations, most often in well- from low to sub-alpine drained areas. Traditionally elevations. Western Hemlock is highly shade-tolerant. used for baskets and canoes. Branches were considered an excellent bedding material.

Sub-alpine Fir (Abies Birch Conk (Polyporus lasiocarpa) Symmetrical, betulinus) Fungus growing blue-green tree to 35m (115') alone or in groups on living or tall with narrow, spire-shaped dead birch trees. Birch Conk crown. Deep purple seed is a parasite that produces a cones 8cm (3") on tops of crumbly rot that destroys its branches. Usually found at host. Can be seen year- subalpine elevations. The round. Used by early pitch and bark have been backcountry travelers as a used in medicines, the fire starter and an antibiotic boughs for bedding and floor for dressing wounds. covering. See this tree from the train or highway in the upper Skagway valley.

4 5 Red-osier Dogwood (Cornus Devil's Club (Oplopanax stolonifera) Spreading shrub horridus) Erect to sprawling 1-6m (3-18') tall; stems often shrub, 1-3m (3-9') tall with bright red, leaves oval with numerous large yellowish prominent parallel veins. spines on stems and beneath Flowers white to greenish in maple-leaf shaped leaves. flat-topped clusters; fruits Berries are bright red, shiny, white. Featured in swamps in showy clusters; not edible and streamside forests and by humans. An extremely thickets; common on important medicinal plant in disturbed sites. This shrub is traditional native cultures; tea an important winter browse made from the inner bark is 0) for wildlife. Leaves turn red still taken today for diabetes. in the fall. X D cc Alder {Alnus species) Both Highbush Cranberry tree and shrub-like forms, {Viburnum edule) Erect c X commonly from 1-5m (15') tall, shrub with 3-lobed, sharply CD growing in dense thickets. toothed leaves, to 3m (9') tall. CO Leaves with wavy margins Fruits in clusters of 2-5, red or C/> and saw-tooth like teeth. orange. Occurs in moist Fruits of brownish cones/ forests and river terraces, nutlets to 2cm (1") long. from low to middle elevations. Grows best along Tart, clustered berries are an streambanks, often in pure important food for wildlife, stands at low elevations. The and are enjoyed by many wild wood is considered the best food enthusiasts of the for smoking salmon and other central and northern coast types of fish. regions.

Blueberry {Vaccinium Goat's Beard {Aruncus species) Spreading, erect dioicus) A robust perennial shrubs to 2m (6') tall; fruits an that grows 1-2m (3-6') tall. edible blue-black berry. Oval The name refers to the fluffy shaped leaves on all spp. white flower clusters. Occurs in moist coniferous Featured on edges of forests, especially in roadsides, forests, and clearings. Wherever they streams at low to middle occur, these berries have elevations. Roots are made been eaten and highly into tea as a traditional native regarded by people through remedy for stomach pains, the ages. They remain colds and coughs. popular in muffins, pies, or as a trail snack.

Common horsetail (Equise- Yarrow {Achillea tum arvense) Features millefolium) Perennial herb, hollow stems up to 70cm (30") to 100cm (40") tall. Seen on tall. This plant occurs often dry to moist, well drained, on roadsides and cutbanks, open sites, including from lowlands to alpine areas. meadows, open slopes, Often found in moist to wet roadsides, from low to high forests, meadows, and elevations. Traditional native seepage areas. This plant is uses include a wide variety of high in silica content, and medical preparations, known as one of the including cold, cough, and "scouring rushes". throat medicines.

6 7 Harbor Seal (Phoca vitulina) Mountain Goat (Oreamnos Highly variable color, but most americanus) Yellowish-white often black to gray with brown fur, long and shaggy in winter, rings or spots. The dog-like shorter in summer. "Beard" face and rounded head is about 2cm (5") long. Black often seen bobbing in the eyes, hooves, and dagger-like tidewaters and rocky shores horns. Seen in rocky, of Nahku (Long) Bay or Dyea. mountainous areas above C/) Graceful swimmers and alert timberline traversing peaks to danger, these playful and sheer cliffs. r -I critters will be watching you! > < z Red Squirrel (Tamiasciurus Killer Whale (Orcinus orca) hudsonicus) Rust-red to D To 9.4m (31'). Black with grayish tree squirrel. Piles of z white or yellow region on cones or remnants (middens) > undersides; oval, white patch indicate presence in trees. < just above and behind eye. Abundant in coniferous Flippers large and paddle- forests, and active all year. Z shaped, dorsal fin tall, Warning bark sounds o sometimes bending. Seen mistaken for birdcall. fishing in the upper layers of Mushrooms stuck on tree cool coastal seas. twigs in the autumn are the work of busy red squirrels. > D r Humpback Whale Black Bear (Ursus o (Megaptera novaeangliae) americanus) Black to Seen along coasts or in open cinnamon, sometimes whitish < seas. To 15m (45') long and in color. Snout usually tan, 32,000 kilos (35 tons); mostly straight profile. Primarily black with sometimes white nocturnal, seen early on the belly. Head and jaw morning/late evening, but can with fleshy knobs or protuber­ be seen midday. Forages for ances; paired blowholes; berries, fishes during salmon round projection on tip of spawn. Most often seen lower jaw. Long flippers, near the coast in spring and small dorsal fin on humped fall. Danger! Do not back. Balloon-shaped blow; approach wildlife! shows tail fluke when diving.

Grizzly Bear (Ursus arctos) Chum "Dog" Salmon Known as the "Brown" Bear (Oncorhynchus keta) To in coastal areas. Yellowish 76cm (30"), 8kg (17lbs); brown to dark brown, spawns August to November. significant hump at shoulders. Pink "Humpback" Salmon Facial profile concave; (Oncorhynchus gorbushca) usually larger body size than To 61cm (24"), 1.8kg (4lbs); black bears. Paws with large, spawns June to October. straight claws. Omnivorous; feeds on plant material and Chinook "King" Salmon fish during spawn. Most (Oncorhynchus often seen near the coast in tshawytscha) To 120cm spring and fall. Danger! Do (48"), 18kg (40lbs); spawns not approach wildlife! May to July.

« 9 Chestnut-backed Chickadee Common Raven (Corvus (Parus rufescens) L 10cm corax) L 60cm (24") Large (4") Sooty-brown cap, white black bird with long heavy bill cheeks, black bib; back and and wedge-shaped tail. Call a rump chestnut. Found in low, drawn-out croak. Found coniferous forests; call a in all habitats. Usually solitary hoarse tseek-a-dee-dee. or in small groups, this This bird is one of only a few scavenger is known for its year-round resident song­ intelligence. In native birds in Skagway. cultures, the Raven is often the center of stories and CO jokes about cunning trickery. Q DC DO Varied Thrush (Ixoreus Northwestern Crow (Corvus naevius) L 22cm (9") Male caurinus) L 40cm (16") Black o DO has gray-blue nape and back, bird which inhabits coastal a) orange eyebrow and wing areas and islands, where it is bars; underparts orange with a scavenger. Hoarse, low black breast band. Female call. The crow can be with dusky breast band and distinguished from Ravens by unmarked throat. Common in its smaller size, flat-edged dense coniferous forests. Call fan-shaped tail, smaller bill, a soft took. Song a series of and tendency to gather in variously pitched notes rapidly large groups. trilled.

Savannah Sparrow Steller's Jay (Cyanocitta (Passerculus stelleri) L 27cm (11") Blue sandwichensis) L 12cm (5") overall, black crest, throat, Highly variable. Streaked with breast. Calls include harsh yellow or whitish; pale crown shaack shaack shaack. stripe. Short, notched tail. Common in coniferous Common in open marshes forests. Bold and aggres­ and grasslands. Song with sive; scavenger. Many chip notes and two trills; flight Steller's Jays make nest in the call a seep. Listen for this larger trees of Skagway's bird in spring and summer in town lots. the grassy meadows of Dyea.

Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus Gull species (Larus) leucocephalus) L 88cm (35") Mew (canus) L 42cm (17") W W 200cm (80") Adults with 107cm (43") Adult has gray white head and tail, yellow bill. head, brown in winter; dark Dark brown with more white eyes. Wings characteristically toward maturity. Flat-winged tipped black and white. soar; feed mainly on fish; nest Glaucus (hyperboreus) L in tall trees beside bodies of 67cm (27") W 150cm (60") water. Some Bald Eagles Adult has pale gray wings, nest near Skagway and are yellow eyes. Wing tips seen above the harbor or translucent. Shown at right. along the river. Many eagles Watch for gulls over the open visit the Taiya River in Oct and water and resting on the Nov to feed on salmon. intertidal shores in Dyea.

10 11 Wild Klondike highlights 35 of the most common plants and animals found in Alaska's Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park.

Klondike Gold Rush NHP is located in Skagway, Alaska at the northernmost end of the Inside Passage. Species discussed here occur in various locations in and around the National Park.

The production of this brochure was coordinated by the National Park Service, Klondike Gold Rush NHP, with the intent to protect the natural resources in a manner that ensures perpetuation of natural succession and recovery compatible with the historic scene.

This brochure was funded by the National Park Service Parks As Classrooms program.

Photographs were provided by the National Park Service, Peg Bethany, Brian Verhulst, Jim Wessel, Gerald & Buff Corsi, Tim Zurowski, Michael Klensch, Albert P. Bekker, Dr. Lloyd Glenn Ingles, George W. Robinson, Jim Flynn, Dr. G. Dallas, Margaret Hanna, and with cooperation from the California Academy of Sciences, and the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.

For more information, contact Klondike Gold Rush NHP in Skagway, Alaska at: (907) 983-2921, or PO Box 517 Skagway, AK 99840, or L www.nps.gov/klgo

Cover photographs: Scenes are taken from various habitats around the Skagway region. The Coastal Rainforest is on the lower Chilkoot Trail in the Taiya River Valley; the Alpine Tundra is near the Chilkoot Summit; the Boreal Forest is at Lake Lindeman on the Chilkoot Trail.

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