Peninsula Clarion Contributor

Letter to editor

Letter to the editor: Gov. Dunleavy fails state in key areas

I’m so disappointed in Governor Dunleavy and his actions in governing our state. He has slashed education funding and ignored the base student allocation (bsa)… Continue reading

Letter to editor
A snowmachine at rest in front of the Snag Lake public use cabin. (Photo by credit Scott Slavick/USFWS)

Refuge Notebook: Preparedness is key to staying safe in the backcountry

If you spend any time in the backcountry, it’s bound to happen: an ankle sprain halfway into a day hike; afternoon wind unexpectedly turns a… Continue reading

A snowmachine at rest in front of the Snag Lake public use cabin. (Photo by credit Scott Slavick/USFWS)
The bronze statue depicting a "giant Kenai Moose" of the early "19s" stands to welcome present-day guests to the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by USFWS)

Refuge Notebook: Marking 82 years in the great flow of past, present and future on the Kenai

Whether they were pulling my leg or not, a couple of years ago, my kids started asking me questions like, “Mom, did you have phones… Continue reading

The bronze statue depicting a "giant Kenai Moose" of the early "19s" stands to welcome present-day guests to the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by USFWS)
Young samplings are better than a muffin to this moose on the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge. (Photo by Colin Canterbury/USFWS)

Refuge Notebook: We stand on the shoulders of giant moose

This story starts 2,500 miles southeast as the raven flies from Kenai National Wildlife Refuge to the heart of the Weminuche Wilderness in the southern… Continue reading

Young samplings are better than a muffin to this moose on the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge. (Photo by Colin Canterbury/USFWS)
Friends of Alaska National Wildlife Refuges volunteer Beth Sullivan surveys for the invasive plant elodea at Campfire Lake on the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge on Aug. 30, 2023. Here she pulled up a rake full of star duckweed (Lemna trisulca). (Photo by Matt Bowser/USFWS)

Refuge Notebook: Deja vu and something new — Probing Kenai Peninsula lakes for invasive species

We had been here before. Agencies, nongovernment organizations and community members had all taken part in an effort to remove invasive northern pike and elodea… Continue reading

Friends of Alaska National Wildlife Refuges volunteer Beth Sullivan surveys for the invasive plant elodea at Campfire Lake on the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge on Aug. 30, 2023. Here she pulled up a rake full of star duckweed (Lemna trisulca). (Photo by Matt Bowser/USFWS)
The intertidal pseudoscorpion (Halobisium occidentale) is the second species of pseudoscorpion to be documented on the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge. (Photo courtesy USFWS)

Refuge Notebook: Happy Halloween — A look back at Alaska’s smallest sea monster

Editor’s note: This article first appeared on June 15th, 2017, and is reprinted with minor edits. Lurking in some of Alaska’s woods, swamps and rocky… Continue reading

The intertidal pseudoscorpion (Halobisium occidentale) is the second species of pseudoscorpion to be documented on the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge. (Photo courtesy USFWS)
The banded Annaճ hummingbird is being released and flew away seconds after the photo was taken. (Photo by T. Eskelin, USFWS)

Refuge Notebook: Tales of the traveling hummingbird

In the book “A Sand County Almanac,” Aldo Leopold wrote, “To band a bird is to hold a ticket in a great lottery. Most of… Continue reading

The banded Annaճ hummingbird is being released and flew away seconds after the photo was taken. (Photo by T. Eskelin, USFWS)
A U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service volunteer intern collects data in the Alpine. (Photo by Jackie Morton/FWS)

Refuge Notebook: Inspired by the impossible

A few weeks ago, a mentor, Dr. Maurice Hornocker, reminded a roomful of us why we chose to be wildlife biologists. He captured it all… Continue reading

A U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service volunteer intern collects data in the Alpine. (Photo by Jackie Morton/FWS)
Kena Central running back William Wilson moves for a gain during a 14-13 loss to Houston on Friday, Sept. 8, 2023, in Houston. (Photo by Jeremiah Bartz/Frontiersman)

Houston football nips Kenai

HOUSTON — Late in the third quarter, the Houston Hawks held a two-score lead and were pitching a shutout. And then Kenai Central made things… Continue reading

Kena Central running back William Wilson moves for a gain during a 14-13 loss to Houston on Friday, Sept. 8, 2023, in Houston. (Photo by Jeremiah Bartz/Frontiersman)
Ryan Chen lopping seasonal growth at a vista on Emma Lake Trail during a weeklong camping trip. (Photo by Shea Imgarten)

Refuge Notebook: That’s a rap — YCC leaves a trace on refuge’s legacy

They’re everywhere: a munched branch on the trail, muddy boot prints in the house, the rippling of water after a floatplane takes off. All of… Continue reading

Ryan Chen lopping seasonal growth at a vista on Emma Lake Trail during a weeklong camping trip. (Photo by Shea Imgarten)
A close-up view of spruce tip rust on spruce tips on the Kenai Peninsula. (Photo by USFWS/Kris Inman)

Refuge Notebook: Another big year for spruce tip rust

Much like 2018, the orange tips of young spruce trees are catching people’s attention and reminded me of 2018 when a co-worker asked, “What is… Continue reading

A close-up view of spruce tip rust on spruce tips on the Kenai Peninsula. (Photo by USFWS/Kris Inman)
A beautiful stop along Skyline Trail on the way to collect vegetation surveys in the Swan Lake Fire. (Photo by USFWS/Jackie Morton)

Refuge Notebook: Wild and free — My summer as an intern in Alaska

Dozens of Dall sheep pellets pelted my face like hail on a windshield. A celebratory selfie, finished off with “confetti” after a long day of… Continue reading

A beautiful stop along Skyline Trail on the way to collect vegetation surveys in the Swan Lake Fire. (Photo by USFWS/Jackie Morton)
A brown bear cub "catches" a salmon carcass. (Photo by C. Canterbury/USFWS)

Refuge Notebook: Keeping it wild while fishing, camping on Refuge

Sliding one foot in front of another, we crossed the Russian River; our quest for the day was not fishing but checking on terrestrial invasive… Continue reading

A brown bear cub "catches" a salmon carcass. (Photo by C. Canterbury/USFWS)
Kuviak Lake in the Swanson River Canoe System. (Photo by Matt Bowser)

Discover the allure of canoeing opportunities on the refuge

Imagine embarking on a journey through the untouched wilderness of Alaska, gliding along pristine waterways, surrounded by breathtaking landscapes and abundant wildlife. Perhaps you’ll witness… Continue reading

Kuviak Lake in the Swanson River Canoe System. (Photo by Matt Bowser)
An adult male mountain goat with GPS radio collar shortly after release. (Photo by Dom Watts/FWS)

Refuge Notebook: Studies investigate mountain goat movements, habitats

Earlier this winter, when looking out the window of the SuperCub at ridgelines covered in 4 feet of snow, it was difficult to imagine how… Continue reading

An adult male mountain goat with GPS radio collar shortly after release. (Photo by Dom Watts/FWS)
Springtime baby moose. (Tim Bowman/ADF&G)

Refuge Notebook: Wildlife facts and safety tips for summer

Spring officially began March 20, despite the weather. Wildlife unseen for months will return with the sun, bears emerge from dens, and young of every… Continue reading

Springtime baby moose. (Tim Bowman/ADF&G)
An orange-crowned warbler is one of the bird species that likes to nest in slash and wood piles. (Photo by Colin Canterbury/FWS)

Refuge Notebook: Nesting birds can use your help

Editor’s note: This article has been slightly updated from the original version that ran on April 22, 2022. Yes, it’s that time of year again,… Continue reading

An orange-crowned warbler is one of the bird species that likes to nest in slash and wood piles. (Photo by Colin Canterbury/FWS)
A moose cow and calf walking toward a wildlife crossing structure. (Photo by C. Canterbury/USFWS)

Refuge Notebook: New technology increases efficiency of refuge cameras

When you first become interested in the world of biology, wildlife biology in particular, you never picture yourself sitting at the computer. But the reality… Continue reading

A moose cow and calf walking toward a wildlife crossing structure. (Photo by C. Canterbury/USFWS)
The Engineer Lake Public Use Cabin, a favorite cabin to enjoy on the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge. (Photo by USFWS/Dan Saxton)

Refuge Notebook: A winter’s night among the stars, wolves of the refuge

“Did you hear that?” I said to my wife and our young son as a lone wolf’s call echoed from the western hills above Engineer… Continue reading

The Engineer Lake Public Use Cabin, a favorite cabin to enjoy on the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge. (Photo by USFWS/Dan Saxton)
A bog lemming travels through a tube that mimics natural tunnels and captures remote videos and genetic samples to identify this species from its small mammal cousins. (Photo provided)

Refuge Notebook: Our little-known glacial relict

When I think about the Pleistocene, my mind naturally wanders to the large charismatic megafauna that dominated this period from 2.58 million to 11,700 years… Continue reading

A bog lemming travels through a tube that mimics natural tunnels and captures remote videos and genetic samples to identify this species from its small mammal cousins. (Photo provided)