 The
Southwest Alaska Salmon Habitat Partnership partners have completed
several conservation agreements, which have protected strategic
tracts for fish and wildlife.
Wood-Tikchik State Park
Agulowak River:
One of the most strategic sites in Southwest Alaska was acquired
in April 2004. An 80 acre tract located at the outlet of Lake Nerka and the start of the Agulowak River was acquired with the
cooperation of the landowners, the heirs of Massa Gorman, and a
large group of partners who provided the funding including the
Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, the Bristol Bay Native
Corporation, Orvis, General Communication Inc., Wildlife
Forever, Charles C. Brandt Construction Co., the Vital Ground
Foundation, the Nushagak-Mulchatna/Wood-Tikchik Land Trust,
North American Wetlands Conservation Act, the U.S. Forest
Service's Forest Legacy Program, and others.
A valuable 38 acre tract near the mouth of the Agulowak River
was protected in February 2004. The property was
acquired with funds generously provided by the Gordon and Betty
Moore Foundation, the Bristol Bay Native Corporation, and the
U.S. Forest Service's Forest Legacy Program.
The Agulowak
provides spawning for 200,000 sockeye salmon and passes an
additional 1.2 million sockeye to spawning areas higher in the
drainage. The Agulowak supports abundant populations of rainbow
trout, Dolly Varden, and Arctic grayling. It is one of the most
heavily used sport fisheries in Southwest Alaska and is an
important area for subsistence harvest of fish and wildlife by
local residents. The Agulowak is an important feeding area for
brown bears. This project ensures access for local people and
visitors to this resource rich stretch of river. The land will
be transferred to the Park.
Agulukpak River:
With funds provide by the Richard and Rhoda Goldman Fund, a 160
acre allotment was acquired at the start of the Agulukpak River,
one of the Park’s most important sockeye salmon spawning areas and
heavily used sport fishing sites. The property was subsequently
donated to the Wood-Tikchik State Park for management as part of
the Park with a conservation easement donated to the
Nushagak-Mulchatna Wood-Tikchik Land Trust. This was the Land
Trust’s first project.
Agulukpak River and Lake Nerka: A 110-acre
parcel was purchased in February 2005 with generous help from
the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation and the Bristol Bay Native
Cooperation. The land will be added to the Wood-Tikchik State
Park. This parcel is located along Lake Nerka at the mouth of
the Agulukpak River, one of Alaska’s world-class anadromous fish
rivers and part of the enormous Wood River/Tikchik Lakes System,
a world-class anadromous fish system
Lake Nerka: The
strategic 123-acre tract bordering both sides of the mouth of Elva
Creek was protected in 2003. Elva Creek and Elva Lake form an
important sockeye spawning system for tens of thousands of salmon
and other fish. The area is an important feeding area for brown
bears. The public heavily uses the mouth of Elva Creek for
subsistence, fishing and other recreation. The property was
acquired with funds generously provided by the Gordon and Betty
Moore Foundation, the Bristol Bay Native Corporation and Forest
Legacy money from the U.S. Forest Service. The land will be
transferred to the Park.
Lake Beverley: A
conservation easement on 80 acres at the head of the Silver Horn
arm of Lake Beverley was acquired in 2002. This highly scenic
area is regularly used by kayakers and other recreationists. The
Land Trust administers the easement.
Chikuminuk
Lake: A 109 acre allotment along Chikuminuk Lake was acquired.
This parcel is the only private inholding within the 75,000 acre
Chikuminuk Lake watershed.
Togiak National Wildlife Refuge
Agreements have
been reached for 1,360 acres in nine allotments along the Togiak
River. The Togiak River is a major producer of all five species
of Pacific salmon and important supplier of the commercial,
subsistence and sport fisheries.
Four Native allotments totaling 559.87
acres along the salmon rich Togiak River were acquired since
January 2004 with the help of the Gordon and Betty Moore
Foundation. These key habitats and access points are now part
of the Togiak National Wildlife Refuge.
Alaska Peninsula National Wildlife
Refuge
At Morzhovoi Bay
37,360 acres were acquired with money from the Richard King Mellon
Foundation in 2002 and 2003. The property includes dozens of
salmon spawning streams and is important to brown bears and
migratory birds. The tract was donated to the United States to be
included in the Alaska Peninsula National Wildlife Refuge.
On the Pacific
side of the Alaska Peninsula 13,069 acres were acquired at Canoe
Bay with funds from the North American Wetlands Conservation Act.
Canoe Bay has numerous salmon spawning streams. It is an
important area for migratory birds and brown bears. The tract is
now part of the Alaska Peninsula National Wildlife Refuge.
At Pavlof Bay
12,260 acres were acquired in 2003. The tract includes extensive
coastal marshes and wetlands, an estuarine lagoon system along
much of its 20 mile coastline and several salmon spawning
streams. This project protects important waterfowl and other
migratory bird habitat. The Southern Alaska Peninsula caribou
herd frequently calves in the area. Brown bears, wolves, and
wolverines use the area. The tract is within the Alaska Peninsula
NWR and adjacent to Izembek NWR.
A 160 acre
allotment at the mouth of the Clark River on Chignik Lake was
acquired to protect the rivers rich salmon habitat and heavy use
by brown bears. This parcel was protected using funds from the
Richard and Rhoda Goldman fund.
Izembek
National Wildlife Refuge
The protected
habitats of Izembek lagoon were increased by 8,496 acres with
funds from the Richard and Rhoda Goldman Fund in 1999. The
property was donated to the United States to be managed as part of
the Izembek National Wildlife Refuge. Izembek is one of the
world’s premier migratory bird habitats and is noted for its great
assemblage of black brant, emperor and Canada geese, the
threatened Steller’s eider and myriad shore birds. The property
also includes several salmon streams, which support thousands of
spawning salmon of all five species and are important to brown
bears.
Lake Clark National Park
Former Governor
Jay Hammond donated a conservation easement on 66 acres of his
homestead adjacent to Lake Clark in 1990. This was the first
easement in Alaska. The National Park Service administers the
easement.
A 60-acre
tract at the west end of Kejik Lake at the mouth of a sockeye
salmon stream was purchased in 1998 and is now part of the Lake
Clark National Park.
Eighty acres on
the north shore of Lake Clark was purchased with funds from the
Richard and Rhoda Goldman Fund and donated to the Park in July
1999.
Jay Mueller
donated a ten acre parcel on Lachbuna Lake near Lake Clark for
conservation. This parcel is completely surrounded by Lake Clark
National Park.
A 80-acre parcel located at Sucker Bay
near the southeast end of Lake Clark was acquired through a land
exchange with the Southcentral Foundation. The tract is
important for sockeye salmon which spawn in the stream on the
property and the adjacent near shore waters of Lake Clark.
Katmai
National Park
Located within
the Katmai National Park along the Naknek River, a major
contributor to the salmon runs of Southwest Alaska, is a newly
acquired 100-acre parcel purchased for inclusion in the Katmai
National Park with the financial assistance of the Gordon and
Betty Moore Foundation and the National Park Service.
A 120-acre
parcel purchased in 2005 is strategically located along the
Alagnak River, a designated wild and scenic river and a major
tributary of Kvichak River System, Alaska’s largest salmon
system. The purchase of this parcel was accomplished with the
help of The Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation and the National
Park Service.
Other Areas
With the support
of the Orvis Company and many other donors a key 155-acre tract
was acquired at the mouth of Talarik Creek. Talarik Creek is a
significant salmon spawning stream and one of Alaska’s fabled
rainbow trout fishing destinations. The original owner retained a
five-acre cabin site in order to continue traditional subsistence
hunting and fishing in the area. The property is managed by the
Alaska Department of Fish and Game.
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