Accomplishments

Accomplishments

The Partnership has protected more than 100,000 acres of salmon habitat to date.

Acres of Habitat Protected to Date:
Conservation Unit	Fee Acres	Easement Acres
Wood-Tikchik State Park	900	21,416
Lake Clark Nat'l Park & Preserve	552
Katami Nat'l Park & Preserve	540
Alaganak Wild River	200
Alaska Peninsula Nat'l Wildlife Refuge	50,893
Becharof Nat'l Wildlife Refuge	65
Izembek Nat'l Wildlife Refuge	21,296
Togiak Nat'l Wildlife Refuge	5,296
Yukon Delta Nat'l Wildlife Refuge	720
Subtotals:	80,707	21,416
Total Acres Protected:	102,123 Acres

Wood Tikchik State Park:

Since 2004, nine parcels and two conservation easements have been acquired by the Partnership in the Wood-Tikchik area. These properties were 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. Projects have been completed on the Agulowak and Agulukpak rivers, and on lakes Nerka, Beverley and Chikuminuk.

One of the most strategic sites was an 80 acre tract located at the outlet of Lake Nerka and the start of the Agulowak River. 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.

This site 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.

Additional tracts within this area were acquired through the generous support of the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, the Bristol Bay Native Corporation, and the U.S. Forest Service's Forest Legacy Program.

Lake Clark National Park and Preserve:

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. Six additional tracts have been acquired through the work of the Partnership and donated to the Park. Generous donations from the Richard and Rhoda Goldman Fund and Jay Mueller, and and land exchange with the Southcentral Foundation, made these acquisitions possible.

Katami National Park & Preserve:

Located along the Naknek River, a major contributor to the salmon runs of Southwest Alaska, is a 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.

Alaganak Wild River:

Two parcels strategically located along the Alagnak River have been acquired. The Alaganak is a designated wild and scenic river and a major tributary of Kvichak River System, Alaska’s largest salmon system. These acquisitions were accomplished with the help of The Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation and the National Park Service.

Alaska Peninsula National Wildlife Refuge:

At Morzhovoi Bay 37,360 acres were acquired with money from the Richard King Mellon Foundation. The property includes dozens of salmon spawning streams and is important to brown bears and migratory birds. 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 and is an important area for migratory birds and brown bears.

At Pavlof Bay 12,260 acres were acquired. 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.

Becharof National Wildlife Refuge:

Five small parcel acquisitions have been completed within Becharof National Wildlife Refuge.

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. 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.

Togiak National Wildlife Refuge:

The Partnership has completed thirty-eight separate small parcel acquisitions within Togiak National Wildlife Refuge. The Togiak River is a major producer of all five species of Pacific salmon and important supplier of the commercial, subsistence and sport fisheries. The Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation helped fund these acquisitions. These key habitats and access points are now part of Togiak National Wildlife Refuge.

Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge:

Six small parcel acquisitions have been completed within Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge.